Nouvelle-Aquitaine SMARTguide

© Jonathan Barbot
1. Biarritz
2. Dordogne-Château
de Castelnaud
buildings classified or listed as historic
monuments. And when it comes to wine,
names like Margaux, Saint-Estèphe,
Pomerol, Pauillac, Saint-Emilion, and
Côtes de Blaye set the taste buds dancing.
Dordogne Valley and Périgord
The Dordogne area is a land of many
assets: from gastronomy (foie gras,
truffles, etc.) to historical heritage (from
the Lascaux caves to medieval villages
and castles - Beynac, Castelnaud, etc.)
- but also of outdoor activities such as
canoeing, golf, cycling, and fishing.
As part of the Man and Biodiversity
project, the Dordogne Valley was named
a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2012,
the entire watershed sheltering great
biodiversity and containing one of the
biggest estuaries in Europe.
Atlantic Coast
From Pays de la Loire to the Landes via
Ile de Ré, this is the kingdom of water
sports, cycling paths and lively seaside
resorts. Visitors are always taken aback
by the Atlantic Coast’s unforgettable
beaches and panoramas.
Biarritz and Pays Basque
Two strong identities, the Pays Basque
(on the Atlantic side) and small villages
(inland), and an offering combining the
countryside, the mountains and the
seaside.
Charente Valley and Cognac Country
In Cognac, town and eau-de-vie are
one. So, a stay in Cognac would not
be complete without a visit to a grand
spirit merchant to learn the secrets of
distillation or discover the ageing cellars
and the “Paradis”, the cellar where the
oldest eaux-de-vie are jealously kept.
Pyrénées, Pau Béarn
In the city of Pau, the Boulevard des
Pyrénées is one of the favourite spots
among locals: facing due south, they
settle on the terraces of the cafés in the
shade of the palm trees as soon as the
sun comes out and admire the Pyrenean
peaks as they think, depending on the
season, about downhill skiing (in winter),
about walks in the mountains and about
excursions in the nearby Jurançon wine
area (all year round). The castle of Henri IV,
the Maison Bernadotte and the Fine Arts
Museum are all essential sites to visit.
Poitiers & Futuroscope
Futuroscope is one of France’s most
loved theme parks. In 2017, the park
celebrated its 30 th anniversary. Visitors
won’t find roller-coasters or carrousels
at Futuroscope but dynamic cinemas,
gigantic screens, and even dancing with
robots. Meanwhile, Poitiers, also known
as “the city of 100 bell towers”, with its
2,000-year-old history and heritage, are a
marked contrast from Futuroscope.
Limoges - Aubusson
Limousin gets its generous nature from
two simple ingredients: water and earth.
The people of Limousin added resistance,
ingenuity, creativity and energy to
these basic ingredients, engendering
skills which have given the region its
international prominence: porcelain,
enamel, tapestry, and lace. “Made in
Limousin” attracts and inspires France’s
nest brands, the world’s most renowned
artists, designers, architects, creators
and researchers, who come to Limousin
for their talent to be blended with its
expertise and research.
Marais Poitevin
Imagine a magical landscape of shady
cattle meadows criss-crossed by
tranquil waterways; a landscape of
pretty villages where bikes and boats are
traditional forms of transport and where
local people work to the rhythm of the
seasons. Welcome to the Marais Poitevin
or ‘Green Venice’, a protected natural
area classified “Grand Site de France”
and regional Nature Park of the Marais
Poitevin since 2014.
SIX KEY AREAS
OF PROMOTION
Specific offerings are set to be made to a
number of key areas of interest, including:
• Gastronomy and wine tourism
(art de vivre and savoir faire)
• Wellness (mountain tourism, seaside,
thermal spas)
• Itinerant visits – Cycling or Cruising
(river and sea)
• Sports (golf, surfing, boating, cycling,
rugby, skiing)
• Heritage Tourism and City Breaks
(culture, nightlife, shopping)
• “Savoir Faire” .
www.visit-nouvelle-aquitaine.com
SMART GUIDE Nouvelle-Aquitaine 7