BORDEAUX, Frankrike

 THE CITY OF BORDEAUX

The historic centre (Unesco world heritage) is rich in monuments and buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries . The city offers also a magnificent fit up waterfront , beautiful parks , interesting museums , a new tramway since some years, nice shops , fine restaurants and cafés terraces …

THE REGION AQUITAINE

To the west (50 mn by car), the ocean with more than 200 km sandy beaches (surf competitions in Lacanau), beautiful lakes ( Carcans , Sanguinet ) , a good network of cycle paths in the nature, the Bassin d'Arcachon with its oysters farms ( you can reach Arcachon with the train from Pessac-station), the highest sand dune in Europe ( dune du Pyla 114 m),….. without forgetting the Medoc vineyards and their remarkable « châteaux ».
In summer there are different festivals associating wine and classical music. The touristic office propose day trips to explore Bordeaux surroundings with the bus. For a day trip you can also take a boat and reach the fortified citadel of Blaye .

To the east, the village of Saint- Emilion ( Unesco World Heritage) and its famous vineyards , remains of la Sauve-Majeure abbey ... The area of the Dordogne ( about 2 hours) with its fabulous prehistoric caves, medieval castles, beautiful villages (Sarlat , la Roque-Gageac, Beynac ..) .

To the south, the château of Labrède , the Landes pine forest , the Pays- Basque (2h30 ) and its typical architecture (St Jean de Luz, Bayonne, Biarritz ), the Pyrenees mountains (Lourdes) and Spain (Guggenheim museum in Bilbao).