The wine capital, Europe’s tallest dune, Atlantic ports and Périgord villages: Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a concentrate of the art of living. Here is the guide to visiting it.
France’s largest region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine stretches from the Gironde estuary to the Basque Pyrenees, and from Atlantic beaches to the hills of the Périgord. Prestigious vineyards, ocean, fine food and stone villages make up a mosaic of the art of living. To visit Nouvelle-Aquitaine, this guide gathers the essentials, from Bordeaux to the Basque coast.
Why visit Nouvelle-Aquitaine?
The region stacks up assets: an Atlantic seafront of over 700 km, France’s largest AOC vineyard, major prehistoric sites and some of the country’s most beautiful villages. People come to surf, to taste, to hike or simply to enjoy a mild climate and a thoroughly southern ease of living. With twelve departments, it is larger than many European countries: you can surf the Atlantic in the morning and dine in the heart of a vineyard at night, so varied are its moods.
Bordeaux, the wine capital
A UNESCO site, Bordeaux charms with its 18th-century pale-stone façades, its Place de la Bourse and its famous water mirror. World wine capital, the city also shines through its gastronomy and cultural life. Nearby, the vineyards of the Médoc, Saint-Émilion and the Graves invite tasting.
The ocean and the Arcachon basin
The Dune du Pilat
On the Arcachon basin, the Dune du Pilat is Europe’s tallest: over 100 metres of sand facing the ocean and the Landes forest. From the top, the view over the Arguin sandbank and Cap Ferret is striking, especially at sunset. The basin is also the realm of oysters and oyster huts.
The Basque coast
Further south, the Basque Country blends ocean and mountain. Biarritz, cradle of surfing in Europe, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and its port, or Bayonne and its arcades make up a coast full of character, between pelota courts, red half-timbered houses and a festive tradition.
La Rochelle and the islands
On the Atlantic coast, La Rochelle watches over its Vieux-Port, guarded by three medieval towers. A bright maritime city, it opens the door to the Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron, a paradise of cycling, salt marshes and beaches. La Rochelle’s aquarium is among the finest in Europe.
The Périgord and the hinterland
Inland, the Périgord unrolls its castles, painted caves and golden villages along the Dordogne. It is one of France’s finest regions, which we explore in detail in our guide to the Périgord and the Dordogne.
Local food and produce
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is a land of good eating. The wines of Bordeaux, the oysters of Arcachon and Marennes-Oléron, the duck of the Périgord and the Basque cheese Ossau-Iraty illustrate a renowned gastronomy. Espelette pepper and the Basque cake add their grain of character.
« Here, ocean and vineyard share the horizon: Nouvelle-Aquitaine is savoured as much as it is visited. »
What to do and taste
Between beaches, vines and heritage, experiences abound. A few related ideas:
- Explore the Périgord and the Dordogne
- Wander the most beautiful villages in France
- Savour the Périgord duck confit
- Discover French wines and their terroirs
Practical tips for your trip
As the region is huge, choose two or three bases to suit your tastes: Bordeaux and its vineyard, the Arcachon basin, the Basque coast or the Périgord. The warm season (May to September) is ideal for the ocean, while spring and autumn enhance the hinterland. A car is almost essential outside the big cities; the TGV, however, links Bordeaux to Paris in 2 hours, and La Rochelle in 2.5 hours. Book early on the coast in summer, and don’t forget sunscreen for the dune and the beaches.
Prehistory, marshes and flowing waters
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is also a land of prehistory and preserved nature. In the Vézère valley, the painted caves — foremost among them Lascaux and its famous facsimile — tell the art of our ancestors, 17,000 years ago. Further north, the Marais poitevin, nicknamed the “Green Venice”, is discovered by boat along its shaded canals, drifting past stone villages. The region also cultivates the art of water: spa resorts of the Basque coast and Béarn, rivers ideal for canoeing such as the Dordogne or the Vézère, and pine-fringed Landes lakes. For spirits, the cellars of Cognac and Armagnac can be visited and tasted, extending Bordeaux’s wine-making renown. From cave to marsh, from vineyard to ocean, Nouvelle-Aquitaine is travelled without ever repeating itself: it would take several trips to see it all — and that is its very charm.
In short
Between ocean, vineyards and terroirs, Nouvelle-Aquitaine offers a gourmet, luminous journey, from the sands of the Landes to the stones of the Périgord. Continue with our directory of regions, browse cities to visit and map your route on the interactive map.
