NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE

Lights of the West Atlantic !

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region is located in the south-west of France, comprising 12 departments. Its capital is Bordeaux.

The regionFrench administrative unit brings together the ancient cultural and historical regions of Languedoc-Roussillon & Midi-Pyrénées.

The distance between Paris and Bordeaux is : 587 km

Supported by intense port and airport activity, the city of Bordeaux symbolizes this openness to the outside world; Dressed as ambassadors, the prestigious vineyards of Saint-Émilion, Médoc, Sauternes and Graves provide the best promotion for France's fifth largest city (oenology & gastronomy).
If the Bordeaux region relies first on the reputation of its wine, it can also emphasize the top of the range of its infrastructures & services. 

The astonishing scenery of the Bassin d'Arcachon, the multiple sports and cultural opportunities of the Basque Country as well as the bastides and prehistoric caves of the Dordogne make it one of the cradles of humanity.
The art of Limoges porcelain and Aubusson tapestry have contributed to the influence of this region in the green heart of France. We appreciate the serenity of a still wild and preserved environment, the authenticity of a welcoming land where it is good to stroll along the water...

Formerly Poitou-Charentes, this part of the region wants to be the sunniest in the West Atlantic, an asset that attracts many summer visitors every year... with the Marais Poitevin, the fortified town of La Rochelle, the thalassotherapy centers and the vineyard cognac, the region has certain attractions.

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MAIN TOWNS

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• Bordeaux (Gironde)

• Mont-de-Marsan (Landes)

• Perigueux (Dordogne)

• Agen (Lot et Garonne)

• Pau (Pyrenees Atlantiques)

• Gueret (Creuse)

• Aubusson (Creuse)

• Limoges (Haute-Vienne)

• Tulle (Correze)

• Brive la Gaillarde (Correze)

• Poitiers (Vienna)

• Vittel (Vosges)

• Niort (Deux Sevres)

• La Rochelle (Charente Maritime)

• Island of Re(Charente Maritime)

• Royan(Charente Maritime)

• Rochefort (Charente Maritime)

• Angouleme (Charente)

• Vittel (Vosges)

CURIOSITIES & ESSENTIALS

BORDELAIS 

• Overview of vineyards & discovery of villages

• Discovery of the Médoc with wine tasting

• Carriage rides along the banks of the Gironde, 

• Visits & tasting sessions in the cellars of the first grand crus of Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Graves and Sauternes

• Discovery of the work of Toulouse Lautrec

• Visit of museums such as the “Arts and Crafts of Vine and Wine” 

• Oceanographic space of the world 

ARCACHON BASIN 

• Discovery of the oyster-farming villages of the Arcachon basin 5-5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

• Oyster tasting according to the season 

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BASQUE COAST 

• Discovery of smugglers' inns in the mountains

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DORDOGNE

• Introduction to truffle hunting

• Visit to a goose farm 

• Foie gras tasting

• Introduction to oenology

• Prehistoric and troglodyte route with 150 sites and decorated caves to visit

• Discovery of the Bastides of Périgord

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CREUSE / HAUTE-VIENNE / CORREZE

• Discovery of many castles in the former Limousin region

• Cathedral of St. Stephen

• Tulle Tray

• National Adrien Dubouché Museum (ceramic works)

• Aubusson Tapestry Museum

• Visit of the Dordogne Gorges

• Tasting of liqueurs from France in the Denoix house, a house founded in 1839, in Brives

• Walks through the villages of Corrèze: Collonges-la-Rouge, Curemonte, Saint Robert, Ségur-le-Château, Turenne…

• Stroll through the village of Haute-Vienne: Montemart…

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DEUX-SEVRES / CHARENTE-MARITIME / CHARENTE / VIENNA

• Futuroscope in Poitiers (city of sound and image technologies)

• Discovery of the breeding of racehorses in a stud farm

• Visit of the workshop of a craftsman-jeweler 

• Visit of the coastal fortresses (Fort Louvois, Fort Lupin, Fouras, Château d'Oléron, St Martin de Ré, La Rochelle, Brouage)

• Visit of the oyster farms of Marennes-Oléron and tasting

• Visit of the Cognac cellars (Courvoisier, Henessy, Martell Rémy Martin) and tasting

CULINARY SPECIALTIES

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BORDELAIS 

• Bordelaise lamprey (fish)

• Pibales (eels)

• Entrecôte à la Bordelaise

ARCACHON BAY

• Seafood with the famous Arcachon oysters with truffled crepinette

BASQUE COAST 

• Basque tuna

• Basque piperade

• Basque cake

DORDOGNE

• Foie gras

• Duck and goose confit

• Duck breast 

• Garbure (soup)

• Stuffed necks

• Omelets with truffles and porcini mushrooms

• Cabécou (goat cheese)

CREUSE / HAUTE-VIENNE / CORREZE

• Foie gras

• Duck confit

• Truffle dishes

• Limousin beef or lamb

• Beef steak with porcini mushrooms

• Chestnut Pudding

• Coussirade (blood pudding omelet)

• Galetous and tourtous (buckwheat pancakes)

• Stuffed cabbage

• Clafoutis with cherries (pastry)

• Quinquinoix (nut-based appetizer)

DEUX-SEVRES / CHARENTE-MARITIME / CHARENTE / VIENNA

• Oysters from Marennes-Oléron 

• Mouclade (mussels marinière) 

• Eclade (mussels covered with pine needles)

• Cagoilles à la saintongeaise (snails stuffed with sausage meat and plants)

• Lamb from Poitou-Charentes

• Goat cheese 

• Pineau (white, red or rosé aperitif made with grape juice and cognac) 

• Cognac 

• Wines from Loudunais, Haut-Poitou, Thouarsais, the country of Charentais

ACTIVITIES  

                  
BORDELAIS 

• Flight over vineyards

ARCACHON BAY

• Surf

• Windsurfing and sand yachting on Lacanau beach

• Fishing

• hang glider

• 27-hole golf course at Golf de Lacanau

• Gujan-Mestras 18-hole golf course

• Horse riding in the village Cheval

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BASQUE COAST 

• Surf

• Body board on the spots of Biarritz

• Rafting

• Hydro-speed

• Kayak

• Canyoning on the Nive

• Fishing

• Mountain biking in the Pyrenean passes

• Thalassotherapy

• Several 18-hole golf courses, 

• Introduction to the game of traditional Basque pelota

• Introduction to bullfighting

In winter 

• Snow scooter raid 

• Sleigh dogs

• Cross-country skiing 

• Slalom

• snow scooter

DORDOGNE

• Hiking

• bathing, swimming

• Air sports

• Horse riding

• Canoe

• Escalation

• Potholing…

CREUSE / HAUTE-VIENNE / CORREZE

• Hiking 

• Walks in the gorges aboard barges 

• Introduction to astronomy

• Introduction to speleology in the caves of the Pays de Brive 

• Golf

• Driving course at the Pierre Petit school 

• Water sports on Lake Vassivière

DEUX-SEVRES / CHARENTE-MARITIME / CHARENTE / VIENNA

• First track on the Vigeant circuit (35 km from Poitiers)

• Introduction to driving a sedan or a 4×4

• Mountain biking, canoeing and boating in the Marais Poitevin, the “Green Venice”

• 27-hole and 18-hole golf courses

• Sea trips aboard small cruise ships from La Rochelle or Royan

• Visit of the Cordouan lighthouse

• Sand yachting on the beaches near Royan and on the island of Oléron

• Skydiving in Médis (5 km from Royan)

• Helicopter flight over the region from Rochefort

• Mountain biking on the island of Aix or the island of Ré

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REGIONAL PRODUCTS

BORDELAIS 

• Wine bottles

• Confectionery (Saint-Émilion macaroons, Bordeaux cannelé)

ARCACHON BAY

• Oyster opener

• Pinnace model (traditional Arcachon boat)

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BASQUE COAST 

• Basket of Chistera

• Makila (traditional shepherd's staff)

• Basque digestives (Izarra Patxarran)

• Bayonne Chocolates

• Basque linen linen

• Basque beret

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DORDOGNE

• Foie gras

• Bottle of Monbazillac (sweet white wine)

CREUSE / HAUTE-VIENNE / CORREZE

• Limoges Porcelain Objects

• Tapestry

• Leather Gloves of Saint Junien

• Footwear & leather goods

• Custom Tulle Lace Doilies or Pouches

• Household linen

• DEUX-SEVRES / CHARENTE-MARITIME / CHARENTE / VIENNA

• Oyster opener

• Echiré butter (reputed to be one of the best in the world)

• Ile de Ré salt

• Bottles of Pineau, Cognac

• Bottles of Angélique liqueurs

• Quichenotte (Traditional hat)

• Mother-of-pearl objects from the island of Aix

• Porcelain butter dish

• Plateau

• Watercolor of the Ile de Ré

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EVENTS CALENDAR - ANNUAL

AQUITAINE

Bordelais

• March : International Music Festival

• May : International tennis tournament

• June : Bordeaux Golf Open

• September : International Festival of Contemporary Art | World Festival of Magic

Gironde & Côte basque

• March : Latin American Film Meetings  

• April : Biarritz Surf Master

• June : Jumping International Arcachon Festival | National audiovisual and corporate communication in Arcachon

• July : Corridas of Bayonne | The 18 hours of Arcachon sailing

• August : Great week of the Basque Pelota

• September : International horse show

• October : International golf open "Pro-Am des bulles - Laurent Perrier"

Dordogne

• July : International Mime Festival in Périgueux, Mimos

• August : Périgord Noir Festival, Sarlat Theater Festival

CHARENTE

• January : Angoulême International Comics Festival

• April : International Police Film Festival in Cognac

• July : The Franco-folies in La Rochelle (songs, varieties and french rock) | International Jumping of Royan

• September : The Grand Pavois in La Rochelle (boat show)

• December : Henri Langlois International Short Film Festival in Poitiers

LIMOUSIN

• January : International sled dog race on the Plateau de Millevaches (Haute Savoie)

• March - September : International Francophony Festival in Limoges| International Press and Humour Drawing Fair of St Just le Martel

• June : The Trans Corrézienne by mountain bike

• July : International Trial “The 4 days of La Creuze”

• September : World Championship of Gold Seekers at Lake St Pardoux

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