Southwest: Poitou-Charente & Aquitaine

This is a 7 day itinerary starting in Poitiers and finishing in Biarritz taking in wine regions of Cognac and Bordeaux as well as the historic and beautiful Dordogne area and several locations on the Atlantic coast.

Day 1: Paris - Poitiers - La Rochelle

Take a TGV from Paris Montparnasse to the city of Poitiers and rent a car.

Poitiers is capital of the Poitou-Charente Region of western France. It predates Roman occupation of France and is the centre of an important agricultural region. Located along the TGV line between Paris and Nantes, Poitiers has almost become a satellite of Paris due to these high speed trains. Poitiers is home to the popular themepark, Futuroscope which attracts visitors from all over Europe arriving directly into the park on TGV.

La Rochelle is an historic port city on France's Atlantic coast. It has a lovely old quarter around the port with a good range of seafood restaurants. Excursions out of La Rochelle include boat trips to Fort Boyard (location from the Lara Croft game and movie). La Rochelle is also the gateway to the popular holiday destination, Ile de Re, linked to the city by a long causeway.

Distance from Poitiers to La Rochelle 138km

Overnight in La Rochelle - Search Expedia for hotels in La Rochelle

Day 2: La Rochelle to Angouleme

Depart La Rochelle for Royan

Royanis situated at the mouth of the Gironde River on the Atlantic coast north of Bordeaux. Established in the Middle ages, Royan was a quiet fishing town until sea bathing became popular in Europe in the 19th Century. The town was commandeered by Napolean as an R&R base for his armies. Over the years it developed as an attractive seaside resort boasting two casinos and a wealth of activities. There are many beautiful beaches in the area and Royan is a popular sailing destination.

Drive to the town of Cognac. Situated on the Charente River between the towns of Angoulême and Saintes Cognac has a population of around 10,000. The town gives its name to one of the world's best-known types of brandy including many famous brands such as Hennessy, Remy Martin and Courvoisier which are produced in the area. Cognac has an interesting and attractive old quarter that was once the a busy river port and is now popular river cruising stop over. Make sure you take a tour of one of the local Cognac producers. From Cognac, drive to Angoulême

Angoulême is an old provincial city located between Bordeaux and Poitiers. Circled by ancient ramparts with narrow cobbled streets, Angoulême built its prosperity on the paper industry established in the middle-ages and lasting until the 1980s economic downturn. It still maintains a small niche industry concentrating on high end product however. Every September Angoulême hosts ‘Circuit des Remparts’, a vintage car rally around the ramparts of the city, drawing enthusiasts from around the world.   Distance from La Rochelle to Angoulême 190km

Overnight in Angoulême - Search Expedia for hotels in Angoulême

Day 3: Angouleme to Sarlat-la-Caneda

Depart Angouleme for the Dordogne region.

Stop in the historic town of Brantome for a break then carry on to Perigueux and through Le Bugue to the beautiful medieval town of Sarlat-la-Caneda.

Sarlat is a beautifully preserved town in the Dordogne area consisting of many fine examples of late medieval architecture and much of the CBD is car free giving it a lovely atmosphere. Sarlat is a fantastic place to eat, boasting many fine restaurants specialising in the local delicacies of duck, foie gras and truffles. It is also an excellent base from which to explore the beautiful surrounding region including Domme, Beynac and Le Roc Gageac.

Angouleme to Sarlat-la-Caneda 158km

Overnight in Sarlat-la-Caneda - Search Expedia for hotels in Sarlat-la-Caneda

Day 4: Sarlat-la-Caneda to Libourne

Explore the Dordogne region through the morning.

Drive the Dordogne Valley visiting the stunning villages of Domme, La Roque Gageac, Beynac en Cazenac then through the towns of Bergerac, Sainte-Foy-la-Grande and Gardonne onto Saint Emillion.

Saint Emillion is a World Heritage Listed town and ancient wine making centre east of Bordeaux. Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint-Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and many churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the 11th century onwards. It was granted the special status of a 'jurisdiction' during the period of English rule in the 12th century. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to wine-growing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages. More on the wine regions of Bordeaux

Overnight in the attractive nearby wine making town of Libourne. This classic French town at the confluence of the Isle and Dordogne Rivers has elegant tree-lined boulevards and a large market square. Distance from Sarlat-la-Caneda to Libourne is 150km

Overnight in Libourne - Search Expedia for hotels in Libourne

Day 5: Libourne, Bordeaux, Medoc, Arcachon

From Libourne, drive into the major city of Bordeaux, park up and take a look around.

Bordeaux is the capital of the Aquitaine region of south western France with a population of almost one million (greater metropolitan area). Located on the banks of the Garonne River inland from the Atlantic Coast, the Bordeaux region has been continuously settled for millennia and was an important Roman outpost for several centuries. The city has strong historical links with England and was for a time during the middle ages under English rule as a result of royal marriage alliances. Bordeaux, like most European cities, has endured its share of war and pestilence through the ages, but escaped most of the ravages of the two World Wars that so devastated other parts of France. Bordeaux is a World Heritage Site due to the quantity and quality of the city's architectural treasures. Bordeaux has more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris. The city was literally built on the wine industry and is the centre of arguably the most important wine region in the world. Billions of litres of mainly red wine have been shipped from the river port of Bordeaux over the centuries to an appreciative world. The wine industry has also spawned tourism which has added to the city’s prosperity. New high tech aeronautics, defence and research industries have also gravitated towards Bordeaux allowing for strong future growth. Official visitor site for Bordeaux

Explore Medoc area north of Bordeaux

From Libourne to Arcachon via Bordeaux and Medoc distance 220km

Overnight in Arcachon - Search Expedia for hotels in Arcachon

Day 6:

Take an early morning walk up to the top of the massive Dune de Pyla, Europe's largest sand dune.

Drive through vast Landes Forest through Biscarosse, Mimizan, Moilets Arcachon to Saint-Jean-de-Luz 220km

Arrive in Saint-Jean-de-Luz close to the Spanish border.

Overnight in Saint-Jean-de-Luz - Search Expedia for hotels in Saint-Jean-de-Luz