A shared coastline
The Aquitaine coast refers to the coastline of France's largest region, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, which opens onto the Atlantic Ocean. The region covers an area of over 27,000 km². With a population of 2.6 million, more than half of which lives in the Gironde (a large proportion of which is located in the Bordeaux metropolis), it represents around 4% of the French population. However, demographic contrasts are strong, with rural areas occupying a significant part of the territory, as well as the coastline, the region's common thread. With the exception of the Arcachon basin, the Aquitaine coast can be explored directly from top to bottom (or bottom to top!), from the Pointe de Grave to the Spanish border! The Vélodyssée bicycle trail, which runs along the Atlantic coast, covers some 300 kilometers. The route takes in a wide range of landscapes, from the moors to the region's seaside resorts, not forgetting the coastline. The Bassin d'Arcachon offers numerous beaches for relaxation. Many tourist activities are also available. The Basin, fed by the Leyre (the river rises in the Landes and flows into the basin after a 116 km journey) and the interplay of the tides, is a delightfully unspoilt site. It offers a multitude of landscapes between sea and forest!
A little further afield, the Côte d'Argent, nicknamed for its silvery sheen on the surface of the ocean, stretches for 106 km. The landscape here is divided between land and sea. Just like the towns of Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye . The rocks of Biarritz beach are sculpted by the waves. Just like the bay of Loia or the Pointe de Saint-Anne. They bear witness to the importance of the sea. The Basque coast stretches from the Adour estuary to the Bidassoa estuary. The scenery is sumptuous. In Hendaye, the ocean has even created wild coves and bays in the middle of the cliffs.
Three marked identities
The Gironde, with its gentle relief, is the largest and most densely populated département in France. It is distinguished by its diversity, from its beaches to its vineyards, not forgetting the city of Bordeaux, which radiates throughout the department. Vineyards cover the hillsides throughout the region, as in the Entre-deux-Mers and Saint-Emilion regions. The region is above all a land of hills, forests and vineyards, interspersed with small rivers that flow down to the Garonne. The wine-growing terroirs of the Aquitaine coast are mainly located in Gironde. The gravelly soil is the most important on the left bank of the Garonne. It is composed of clay, pebbles and loam. This soil is home to some of the world's greatest winegrowers, and has made the Bordeaux region famous.
South of the Gironde, the Landes is France's second largest department. Created during the French Revolution, the territory was originally covered by moorland and was a simple expanse of land covered with a few heather trees. When pines were planted in the mid-19th century to protect the dunes, the department kept its name. Today, it's made up of several small regions: Hautes Landes, Petites Landes, Pays de Born, Marensin and Maremne. What we call Landes de Gascogne is actually a natural region, not a département. This appellation covers an area of 1.4 million hectares, including the three coastal departments. The Landes region's seductive ocean beaches are bordered by dunes and protected by maritime pine forests. In addition to the Landes forest, Europe's largest man-made forest, other forest massifs cover the region, such as the Iraty forest, south of the Aquitaine coast.
Bordering Spain, the French Basque Country is made up of three provinces: Labourd(lapurdi) on the Atlantic coast, with the towns of Bayonne and Biarritz, Basse Navarre(behe nafarroa) with Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port and Soule(zuberoa) with Mauléon. It is bordered by the Adour river to the north, the Golf de Gascogne to the west and Béarn to the east, with which the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department is formed. This territory asserts its strong character with its green hills, not far from the Pyrenean mountains. It's precisely in the Basque Pyrenees that the relief is the greatest on the Aquitaine coast. Not as high as the Béarn mountains, which follow on from them, the Basque mountains begin at La Rhune, 905 metres above sea level. More open and less compact, they nevertheless culminate at 2,017 metres at Pic d'Orhy, the only Basque peak to exceed 2,000 metres. At the foot of this peak lies the wildly forested Soule region, which makes the transition to Béarn. The Basque mountains are particularly marked by agricultural activity.
Mild and wet weather
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and heated year-round by the Gulf Stream, the Aquitaine coast enjoys an oceanic climate with an average of 2,000 hours of sunshine a year. However, the region can be divided into two climates: the Aquitaine oceanic climate of Gironde and Landes, characterized by mild winters and warm, temperate summers, and the more humid Basque oceanic microclimate. From Arcachon to Hendaye, the coastal climate is rather unstable. Precipitation is regular and fairly high, due to westerly and northwesterly winds. Beware, it's not uncommon to be surprised by showers! Nevertheless, rainfall is uneven across the region. While the Pyrenean side of the Basque Country is among the rainiest in the region, the Landes and Gironde regions enjoy more moderate rainfall. However, temperatures are mild and pleasant all year round! Thanks to oceanic influences, this essentially temperate climate contributes to the gentle pace of life in this pleasant region.
