Southwest France | A French Collection

Aquitaine: Wine, Prehistory and the Dordogne

Aquitaine: Wine, Prehistory and the Dordogne

The region of Aquitaine roughly equates to the former province of Gascony and it's known for its wonderful Bordeaux vintage and acclaimed Armagnac. As well as it's Bordeaux vintages and Armagnac, which is produced in traditional alambics, Floc de Gascogne is another of its classic beverages.

Let's take a brief look at what the region of Aquitaine has to offer and why you might like to add it to your French travel itinerary. We won't cover everything this wonderful region has on offer, but rather a taste of what you can see and do. This post, Aquitaine: Wine, Prehistory and the Dordogne, is part of our Discovery Series that shines a spotlight on what each region of France has to offer. Discover Alsace: France’s Most Distinctive Region in our previous post. Belves, a medieval village in Dordogne is our photo above.

Salies de Béarn – The Venice of Béarn

Salies de Béarn - The Venice of Béarn

Salies de Béarn is a picturesque town in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France. It is affectionally called the Venice of Béarn because of its canals that meander through the town under overhanging half-timbered houses and ancient buildings.

Salies de Béarn is famous because of its thermal spas that are feed with the naturally occurring high content salt water from the springs under the town. There is more however to this lovely town than just the popular thermal spas and salt water medicinal treatments. I've put together a list of the top things to do in Salies de Béarn so you can make sure you don't miss a thing when you visit the Venice of Béarn.

Salies de Béarn – A Thermal Spa Town

Salies de Béarn - French Thermal Spa Town

Salies de Béarn is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France and is home to wonderful thermal spas. The name of the town even comes from its naturally saline water.

Recently I met Jo de Magneval online, a lifestyle documentary photographer and fairly new permanent resident of the beautiful town of Salies de Béarn. Jo agreed to share why she loves Salies de Béarn and her experiences of relocating her family from the UK and calling the town home. It's a perfect story to share this New Years as Jo, her French husband and children up and left the UK for France on, would you believe it, New Year's Eve.

I'm sure you'll love meeting Jo and reading more about this unique town. As a special treat we're also delighted to be able to showcase Jo's own photos of the region in this post. Jo has beautifully blended the splendour of the area with her family candidly enjoying their new life in France.

Le Puy en Velay & Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe

Le Puy en Velay and Chapelle Saint Michel d`Aiguilhe, Auvergne, France

What to See and Do in Le Puy en Velay

Le Puy en Velay, most commonly referred to as Le Puy, is a small town in southern France with a fascinating history and heritage.

It has been an important religious centre for centuries now as it’s where one of the Camino routes in France starts. The UNESCO-protected route leads pilgrims on a journey of over 1,000km to Santiago de Compostela where Saint James is supposedly buried.

Le Puy is also famous for its own kind of green lentil as well as for the lace-making craft.

It is a charming place that will transport you to another time. Here’s what you can do and see in Le Puy.

Toulouse – City of Violets

Toulouse is also known as the City of Violets

Violets have been cultivated in Toulouse since the 1850s and can be drunk as a liquor, eaten, or crystallised to dissolve in champagne and are proudly an emblem of this French city. This humble flower with its delightful fragrance and bold colour has also inspired the city’s nickname of ‘City of Violets’.

Toulouse is the capital of France’s southern Occitanie region, and is near the Spanish border.

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Annette Charlton

Annette lives with her family between their homes in France and Australia. She’s been featured in International magazines including French Property News, on numerous blogs and travel websites and appeared on ABC National Radio. You can connect on Instagram or Facebook.