Aquitaine adventure

Thanks to its location in the southwestern part of the country, Aquitaine tempts tourists both with beaches on the Atlantic and mountain trips in the Pyrenees. It is important for Christians, many of whom make pilgrimages to Lourdes, the famous sanctuary. Fans of sports shows will not be bored there. And, as befits France, it delights wine connoisseurs - this is where the region with about 8,000 wine estates (châteaus) is located, i.e. the world-famous Bordeaux.

Flavors of Aquitaine

We can start the story about Aquitaine with the cuisine, an important element of which is asparagus - because the region is famous for growing it. The menu of local restaurants is filled with fish and seafood dishes. Notable dishes include: salt in wine with seafood, sea mussels or lamprey in vegetables. A popular meal, served in virtually every pub, is cod puree with olive oil and milk - brandade. It will appeal to people who like very salty dishes. Aquitaine cuisine is based on meat. What will we encounter when looking through the menu? Undoubtedly, roasted lamb with thyme, veal schnitzels with truffles or the flagship dish of the region, the Bordeaux entrecote. A tourist who would like to spend a holiday at a campsite in France and get to know this country from the culinary side will certainly pay a lot of attention to wines. Aquitaine boasts Bordeaux, where approximately 850 million bottles of wine are produced each year. White, red, sweet, dry - you will find all types here, for every budget, meeting the requirements of every taste bud.

Bordeaux sightseeing

Bordeaux is the name of the wine-growing area, as well as the city that is the main center of the department - Gironde. It lies on the Garonne River and is called one of the least French cities in France. It invites you to visit its old part, inscribed on the UNESCO list of monuments, see the ruins of the amphitheater and fragments of the city walls, or stop at one of the numerous bridges spanning both banks of the river. They come from the period when the city was one of the largest seaports in this part of Europe. An important point of a trip to Bordeaux is a walk to the Capuchin Market, called the culinary mecca, as well as a visit to Place des Quinconces, one of the largest European squares. Its center is decorated with a beautiful, expressive Girondist Column (Monument aux Girondins). What should a tourist/architecture enthusiast absolutely see? There are wonderful temples in Bordeaux, starting from Ste-Eualie, through St. Seurin, and ending with the Cathedral of St. Andrew with the Royal Gate, the twin of Notre Dame in Paris. The monumental Grand Theater delights. Tourists are very impressed by Pont de Pierre, a bridge supported by 17 arches designed by Napoleon. Even bigger - a Gothic temple with a bell tower, which is the second tallest tower in France (after the Strasbourg tower of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary). And this is only a fraction of the attractions of the capital of Aquitaine. We can end our tour of the city at the Stock Exchange Square, where there is an interesting place - a water mirror reflecting the old buildings around the square.

Camping in the Dordogne

Traveling through Aquitaine, let's visit the Dordogne, the neighboring department number 24 (Gironde is number 33). Its main town is Périgueux, and the area is rich in medieval towns such as Sarlat-la-Caneda with its yellow sandstone houses. It is worth visiting the tiny Les Eyzies-de-Tayac, located under a rock cliff, with caves in which you can see prehistoric engravings (UNESCO world cultural heritage), as well as St-Cirq Lapopie, picturesquely located on a slope, where the streets slope steeply down or they are working their way up. Where can we find the perfect place to relax? Tourists visiting the Dordogne will be happy if they decide to stay overnight at the Le Val de la Marquise campsite , a perfect place for nature lovers. It is located halfway between the towns of Le Bugue and Les Eyzies, and offers guests an intimate atmosphere, peace and quiet among the greenery. Just like in the Dordogne.