From sea to mountain, New Aquitaine keeps its promises
As a result of the 2015 territorial reform, New Aquitaine was created by grouping together the three regions of Aquitaine, Poitou Charente and Limousin, making this region so much more appealing when it comes to thinking about your holiday. You’ll be able to choose between the sea (sport or sunbathing), the mountains (in summer and winter) and the countryside. And nothing’s stopping you from choosing all three.
The Basque coast, the Ile de Ré, the Pyla dune, the Pic du Midi d’Ossau, the Dordogne Valley, Oradour sur Glane… what all of these places have in common is that since the 1st of January 2016, they have belonged to the great region of New Aquitaine. This also gives you an idea of the wide range of options on offer, with nearly 1,600 campsites – or 1 in 5 French campsites – awaiting you.
The type of sea that you want
New Aquitaine offers you several hundred kilometres of coastline and beaches, from the Ile de Ré down to Hendaye. You’ll find family beaches with gently sloping stretches of sand and surfing beaches, sometimes with giant waves “like washing-machines on full spin” such as Belharra off Urrugne in the Basque Country. The sea in Aquitaine also brings you Arcachon Bay, the Pyla dune and oyster banks with cabins built on stilts. Which means there’s something for all tastes and fancies.
Mountains for everyone
Aquitaine also features mountains and, once again, there is a wide array. It starts with the lower slopes for those who like a few rolling hills in their scenery. They can go for a ramble in the Ossau Valley in Béarn or go up to the Les Aldudes Valley in the Basque Country. There are thousands of possible hikes for walking fanatics and other ‘compulsive ramblers’, with varying degrees of difficulty, which take from a few hours to several weeks. This is definitely the case with the GR 10, a long-distance walking route which spans the length of the Pyrenees from Hendaye to Banyuls. Finally, in the winter the most demanding of skiers will be delighted and during the summer, there are some really beautiful routes for rock-climbing enthusiasts.
The countryside
Aquitaine also gives you the option of ‘going green’ by heading away from the coast and the mountains. In other words, the region’s riches also lie in the inland areas of the Jurançon slopes in Béarn, the Dordogne Valley, the Lascaux Cave and Les Eyzies de Tayac, considered to be the Prehistoric capital of the world with its fabulous museum.