About Aquitaine
Aquitaine can be divided into five departments:
Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Lot & Garonne,
Pyrénées Atlantiques.
In addition to their shared history, these areas have a great deal in common:
They are wine producers and are particularly noted for their cultural heritage,
sporting achievements and vernacular architecture.
The Romans aptly named the region Aquitania, a "land of water"
as it is dotted with lakes and marshes and many important rivers
such as Adour, Dordogne, Garonne, Isle and the Gironde estuary.
Extending from the Spanish border to the river Loire, the region covers a total
of 41,000 sq km / 15,000sq miles. Its 270 km / 170 miles Atlantic coastline,
which stretches from Pointe de Graves in the north to Hendaye at the foot
of the Pyrenees, also makes it one of France's main tourist attractions.
Medieval Bastide Arcaded Gallery
to Prehistory