Atlantic Coast (Côte Atlantique)

Bordeaux and WineFew landscapes are as shaped by viticulture as the Bordeaux region. Since the Middle Ages, merchants shipped the Claret to England; later, the 1855 Classification ranked the Médoc Châteaux in a hierarchy that still applies today. In Saint-Émilion, whose wine landscape was declared the first of its kind a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, a monolithic church, carved directly from the limestone rock in the 12th century, lies beneath the town center. The Cité du Vin in Bordeaux has translated this heritage into a modern exhibition since 2016.Life with the AtlanticOn the coast, the sea dictates life and work. In the Bassin d'Arcachon, family businesses have cultivated oysters for generations; their stilt-house huts characterize the bay's landscape. La Rochelle, in turn, was for centuries one of France's most powerful port cities, a Protestant stronghold and a departure point for trade with North America. The three medieval towers at the Old Port recall this era.Basque Influence in the SouthFrom Bayonne, the region turns Basque: its own language, red-and-white facades, Pelota as a national sport. Biarritz owes its rise to Empress Eugénie, who transformed the fishing village into a fashionable seaside resort from 1854. In 1957, American filmmakers brought the surfboard, and ever since, the town has been considered the cradle of European surfing.

Getting ThereSince the opening of the high-speed line in 2017, you can reach Bordeaux from Paris in a little over two hours. The region's international airports are Bordeaux-Mérignac and Biarritz-Pays Basque. From Germany, the motorway route usually leads via Paris and the A10.Along the CoastThe Bordeaux-Arcachon railway line connects the city and the bay in just under an hour and is the most relaxed option in summer, as parking spaces at the dune and beaches quickly fill up. Further south, in the Landes, the towns are widely spread out; without a car, your mobility there is limited. A passenger ferry crosses the bay to Cap Ferret, saving the long detour by land.By BikeThe long-distance cycle path Vélodyssée follows the Atlantic coast on almost continuous dedicated paths and runs mostly flat through the pine forest. Around the Bassin d'Arcachon and in the Biscarrosse area, the cycle path network is so dense that many holidaymakers leave their cars behind.