MAIN ROUTES© B Chanet
MAIN ROUTES© B Chanet -CRT NA© Brochard - CRT NA© JM Decompte - CRT NAOPTIONS3 EXCLUSIVE STOPOVERS• Discover the world of the sea alongside theoysters and fishermen of the Arcachon Bay.• Visit the Bernardaud workshops in Limoges,and talk to the finest French porcelaincraftmen. www.bernardaud.comLimogesCabins on stilts, ArcachonPau• Stay at Villa Navarre, Hotel 5* overlookingthe Pyrenees mountains, in Pau.www.villanavarre.frTHE ESSENTIALS OF NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE8 TO 9 DAYS / 1,261 KMDAY 1Bordeaux, historic regional capital andgateway to the vineyards. Discovery of theUNESCO-listed city to admire its historicalheritage and excursion into the vineyards(see Itinerary page 9).DAY 2The Arcachon Bay, between heritage andocean• Morning: Visit of Arcachon, a lively city allyear round (Ville d’Hiver with its 19th-Centuryvillas, the port and its auction house).Lunch on the waterfront or enjoy oysters inan oyster village.• Afternoon: Climb of the Dune of Pilat, thehighest dune in Europe, to admire the viewof the Atlantic Ocean, the Banc d’Arguin,and the Pine Forest; OR embark aboarda pinasse, a typical flat-bottomed boat, todiscover the “Tchanquées” huts and theIsle of Birds. OR, for nature lovers, stop atthe Teich Ornithological Park to admire thebirds OR go canoeing on the Leyre.• Evening: Night at the Hotel La Co(o)rniche,designed by Philippe Starck, overlookingthe Dune of Pilat.DAY 3Biarritz, the internationally-renownedBasque resortStroll in Biarritz along the waterfront, thenlunch in the market hall with products ofBasque gastronomy, then visit the aquariumand the Cité de l’Océan OR excursion to theBasque villages (see Itinerary page 11 formore details).DAY 4Pau, City of Henri IV at the foot of thePyreneesGuided tour of Pau and its heritage.Jurançon wine tasting (see Itinerary page 7for more details).DAY 5Dordogne ValleyFrom Périgord and its prehistoric heritageto Brive or Collonges-la-Rouge and Turenne,the most beautiful villages of France,discover the Dordogne Valley and its manytreasures (see page 10 for more details).DAY 6Limoges – Aubusson, Land of know-how• Morning: Discovery of Limoges, labelleda UNESCO Creative City thanks to itsporcelain savoir-faire (National Museumof Porcelain Adrien Dubouché, Museumof Fine Arts of Limoges, porcelain works)then lunch in the City, in Butchers’ street.• Afternoon: Stop at the Cité Internationalede la Tapisserie in Aubusson, the citywhich has produced the finest Frenchtapestries since the 15th-Century OR visitto the Ganteries of Saint-Junien, OR theVassivière lake, OR Oradour-sur-Glane, amartyred village in WWII.• Evening: Tasting of local specialties atPetits Ventres, and night at the BestWestern, eco-labelled hotel.DAY 7Cognac, it’s not just a spiritDiscover the history of the city and theCognac houses (see itinerary page 6for more details).DAY 8La Rochelle-Ile de Ré, maritime heritageThe bicycle: the best way to discover these twoterritories (see Itinerary page 12 for more details).DAY 9 (OPTION)Poitiers - FuturoscopeDiscover the historic center of Poitiers,the beloved city of Eleanor of Aquitaine.Afternoon: visit of the Abbey of Saint-Savin(UNESCO site) OR thrills in the Futuroscopetheme park (see page 23 for more details).8 SMART GUIDE ROUTES www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com
DISCOVERING NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE© Alban Gilbert - CRT NA© Cécile Marlier© Yann Texier© Brochard - CRT NAOPTIONS3 TOP ACCOMODATION PICKS• Intercontinental Bordeaux Le GrandHôtel - 5* (150 rooms, Michelin 2*restaurant)https://bordeaux.intercontinental.com• Château Hôtel & Spa Grand Barrail 4*(46 rooms) www.grand-barrail.comChâteau La Tour CarnetCité du vin at sunsetTwilight view of the Miroir d’Eau,Bordeaux• Cabanes de la Romaningue,sleep in the heart of a wine estate.http://cabanes.laromaningue.frSTARTING FROM BORDEAUX2 TO 5 DAYSBordeaux, world-renowned for its wine,voted “Best Destination” by Lonely Planet in2017 and listed as a World Heritage Site byUNESCO, is characterised by its remarkable18th-Century architecture. Discover thismultifaceted city, which is also an idealstarting point for full- or half-day excursionsinto the vineyards or to the sea, along theArcachon Bay.Two days in Bordeaux to discover thehistorical centre:DAY 1 - Morning: discover different districtson foot, by bike, by Segway or imperial bus,then lunch on the terrace of one of the city’ssquares or brunch in a café.Afternoon: visit of the Cité du Vin and itsBelvedere with a panoramic view of the citywhile enjoying a glass of wine. Walk back tohistorical Bordeaux along the quays.End with a shopping spree: fashion, design,antique shops, art galleries, local specialities.DAY 2 - Morning: visit of one of the city’smuseums to discover Bordeaux through thearts and the history of humanity: AquitaineMuseum, Customs Museum, Applied Artsand Design Museum, CAPC, Fine ArtsMuseum, Marine Sea Museum.Afternoon: Bordeaux by the water with aguided cruise on Aquitania or Burdigala.EXCURSION 1 (half-day)Saint-Emilion and its vineyardsNicknamed the hill of 1,000 vintages,and famous for its medieval village andits vineyard listed as a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site.Don’t miss: the underground andmonolithic church, climb the Tour du Roy,visit and taste Crément de Bordeaux at thecloister of Les Cordeliers, visit the wineestates.Unique experiences: introductory tastingcourse at the Maison du Vin, wine-blendingworkshop at Château Cormeil-Figeac andblind tasting at Château La Dominique.EXCURSION 2 (half-day)The Médoc ChâteauxDiscover the most prestigious Grand CruClassified Bordeaux red wines, their castlesand their cellars with unusual architecture:Chateaux Margaux, Cos d’Estournel,Beychevelle, etc.Don’t miss: the Route des Châteaux (D2),Bages hamlet, Château d’Agassac, Pauillac,the Nadalié cooperage...Unique experiences: the “oenologicalsign” workshop at La Winery, harvestingexperience and grape picker’s lunch atChâteau Gruaud Larose, discovery day ofthe “Best of Wine Tourism”.EXCURSION 3 (full day or half-day)Arcachon BayEvery season, you can enjoy seafoodproducts, bike or boat rides. Breathtakinglandscapes.Don’t miss: guided tour of Arcachon and itsVille d’Hiver quarter, visit of the Cap Ferretlighthouse, stroll in the oyster farmingvillages and oyster tasting, tour of the bay byboat or pinasse…Unique experiences: climbing the Dune ofPilat (110 metres high), visit of the ArcachonAuction, discovery of the oyster beds (onfoot or by boat) with an oyster farmer....EXCURSION 4 (full day)Cognac and its famous housesIn Cognac, city and brandy are indivisible.Immerse yourself in the the unique world ofCognac, between history and modernity.Don’t miss: visit of the old town of Cognac,visit to Cognac Arts Museum, guided tourand tasting at famed Cognac houses(Courvoisier, Hennessy, Martell, Meukow).Unique experiences: Cognac and Chocolateworkshop offered by the Maison RémyMartin, visit to a cooper’s workshop, tastingcourse at the Maison Martell, boat trip onthe Charente river....www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.comSMART GUIDE ROUTES 9
