Aquitaine (see hotels on list) is one of the 26 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain.

Geography

Aquitaine covers an area of 41,308 km², 7.6 per cent of France's total area. It is bounded to the south by Spain, to the east by Midi-Pyrénées, to the north by Poitou-Charentes and Limousin and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean .

Major cities in Aquitaine include Bordeaux, Pau, Bayonne, Mont-de-Marsan, Biarritz, Bergerac, and Périgueux.

Major geographical features include:

* The Côte d'Argent, one of the most famous coasts in France.
* The Bassin d'Arcachon, a large lagoon famous for its oyster farming.
* The confluence of the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers which leads to the vast Gironde estuary.
* The south of the region includes parts of the Pyrenees mountains.
* The Dune de Pilat, near Arcachon is the largest sand dune in Europe.

Major communities

* Agen
* Anglet
* Bayonne
* Bergerac
* Biarritz
* Bordeaux
* Mérignac

* Mont-de-Marsan
* Pau
* Périgueux
* Pessac
* Saint-Médard-en-Jalles
* Talence
* Villenave-d'Ornon

Food and drink

Aquitaine is famous for its wine and related products, including:

* The Bordeaux wine (known as Claret in the United Kingdom) region is perhaps the most famous red wine region in the world. Areas include Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, Graves and the Médoc.
* The region also produces Sauternes a famous sweet white wine.
* Lillet, a fortified wine, is produced in Bordeaux.
* The south-west also produces wine, although it is not nearly as recognized as Bordeaux.
* The Armagnac brandy producing area lies within the region.
* Bergerac wine is produced in the Dordogne.

Famous food products from the area include:

* Pâtés, including pâté de fois gras and pâté basque.
* The Dordogne is famed for its truffles.
* Cassoulet
* Magret de canard and Confit de canard
* Canelés