Touring Southwest France
Explore the many picturesque towns and villages, full of interesting
history and architecture. The surrounding countryside with its wonderful
Châteaux and natural features such as the Gouffre de Padirac and
the world's first art, the prehistoric cave paintings and carvings
at Lascaux and other sites.
Wonderful picnics by or on a boat on the Dordogne or Garonne rivers.
Days out to one of the many castles such as the fantastical Château
de Jumilhac, which looks as though Sleeping Beauty may still be
in there. Take a trip to the seaside resort of Arachon and climb
the awesome Dune du Pilat - a 347ft high sand dune that stretches
over a mile and half.
The cliffs in the area make this the perfect place to try a spot
of hang gliding or there are also lots of opportunities for walking,
cycling, horse riding or canoeing and organised trips usually involve
a stop for some gastronomic delights along the way.
A pleasant way to start any meal is with an apéritif such as kir
or fenelon (made with walnut liqueur, cassis and red wine). Tourain
is an onion and garlic soup poured over slices of bread and cheese,
or try some of the many pâté's served with toast and a chilled glass
of Sauternes. Pork cooked with prunes and wine is a mouth watering
combination and look out for the seasonal vegetables such as asparagus
in spring. Many of the desserts use traditional ingredients such
as tarte aux noix - walnut tart.
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Where to dance the night away
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Most of the cities and larger towns will have some form of nightlife
if you want to dance off the excesses of your dinner. In summer
particularly, there is a lively café society, which you can either
sit back and people watch or join in the promenading.
In July the Fête de la Madeleine at Duras is a lively festival
with plenty of wine and a fun fair. Held in a different town in
Périgord each year in July, La Félibrée is celebrated with music,
theatre, costumes, floats and Occitan folk festivities.
Wonderful food and wine is an obvious choice from simple olive
oil to decadent foie gras, you'll find delicious local produce in
markets and delicatessens all over this area. You can of course
visit many of the wine châteaux, which not only gives you a chance
to sample the wines before you buy, but makes for a very enjoyable
day out.
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Language: French
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Currency: Euro
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Visas: Not required for citizens of the European Community.
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Time: GMT + 1
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Climate: A bit warmer than Southern England.
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Vaccinations: None required or recommended.
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UK Tourist Office: 178 Piccadilly, London W1V OAL. Tel: 0891
244 123 / 0171 399 3517
Call us on 0845 299 4450 for further details
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