From sea to mountain, New Aquitaine keeps its promises
The Basque coast, the Île de Ré, the Dune du Pyla, the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, the Dordogne Valley, Oradour-sur-Glane... All these places have one thing in common: they belong to the greater region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Since the territorial reform of 2016, Nouvelle-Aquitaine has brought together three former historical regions: Aquitaine, Poitou-Charentes and Limousin. This union now forms the largest region in France, rich in cultural and geographical diversity. You can choose between the sea (sports or relaxation), the mountains (in summer and winter) and the countryside. And there's nothing to stop you choosing all three.
For your next camping holiday, the possibilities are endless. Especially since Nouvelle-Aquitaine has more than 1,400 campsites – or 1 in 5 French campsites, or 1 in 5 campsites in France – 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.