As one of the largest regions in France, Aquitaine is a melting pot of cultures, landscapes, gastronomy and different dialects, all to be explored to your heart’s content. With the Pyrenees mountains, the Bordeaux vineyards, the beaches on the Atlantic coast and the museums in big cities such as Bordeaux or Toulouse, you don’t stand much chance of getting bored in Aquitaine.
To begin exploring the region, start in its largest city, Bordeaux, where you can stroll along the banks of the Garonne River and take in Place de la Bourse with its Water Mirror, the majestic Pont de Pierre bridge, the Jacques Chaban Delmas Bridge and the CAPC museum of contemporary art. Make sure you catch an evening show at the Grand Théâtre. Another city not to be missed is Toulouse, with its Cité de l’espace space theme park sure to delight fans of space travel. It’s also worth stopping by the city centre, home to the Place du Capitole, Saint-Sernin Basilica and the charming Brienne Canal – a lovely spot to take a stroll.
Lovers of wide open spaces and nature will be also be well-served in Aquitaine. For breath-taking hikes, head to the Pyrenees and discover the Pic du Midi d’Ossau mountain in the French Pyrenees, or La Rhune in the heart of the Basque Country. In winter, the Gourette and La Pierre-Saint-Martin resorts make it the ideal place to ski. For a completely different landscape again, head to the north of the region, to the vineyards of Bordeaux, where you can try the excellent vintage wines as you pass through, before moving on to the Atlantic coast, to the Dune of Pilat, where you can enjoy a magnificent view over the Landes Forest. Further south are the beautiful beaches of the Basque Coast: Capbreton, Seignosse and Biarritz. You’ll find it hard to pick a favourite.
To get to Aquitaine, fly into Bordeaux or Toulouse. These cities are also served by high-speed TGV trains from Paris (as are Agen, Bayonne and Perigueux). The Aquitaine TER network is well-connected and regular, making it easy for you to discover the surroundings by train. You can also cross the region for a very reasonable price on one of the many subsidised bus routes. Bordeaux and Toulouse have their own metro, as well as a bus network and a bicycle rental service.
Make easy work of travelling around and exploring the surrounding area by renting a car during your holiday in Aquitaine.
