Aquitaine.
by Alan Tyrrell
Bordeaux is the capital of Aquitaine, and is a cosmopolitan, lively and interesting city, with beautiful old buildings and fabulous shops. It has been an important town for centuries, and was important during the Napoleonic wars, when cannons were shipped from forges all over the region, down the rivers to Bordeaux, where the battle ships were waiting to sail and enter the wars.
Throughout the surrounding area, and all the way along the Dordogne river are vineyards and it is recommended that you attend a wine tasting at one of the famous châteaux, while visiting. The whole region is littered with important wine regions. The smaller ones, like the dessert wine of Monbazillac near Bergerac, should not be overlooked.
As you go south the beaches near Biarritz host top-class surfing contests, which are incredible to watch. This huge and diverse region has a wealth of sights, cultures and cuisine. But don’t miss the rolling hills, medieval châteaux, prehistoric caves and rivers of the Dordogne, as well as the pine-covered sandy terrain of the Landes - the largest forest in Europe - and the endless stretch of sandy beach and dramatic sea spanning the whole Atlantic coast of this region, and taking you right down to the Basque country and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. There is skiing in the pyrenees during the winter, but this remote area is also beautiful in summer.
Aquitaine is historically important and was independent from France for many centuries. Hotly disputed by France and England, this historical background produced many architectural riches - castles, churches, chapels on the pilgrim path to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
Today, Aquitaine is probably best known as the home of the Dordogne and Bordeaux wines. And, it is not surprising, that the wine trade has dominated the economic life of the city. However, Bordeaux is also a prominent centre for the French aviation, pharmaceutical and foodstuffs industries.
The region of Aquitaine is also revered within the French educational system. With four universities, Bordeaux has been named "European university centre".
Because of its geographical size, holidays need to be planned thoroughly. And, if you don’t want to stay in the countryside, you need to narrow the choice to two or three areas, then find a base in each and stay a couple of days.
The rivers in the region are considered to be reasonably safe for all ages to try a variety of water sports under professional supervision.
There are two separate climates in Aquitaine. The coast is mild, with the Gulf Stream to keep it warm. While, inland, the weather is more extreme and variable. Winters can get very cold at lows of about -20°Cand scorching heat-waves in summer but with enough rain to keep the countryside lush and green. However, the summers in Aquitaine are warm and sunny.
If you like your food, Aquitaine is extremely rich in gastronomic tradition. Oysters and other seafood are for sale everywhere you look on the coast, while Périgord is famous for foie gras, duck, confit, walnuts and walnut oil, and the famous Périgordian black truffle. Fresh water fish and wild game (deer, wild boar and birds) are also important features of this region’s culinary landscape, along with little soft goat cheeses (cabécous) in the north and the hard mountain cheeses and the Basque crème brulée of the Pyrenees. Everything is usually washed down with plenty of local red wine.
Home owners with property to rent in Aquitaine look to be set to be inundated with tenancy enquiries as the region is becoming hugely popular for search terms on the internet.
The departments in the Aquitaine are: Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes, Pyrenees Atlantique.
Alan Tyrrell is a co-founder of the exciting new French Rental Property Website, http://www.LetsRentPropertyInFrance.com. He has enjoyed many years as a professional copywriter and runs http://www.adeptcopy.co.uk
