New Wave Spirit New-Aquitaine
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PRESS KIT FEBRUARY 2018 IN NEW-AQUITAINE New wave spirit www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com New-Aquitaine Paris/Tours A10 PAYS DE LA LOIRE Châtellerault CENTRE VAL-DE-LOIRE Parthenay Futuroscope Nantes Paris A85 A20 Montluçon Ile de Ré Vallée des Peintres A71 Parc Naturel Régional L a Impressionistes Marais Poitevin V i e n n e Rochefort Cité Internationale Ile d’Oléron Hermione de la Tapisserie L a Aubusson C h a re n Parc Naturel Régional t Saintes e de Millesvaches en Limousin Cognac Musée national Clermont-Ferrand / Lyon Adrien Dubouché A89 Royan Parc Naturel Régional Lac de Vassivière Périgord-Limousin Soulac-sur-Mer Centre International de la Bande Dessinée AUVERGNE Lacanau RHÔNE-ALPES Vallée de la Vézère Grotte SAint-EmilionSaint-Emilion de Lascaux Atlantic Ocean Bergerac Sarlat La Dordogne Cité du Vin (juin 2016) Vallée de la Dordogne Arcachon Dune du Pilat L a G ar on Vallée du Lot ne Villeneuve Parc sur-Lot ot Naturel Régional Le L des Landes Biscarrosse de Gascogne Toulouse A62 Moliets LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON Hossegor MIDI-PYRÉNÉES Biarritz Toulouse A64 Les Pyrénées ESPAGNE Parc National 25 km des Pyrénées Échelle - 2 - Tel Aviv - February 2018 Editorial NEW AQUITAINE SPIRIT NEW WAVE SPIRIT New Aquitaine is the largest region in France. It is as diverse as it is surprising, with nature, the great outdoors, vibrant cities and legendary beaches. So, no matter what type of holidays you’re looking for, there’s bound to be a destination for you. New Aquitaine conjures up famous places, like Bordeaux and the city of wine, Lascaux and the Dordogne Valley (which attrac- ted more than 500,000 visitors in its very first year after opening), Biarritz and the Basque Country, Poitiers and Futuroscope (where visitor numbers grew by 6%), Cognac, Pau and the Pyrenees, or Limoges and its skilled craftsmanship. But there is also 750 km of fine sandy coastline, with ports from Michel DURRIEU Bayonne to La Rochelle, or the 110-metre-high Dune du Pilat and islands like the Ile de Ré and the Ile d’Oléron. It’s increasingly Managing Director of easy to get to New Aquitaine. Bordeaux is just 2 hours from Paris New Aquitaine Regional by high-speed rail link (LGV), Biarritz, 3 hours 55 min, Futuros- Tourism Committee cope, 2 hours 20 min and La Rochelle just 2 hours 25 min. An 8% rise in international flight connections has slashed distances and travel times even more. All this diversity attracts more than 27 million tourists each year and we’re aiming for 32 million by 2020! The region’s appeal is based a spirit of sharing, fun-loving, welcoming and gourmet spi- rit, one that embodies the quality of life that you’ll find in gastro- nomy and fine dining. We love sharing this inquisitive and innovative spirit with all those who come to visit us. So, see you soon in New Aquitaine. Regional tourist board of New-Aquitaine - 3 - Table of Contents NEW-AQUITAINE 2 EDITORIAL 3 New Aquitaine spirit 6 FESTIVE AND SPORTING SPIRIT 6 WELCOMING SPIRIT AND ‘ART DE VIVRE’ 6 GOURMET SPIRIT 7 Key figures 8 New Aquitaine spirit, 8 essentials 9 1 – BORDEAUX 10 2 - DESTINATION ATLANTIC 10 3 - BIARRITZ BASQUE COUNTRY 11 4 - THE PYRENEES - PAU 11 6 - COGNAC 12 7 – POITIERS - FUTUROSCOPE 12 8 – LIMOGES – AUBUSSON 12 New for 2018 13 A WEEKEND CITY BREAK 13 A MOUNTAIN GETAWAY 16 RELAXATION AND WELL-BEING - ECOTOURISM 17 SPORTS: SURFING, BIKING, RUGBY AND HIKING.. 20 SUPERIOR KNOW-HOW 22 WINE AND FOOD – GREAT GOURMET ADDRESSES 23 ON THE SEASHORE - ACCOMMODATION, VISITS AND ACTIVITIES 27 What’s on 29 Getting there 33 - 4 - Tel Aviv - February 2018 Media contact Catherine Lamazerolles Comité Régional du Tourisme de Nouvelle-Aquitaine 4 place Jean Jaurès - CS 31759 - 33074 Bordeaux Cedex Tel. : +33 (0)5 56 01 73 72 [email protected] www.visit-new-aquitaine.com/ Regional tourist board of New-Aquitaine - 5 - New Aquitaine spirit FESTIVE AND SPORTING SPIRIT There’s no end of cultural activities, with museums, strolls in small, charming villages, visits to UNESCO world heritage sites or a multitude of festivals. What’s more, the people of New Aquitaine haven’t lost their reputation as revellers. After-work get-togethers are legendary, and the ferias are unmissable events for everyone. The quality of life in New Aquitaine is also down to its surroundings. Whether you like the peace of the mountains or crashing waves, look no further. The At- lantic coast is the birthplace of surfing in Europe and riding the waves is a real religion. Each year, skiers of all levels are drawn to the region’s 3 stunning resorts, hidden away in the Pyrenees. New Aquitaine is the top destination for winter sports lovers. The region also has 4,200 km of bike paths, 51 golf courses, and esteemed and renowned horse racing industry and 40 marinas. Finally, New Aquitaine’s cultural identity also comes the ultimate team game, that binds people together and is steeped in sporting and moral values. Yes, rugby! WELCOMING SPIRIT AND ‘ART DE VIVRE’ New Aquitaine has FRANCE’S biggest outdoor tou- rism accommodation offer, but the region also has unique and original places to stay, unforgettable experiences with local people, together with char- ming and prestigious hotels. Spending the night in a regional nature park, experiencing life’s pleasures in towns and villages is all about enjoying your time in amazing places. New Aquitaine is synonymous with well-being. Spa therapies, fine dining, culture, sailing, river tourism and visiting vineyards are the region’s trump cards. This year, nearly 28 million tourists visited New Aqui- taine. Many came for short breaks, summer holidays, business meetings, conferences or trade shows, for a cultural or sporting events, or simply to visit their families. - 6 - Tel Aviv - February 2018 GOURMET SPIRIT New Aquitaine is FRANCE’S top culinary region for the quality or its products AND the country’s largest farming region too. There’s foie gras from the Péri- gord, apples from Limousin, oysters from Marennes- Oléron or Arcachon, caviar and cannelés bordelaise cakes. Eating is sacred in New Aquitaine! Plus, any meal in New Aquitaine wouldn’t be complete wit- hout a glass of local wine. With 20% of FRANCE’S vi- neyards, the region boasts some of the most famous French AOC wines. THE WORLD’S BIGGEST FRENCH DINNER NEW AQUITAINE IN THE SPOTLIGHT For the fourth year running, Goût de / Good France is jubilantly celebrating the ‘joie de vivre’ of French cuisine, a true bond between chefs the world over. By adopting the Auguste Escoffier’s idea of “Epicurian dinners”, in 1912, Goût de / Good France is enlisting chefs and embassies from around the world to serve dinners “à la française” in several world cities, on the same day. On 21 March, more than 2000 restaurants in 150 countries, will serve 250,000 New Aquitaine inspired dinner menus and 8,000 people will be received in 156 embassies. From gourmet cuisine to quality bistro fare, Goût de France is helping to promote French cuisine on the 5 continents, on behalf of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. This is a major festive event in the making. Regional tourist board of New-Aquitaine - 7 - Key figures 95 EUROPEAN ECO-LABEL ACCOM- 28 “PLUS BEAUX VILLAGES DE MODATION SITES FRANCE” 14 UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES (THE MOST IN FRANCE) 750 KM OF COASTLINE AND 40 1 UNESCO WORLD BIOSPHERE 6.2 MILLION WINE TOURISM VISI- PORTS RESERVE TORS, WITH 937 WINERIES MORE THAN 50 MICHELIN-STAR- 27 “ART AND HISTORY” TOWNS SURFING SPOTS 51 RED RESTAURANTS - 8 - Tel Aviv - February 2018 New Aquitaine spirit, 8 essentials Regional tourist board of New-Aquitaine - 9 - 2 - DESTINATION ATLANTIC 1 – BORDEAUX The ‘Côte d’Argent’, is where the Gironde flows into Europe’s largest estuary. There are 750 km of ama- Bordeaux is a port city in South-Western France, on zing coastline running alongside the silvery sea, to in- the River Garonne, at the heart of the wine growing dulge all those who love the great outdoors. Behind area. The city has 350 listed buildings, including 3 the beaches, maritime pine forests, provide a natural religious buildings that have been listed as UNESCO barrier for the dunes, and where you can discover the world heritage since 1988, as part of the St James biggest expanse of coniferous trees in Europe. You’ll Way to Santiago de Compostella, a UNESCO world also find a wide range of landscapes, from canals, heritage town. heaths, wetlands, dunes, to beaches and lakes. Bordeaux promotes itself as a symbol of a certain The beach resorts and islands are full of charm and French ‘art de vivre’, or way of life and was named reverie. There’s La Rochelle, Rochefort, Bayonne, Ile “European Best Destination 2015”, 2nd top must-vi- de Ré, Ile d’Aix, the Bay of Arcachon, the Marais Poi- sit city by the New York Times in 2016 and one of tevin and the Dune du Pilat. Head off with the family Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities to visit, in 2017. and take the Velodyssée cycle route for slow tourism Now, as of 2 July 2017, New Aquitaine’s regional capi- by bike. Why not try out surfing, or check out a boat tal is just 2 hours and 4 minutes from Paris Montpar- trip too? nasse Station, so there’s every reason, for example, In 2017, the Conde Nast Traveller Magazine selected to visit the Cité du Vin, open since 2016! the Ile de Ré, Cap-Ferret and Biarritz as “The best beach holidays in France & in Europe”.