Aquitaine: Cultural Heritage, Wine and Coastal Landscapes
Accommodation in Aquitaine
If you’re looking for a hotel in Aquitaine, you can start by choosing the focus of your trip: UNESCO heritage and prehistory, wine and architecture, or natural areas and cycle routes. The examples range from Bordeaux’s urban ensemble to a 750-kilometre cycle route. This can help you decide which themes you’d like to shape your stay.
Cultural Heritage and Prehistory
A 2014 regional cultural review counted more than 2,800 historic monuments and 9,200 protected movable objects in Aquitaine. It also listed nine national cultural heritage institutions or ensembles that were open to the public at the time. UNESCO sites include Bordeaux, Port de la Lune, one of the world’s largest urban ensembles on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The UNESCO-listed Vauban ensemble comprises the Citadel of Blaye, Fort Pâté and Fort Médoc. An urban ensemble and this fortified complex therefore represent different forms of cultural heritage.
The Vézère Valley contains more than 150 prehistoric sites and around 30 decorated caves. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Vézère Valley comprises 15 prehistoric sites that document dense settlement during the Palaeolithic. The discovery of Lascaux in 1940 marked an important moment in the history of prehistoric art.
The Musée national de Préhistoire in Les Eyzies-de-Tayac is one of Aquitaine’s national cultural heritage institutions. Château de Cadillac and La Sauve-Majeure Abbey are among the sites entrusted to the Centre des monuments nationaux. Check opening hours and visitor information for each site in advance.
Wine and Cycle Routes
The wine profile around Bordeaux includes 60 recognized appellations and 7,000 winegrowers. These figures may change over time. The Cité du Vin in Bordeaux is a contemporary architectural attraction on the banks of the Garonne; its belvedere overlooks 18th-century heritage listed by UNESCO. Access conditions may vary, so check them before your visit.
The 750-kilometre Canal des 2 Mers à vélo cycle route connects the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, following the Gironde estuary, the Canal de Garonne and the Canal du Midi. A shorter option is the 47-kilometre Voie verte, which follows a former railway line through Entre-deux-Mers. This gives you a long connection between two seas and a shorter route through Entre-deux-Mers as two different route options. Check the latest conditions on the Canal des 2 Mers à vélo before setting off.
Nature and Landscapes
The Gironde estuary is considered Europe’s largest estuary and covers 635 square kilometres. The Banc d’Arguin has been a nature reserve since 1972. At low tide, it extends for approximately four kilometres in length and two kilometres in width; these dimensions change with the tides. At the protected Dune du Pilat, the Grand Site offers numerous free activities. Dates are seasonal and weather-dependent.
The lakes of Aureilhan, Léon and Biscarosse in the Landes offer a peaceful atmosphere close to the Atlantic coast. In Lot-et-Garonne, the hiking network includes 450 routes and 4,870 kilometres of marked trails. The number of routes and the length of the trail network may change. Cycle routes and hiking trails offer different ways to experience the landscape actively.
Discover more destinations: Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot Et Garonne, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, Midi Pyrenees, Saint Pierre, Poitou Charentes
For the broader travel overview: France.
