What do you know about the southwest of France? It is here that vineyards coexist with orchards, the ocean with mountain ranges, and in picturesque villages, medieval churches and abbeys are found at every turn.
Traveling to this region can be an incredible experience and will reveal to you a France that is not like Paris or the Côte d’Azur, but not without its provincial charm. In this article we will talk about New Aquitaine – a region that is washed by the Atlantic Ocean and borders on Spain.
How to get there
The region has two international airports: Bordeaux-Merignac and Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne. There are no direct flights from Russia, you can fly with a transfer in Istanbul. Also, there are express trains from Paris to Bordeaux: the journey takes only two hours.
Bordeaux
The capital of the region and a city with a long history, museums, wine bars and ancient cathedrals. There is even an exhibition center opened in the bunkers of the BETASOM base, which used to be used for parking submarines. A significant part of the historical center is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as “a unique urban and architectural ensemble of the Enlightenment” (under the name “Port of the Moon”).
Wine lovers will especially like it here – they will tell you about it at the La Cité du Vin museum, and for a tasting go to the art deco bar with the straightforward name Le Bar à Vin, famous for its stained glass windows and mosaics. Around the city there are many wine chateaus where you can not only taste the drink, but also look at the process of its production. And next to one of these chateaus called Smith Haut-Lafitte, the Les Sources de Caudalie wine spa was opened.
Where to stay in Bordeaux
In LA Sainte Catherine – Place de Parking apartments (rating 9.7)
At La Maison Manège Bordeaux Center (rating 10)
In the five-star InterContinental Bordeaux Le Grand Hotel (rating 10).