Smallwater lakes, Carp fishing France in the Aquitaine.
Great holiday ideas & holiday activities for all the Family.
Beaches
Seaside resorts
Four different landscapes, four different atmospheres
You can distinguish four types of coastline in Aquitaine – four
geographical areas, four kinds of landscape, four different
atmospheres … Running from north to south, they are the
Médoc, the
Bay of Arcachon, the
Landes and the
Basque Coast.
“The Côte d’Argent symbolises this whole coastal area, lined with
sparkling ocean spray”, wrote Maurice Martin, the inventor of the
term Côte d’Argent (Silver Coast) in 1905. The expression “Aquitaine
Coast” officially appeared in 1967 with the creation of the MIACA (a
French inter-ministerial committee to develop the Aquitaine coast),
which was largely responsible for protecting the Aquitaine coastline.
The seaside resorts of Aquitaine have two remarkable features
in common.
The first is the fact that these towns, developed in places devoid
of any town-planning, tended to systematically build all the
facilities deemed necessary – train station, public park, place of
worship, but also casino, swimming pool, fountain…
The second is the so-called “resort-style” architecture of these
towns on the Atlantic coast. Around the beginning of the 19th
century, art nouveau and exotic influences combined to produce an
eclectic style, while the Basque-Landes style saw the
emergence of typical villas spreading further north. A pleasant
variety of sights to see in a stroll in the open air.
By both these points in common and their specific features, the
seaside resorts in Aquitaine have plenty to attract you. Between the
varied
nautical activities and relaxation, you will enjoy pleasant,
colourful holidays.
Find out more about the seaside resorts on the Aquitaine coast
The Médoc [+]
The Médoc is a peninsula, a triangle of land stretching north and
west of Bordeaux. You probably know the Médoc for its world-renowned
wines ...
The Bay of Arcachon [+]
An inland sea with the colours of a lagoon, bordered on one side by
a blond crown of fine sand culminating at 104 metres: the Dune du
Pilat ...
The Landes [+]
It was to describe the Landes, and more specifically Mimizan, that
the expression “Côte d’Argent” (Silver Coast) was coined by Maurice
Martin, a chronicler and adventurer, on 20 March 1905 ...
The Basque Coast [+]
The decor changes as you move south to the Basque Coast. The
straight Landes beaches are replaced by alternating sand, rocks,
cliffs, creeks and bays …
