Between sea and mountain, its two major features, from the Gironde estuary to the Pyrenees range, through the Landes forests. A mosaic of diverse countries and ladscapes of exceptional beauty such as la Pointe de Grave, le Pic du Midi d’Ossau, the Basque Coast or the Arcachon basin… These provinces have had a turbulent past but have been generously endowed by nature. They have acquired a reputation for easy living and excellent cuisine. Their vineyards with their vintage wines, their agricultural produce are the basis of this reputation.

This region owes its international reputation in large part to its wines. In existence since Roman times, the wines of Bordeaux became renown during the Hundred Years War. They have yet to let us down. They say that King Louis XIV was a fan, calling Bordeaux wines the “nectar of the Gods.” This production owes its high repute not only to the gravely soil, the mild coastal climate, and generous sunshine, but also to a long-standing tradition of winemaking. The wines of Bordeaux, some of the finest in the world, have a wide enough range to please the most curious and the most demanding connoisseurs. The Bordelais region includes over 10,000 wine estates, covering the Médoc, Sauternes, Graves, Saint-Emilion, Pomorol, and so many others known all over the world. You need only say their names to stimulate your senses: sight, smell, and taste are instantly mobilized. Wine-tasting opportunities are everywhere. Other parts of Aquitania also present solid wine credentials, such as Béarn or Gascony, which produce wines with their own particular character. Bordeaux remains the hub of the wine industry—a beautiful city where an ambitious rehabilitation plan has given its splendid buildings new life, a reminder of its glory days in the 18th century. For centuries, Aquitania was shared by the crowns of both France and England, leaving behind an exceptionally rich architectural heritage. The many Medieval fortified castles and churches as well as the bastides, or planned towns, are all reminders of this turbulent period. The bastides benefited from a special status, in terms of the contract between the king and the local lords. There are some 300 in the region, each constructed according to a similar plan: a central square, covered market, and a church surrounded by a grid of streets. Today these bastides, particularly numerous near Agen, have become tranquil, picturesque towns.

In terms of tourism, Aquitania has it all: sea, mountains, countryside, coastal climate, and plenty of sun. From the Pointe de Grave (at the mouth of the Gironde) to the Ardour, the “Silver Coast,” rolls out endless sandy beaches. There are family beach resorts as well as excellent spots for water-skiing fans. An infinite succession of dunes line the coast, sparkling white and enormous. Some of the largest in Europe, these dunes eventually lose themselves in the immense Landaise Forest. The pine tree is the incontestable king here, where the population used to rely on tapping (harvesting resin from trees) as a livelihood.

Some 200 kilometers long, the Aquitania coast is only interrupted at one point where it hits the Arcachon basin, which is both a lake in the forest and an extension of the sea. The basin has enjoyed an excellent reputation since the beginnings of tourism. An enormous natural fishery that follows the rhythm of the tides, it is also a natural reserve, particularly for birds. Nature lovers have endless choices: walks in the dunes, on Bird Island, or in the Teich Ornithological Park; visiting oyster ports and farms; biking on the many bike paths in the forest. Watching the sunset from on top of the Dune de Pyla (the highest in Europe) is a cherished memory for any tourist. As is tasting fresh oysters in a oyster farmers cabin…In the north of Aquitania is the Gironde estuary. 80 kilometers separate the Pointe de Grave from the Bec d’Ambès, the confluence of the Dordogne (born in the heart of the Massif Central) and the Garonne (with its source in the Pyrenees). The push and pull of the high and low tides creates the mascaret, an unusual natural attraction in the form of a powerful wave that can push itself up to 200 kilometers up-river.

To the south, beyond the Ardour River, the Pyrenees crash into the ocean, creating a rugged coastline. We are in Basque Country, an attractive region with a strong personality and equally strong traditions. Steep hills covered in a mosaic of farmland, bright green fields and forests, a landscape dotted with farmhouses with white walls and green or deep red trim. The jagged coastline, which curves around the turbulent Gulf of Gascony, is a series of cliffs, boulders, and soft sandy beaches. It is also the Basque Country’s main tourist attraction. Biarritz has been riding on its heady reputation since the 19th century, when it first started attracting princes and other famous personalities. Today both tourists and surfers flock here. St-Jean-de-Luz offers a fishing port (once used for whaling, today an outlet for tuna, sardines, and anchovies)…and a historic past: Louis XIV married the Infante of Spain here.

Inland, Basque country is extremely diverse, in terms of both land and weather. Rounded hills covered with ferns and gorse, oak forests, chestnut trees, pines, and eucalyptus, as well as beautiful fields for raising sheep, which produce a highly reputed cheese. Tourists will find no dearth of picturesque villages: Ascain, the departure point for climbing La Rhune, a famous mountain; Espelette, capital of hot pepper; Sare, associated with the memory of Pierre Loti; La Bastide-Calirance; Ainhoa; and so many others. One finds traditional Basque buildings everywhere: white houses with shutters painted in Basque colors, churches with sculpted wood galleries, cemeteries with tombstones engraved with the Basque cross. Not to mention the wall for playing pelota, a Basque ball game…

In Béarn, the mountains start to increase altitude. The picturesque Ossau and Aspe valleys, sheep and cattle raising country, have preserved their authentic character, to the delight of summer tourists who enjoy hiking and climbing, as well as those who come in the winter to ski. From Pau, the view encompasses the churning ocean, and a succession of hills that extend all the way to the Pyrenees, where a perfect summit emerges: the Pic du Midi d’Ossau. The gaves, or alpine rivers, flow down the steep slopes and help define the landscape. They flow towards the Adour, a river that is a favorite with salmon fishers. The beautiful city of Pau is a reminder of the region’s most famous native son, King Henri IV. North of the Adour, lies the Chalosse and Tursan hills, covered with cornfields and vineyards, and Armagnac, proud of its celebrated brandy. The Garonne and Lot valleys possess some of the richest farmland in France, famous for its vegetable productions (Marmande tomatoes), its tabacco fields, and its orchards (Agen plums).

Part of what makes Aquitania unique is its attachment to ancient traditions and customs. Each has its symbol: stilts in the Landes, berets in Béarn, linens in Basque Country, umbrellas of the shepherds in the Pyrenees. They sometimes say that people from Aquitania are colorful characters…not surprising when writers like Alexandre Dumas have created characters like the Three Musketeers, who all hailed from Gascony. Today, the local past-times are more peaceful than in the days of the musketeers. Some do call up fierce passions, though, like rugby, Landais bull running, and Basque pelota games. One of the most original is the “force Basque,” which is solidly anchored in the historic peasant past: this event includes carrying huge containers of milk or sacks of grain, pulling ropes, sawing tree trunks, lifting stones, etc. In Aquitania, most events are linked to a local theme. Some are linked to tradition, like the ocean festivals, transhumance (Aspe and Ossau valleys), shepherds, lamb, medieval festivals, etc. Others revolve around local production, like the “fat” markets, wine festivals, sheep cheese, beef, poultry, asparagus, oysters…

The strongest cultural traditions can be found in Basque Country, particularly when it comes to music and song. On each side of the Pyrenees, in Spain and in France (Labourd, Haute Soule, and Basse Navarre), there can be no festival without a Basque Choral. Songs have their origins in ancient stories or local life…or simply a game of pelota! These songs make up part of the foundation of Basque culture, as does the language (Euskara), whose origins are still a mystery. All that is known is that it is not an indo-European language, and that it is the oldest in Europe. Some say that it could be the language of the survivors of the lost city of Atlantis…

Another important tradition, that has religious roots, is experiencing a revival. It involves a special type of tourist, one who follows the pilgrimage route of Saint James of Compostela. Several branches of the route converge in Basse Navarre at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where it crosses the Pyrenees. Abbeys, sanctuaries, churches and chapels dot the route, relics of this long-standing spiritual quest. Even if today’s pilgrims do not at all resemble those of earlier centuries, who were often in rags and recognizable by their bells, crosses, and scallop shell pendants.

Considering the importance of agriculture in the Aquitania economy, it is not surprising that one can find an extremely diverse collection of recipes that come from all over the region. Bordelais, Landais, Gascon, Basque, or Béarnais, each cuisine proudly wears its own personality. Many dishes are accompanied by a wine sauce known as “bordelaise.” Foie gras and duck confit are the incontestable stars of this gourmet cuisine, thanks in part to the local corn production. The fruits and vegetables of the generous Garonne Valley, the fish from the Basque Coast and the Garonne Estuary, the oysters from the Arcachon Basin, the cheeses from the prairies of the Pyrenees, the Basque pork products, and the Landais poultry, all live up to their esteemed reputations. And all serve as inspiration for the local chefs.
“Good food and good wine, that is paradise on Earth,” said King Henri IV. Here, the queen is most assuredly Gastronomy!

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