Gironde

Gironde, France

Sea, Islands, Beaches and Resorts

Each season has it's pleasures and it's occasions

Sunbathing fans, unrepentant ramblers, nature lovers, sporting types seeking fresh energy, and gourmets, it is with equal happiness that Gironde welcomes you all. behind each of it's many faces you will discover different pleasures. The Medoc and the Arcachon Basin, areas of wide stretches of sand, ocean and forest, invite you to the joys of the beach and of sport played in the heart of nature.

Discover the South Gironde and it's immense forest...the secrets of nature conserved, the higher traditions of the Landes region, the Entre-Deux-Mers, Upper Gironde, the Libournais: the charm of pastoral wandering. All year round, Gironde invites you to join in the joy of living, in the alchemy that blends wine, celebration, the spirit and the senses.

In Gironde, you can experience the beach in a thousand different ways. All -in sunbathing, solitude and peace in the hollows of the dunes, ball games and grazy races across the wet sand at low tide, energetic bathing in the waves..., these are the pleasures of the ocean beaches.

Gironde is one of Aquitaine's 5 departments or regionsThe other 4 are Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Bordeaux is the capital of Aquitaine, and is a cosmopolitan and lively city, with majestic old buildings and glamorous shops. It has been an important town for centuries, and played a significant role in the Napoleonic wars, when cannons were shipped from forges all over the region, down the rivers to Bordeaux, where the battle ships were waiting to go to war.

The surrounding Area, and all the way back along the Dordogne river, is covered in vineyards. A trip to Bordeaux is not complete without a wine tasting at one of the famous chateaux, but this whole region is splattered with important wine regions, and the smaller ones, like the dessert wine of Monbazillac near Bergerac, should not be overlooked. Further south, the beaches near Biarritz are the home of World-class surfing contests, which are incredible to watch, or head in land for more rural adventures.

This huge and diverse region has a wealth of very different sights, cultures and cuisines to explore. There is plenty of variety to keep you occupied; from the rolling hills, medieval châteaux, prehistoric caves and rivers of the Dordogne, to the pine-covered sandy terrain of the Landes - the largest forest in Europe - and the endless stretch of sandy beach and dramatic sea which goes all the way down the Atlantic side of this region, down to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. There is some great skiing to be had in the pyrenees during the winter, however this remote area is also beautiful to explore in summer.

There are two separate climates in Aquitaine. The coast is mild, with the Gulf stream to keep it warm. Inland the weather is a touch more extreme and variable, with short winters than can get very cold (lows of about -14°C), scorching heat-waves in summer and enough rain to keep the countryside lush and green. Generally, though, the summers in Aquitaine are reliably warm and sunny.


	Home All Explore Travel Islands, Beaches, Resorts Gironde, France Sea, Islands, Beaches and Resorts Each season has it's pleasures and it's occasions Sunbathing fans, unrepentant ramblers, nature lovers, sporting types seeking fresh energy, and gourmets, it is with equal happiness that Gironde welcomes you all. behind each of it's many faces you will discover different pleasures. The Medoc and the Arcachon Basin, areas of wide stretches of sand, ocean and forest, invite you to the joys of the beach and of sport played in the heart of nature. Discover the South Gironde and it's immense forest...the secrets of nature conserved, the higher traditions of the Landes region, the Entre-Deux-Mers, Upper Gironde, the Libournais: the charm of pastoral wandering. All year round, Gironde invites you to join in the joy of living, in the alchemy that blends wine, celebration, the spirit and the senses. In Gironde, you can experience the beach in a thousand different ways. All -in sunbathing, solitude and peace in the hollows of the dunes, ball games and grazy races across the wet sand at low tide, energetic bathing in the waves..., these are the pleasures of the ocean beaches. Gironde is one of Aquitaine's 5 departments or regionsThe other 4 are Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Bordeaux is the capital of Aquitaine, and is a cosmopolitan and lively city, with majestic old buildings and glamorous shops. It has been an important town for centuries, and played a significant role in the Napoleonic wars, when cannons were shipped from forges all over the region, down the rivers to Bordeaux, where the battle ships were waiting to go to war. The surrounding Area, and all the way back along the Dordogne river, is covered in vineyards. A trip to Bordeaux is not complete without a wine tasting at one of the famous chateaux, but this whole region is splattered with important wine regions, and the smaller ones, like the dessert wine of Monbazillac near Bergerac, should not be overlooked. Further south, the beaches near Biarritz are the home of World-class surfing contests, which are incredible to watch, or head in land for more rural adventures. This huge and diverse region has a wealth of very different sights, cultures and cuisines to explore. There is plenty of variety to keep you occupied; from the rolling hills, medieval châteaux, prehistoric caves and rivers of the Dordogne, to the pine-covered sandy terrain of the Landes - the largest forest in Europe - and the endless stretch of sandy beach and dramatic sea which goes all the way down the Atlantic side of this region, down to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. There is some great skiing to be had in the pyrenees during the winter, however this remote area is also beautiful to explore in summer. There are two separate climates in Aquitaine. The coast is mild, with the Gulf stream to keep it warm. Inland the weather is a touch more extreme and variable, with short winters than can get very cold (lows of about -14°C), scorching heat-waves in summer and enough rain to keep the countryside lush and green. Generally, though, the summers in Aquitaine are reliably warm and sunny.