This is the Aquitaine Holiday and Travel Guide, designed to give a comprehensive overview of this fantastic region. Aquitaine is a mountainous area situated in South-Western France, bordering Spain and the Pyrenees to the South, and the Atlantic Ocean along the West. It is broken down into five regions: Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, Landes and Pyrenees-Atlantiques, the major cities in these regions offer a variety of landscapes and opportunities to indulge in your favourite activities.
The furth
er south you go in Aquitaine (towards the Pyrenees and Spanish border), the wetter the weather tends to be, although wet spells tend to be short. South-Western France has more settled weather when compared with Northern France. Generally, temperatures are mild all year round, which makes Aquitaine holidays and travel popular.
REGIONS WITHIN AQUITAINE
DORDOGNE
Dordogne, named after the river that runs through it and located in the South West of the region, is an area of medieval towns, beautiful chateaux and untouched country sides.
Notable towns: Nontron, Sarlat-la-Canéda, Begerac, Roque Gageac, Belves, Rocamadour, Le Bugue
GIRONDE
Gironde is situated where the rivers Garonne and Dordogne merge. It is the largest department in France, home to sandy beaches, hectares of trees and numerous lakes and rivers. It is also the region that contains Bordeaux, the city famed for its numerous vineyards and wine-producing prowess.
Notable towns: Bordeaux, Langon, Lesparre-Médoc, Blaye
LOT-ET-GARONNE
South of Dordogne is Lot-et-Garonne, this too named after the rivers that run through it. Quite a small and secluded area, you will need a car as almost no public transport runs through the area. Places to visit here are the following chateaux Beynac and Biron, as well as the medieval towns of Domme, Belves and Monpazier. A place of picturesque landscapes, it has some fine rural architecture that can be associated with the countryside.
Notable towns: Gourdon, Agen
The Côte d'Argent is the longest beach in Europe, which stretches at over 400km. Because of its length it runs beside several towns in Gironde and Landes, as well as the town of Anglet in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques.
LANDES
The second largest area in Aquitaine, which also has access to the sandy beaches of Côte d'Argent makes it an ideal place for surfing.
Notable towns: Contis, Tarnos, Labenne
PYRENEES-ATLANTIQUES
The Pyrenees-Atlantiques is in the far south-west, bordering Spain and France. The area differs from east to west, with the west being mainly a coastal region, and the east being a mountainous area. Further inland this region offers magnificent views of the mountains,
Notable towns: Bayonne, Pau, Caro, Biarritz, Saint Jean de Luz

See the links below for more in depth details on this region.
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