I love Aquitaine

93% are happy to live in Aquitaine

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:22:00 +0000

According to an article in the French paper Figaro (read here), the inhabitants in the Aquitaine region are the happiest of them all.

A whopping 93% are happy to live there!

Guess I already knew that...

Erretegia beach, Bidart

Summer before time....

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:41:00 +0000

A heat wave made us feel like it was summer already!
We went to the beach of course.... but we were not alone to have that brilliant idea.... some kids were swimming but really, the water is still too cold.

Pictures from Moliets, our favorite beach.

Great skiing in Saint Lary!

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:12:00 +0000

Only slightly off topic and almost after the season is over.... just wanted to share that we have spent a total of six totally wonderful days in Saint Lary this year! The children are getting more and more confident and we even went to some red slopes... great fun for me!

Saint Lary is just outside the limit of Aquitaine, but there are others like Saint Lary that are inside the boundaries.... if you are looking for cute mountain villages, good food and smaller, more family adapted stations, you should have a go in the Pyrénées!

Cazenave pastry

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 16:31:00 +0000

When I pass the Cazenave bakery in Saint-Paul-les-Dax, I always stop to take some bread. And pretty often I will pick up some pastry. Like today, to celebrate.... that is is Sunday ... the weather is great ... that on Thursday the summer vacation starts for the children?

Any excuse is a good one!

Co(o)rniche, design restaurant in Pyla-sur-Mer

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 24 May 2012 22:23:00 +0000

La Co(o)rniche in Pyla-sur-Mer has been on my wish list for a while, since I heard about this place designed by Starck and set by the sea next to the Dune de Pyla... so when our friends suggested lunch there I was thrilled! And as you can see by the photos, we were not disappointed...

(Smart with a mirror so everyone can have a view of the ocean!)

Afterwards we went for a windy stroll in Arcachon.

When only the best is good enough

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:39:00 +0000

My sweetheart husband prepared a Valentine surprise for me.... a romantic getaway at Hotel de Palais in Biarritz. I've dreamed of going there for such a long time, but I was more hoping for a coffee or lunch, just to get a look inside that impressive and beautiful building... not to stay the night and have dinner... So if you have the budget, it is definitively worth it. The service is excellent, they know how to be very attentive and still put you at ease and all the rest is over the top.

Gourmet hiking with donkeys in Irouléguy

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Tue, 22 May 2012 21:02:00 +0000

We had such a perfect day in Irouléguy with Charlotte and some donkeys!

First we went to pick up the donkeys, then she showed us how to prepare them. Björn got Craquette, a very hungry donkey that kept munching whatever flower or herb that passed by, and Clara got Caramel, a very calm and gentle donkey.

The weather was overcast and not really warm, but this was perfect for us out walking. There was no wind and the calm of the hills was very soothing. The scenery was as lush as it ever is here in the beginning of summer. I was very happy to get to know this little corner of the Basque country... so beautiful...

Walking with donkeys is perfect in many ways. They can carry your things or picnic or child... for us it was lucky, because Bjorn would have had problems walking the whole 15 km we did in one day. (You can also chose to take off on your own with a detailed map).

After about half the distance we stopped to have lunch in a cidrerie. I love picnics, but this was indeed the luxury version of hiking! Many thanks to Charlotte who was an excellent guide for us. She loves this place and she loves her donkeys!

You find her on this site: Escapanes.

Off topic: North of the Arctic Circle

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:34:00 +0000

Very much off topic if I want to tell you about my trip north of the Arctic Circle. Read on if you are curious, maybe to see what April looks like in that part of the world.... visiting my cousin Fredrik, his wife and family.

This is Björn driving a snowmobile...

When we get to Luleå in the north of Sweden, my cousin Fredrik comes to pick us up at the airport. The day after we go further north for three hours, passing the Arctic Circle. When the road ends, we continue on snowmobiles on the frozen lake, until we reach the hunting cabin that Annas' parents own in Västerfjäll. A place outside time, to reconnect with a simpler life with no TV, no Internet and barely no mobile network coverage. A place to spend time together, go fishing and spend time outside. And eat reindeer, trout and salmon...

These photos show how fun winter can be.... when you have the right clothes and the right attitude.

Thank you all for letting us visit!

The iron cooking stove

Being together, the old-fashioned way

Our host Sigvard

And his wife Birgitta

Kids off to play on the frozen lake

A snow grouse

Seal skin shoes

Fishing for perch

Relaxing on reindeer furs

Playing in the snow

The cabin

The Laplander village church

8-year-old with his own snowmobile (since he was five)

Clara driving the toy snowmobile

Clara driving

Björn driving

No photo makes the landscape justice...

Excellent drinking water in the lake

Home fished trout

Cooling down after the sauna

Food and good company

Relaxing and waiting for food on reindeer furs

Preparing coffee

First fish out of six (perch)

Sunday afternoon in Vieux Boucau

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:48:00 +0000

What a weekend.... lunch on a sunny terrace... watching the kids play in the sand.... in lovely Vieux Boucau.

Skiing in Saint Lary

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:02:00 +0000

Three glorious days in Saint Lary, an excellent way to spend part of the winter school vacation. Björn got a medal (première étoile) and Clara continued working to get the third star.... Both were following me in the blue tracks and we even tried a red one....

On repeat: Courant d'Huchet

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:23:00 +0000

Moments of bliss: finding a huge mushroom - when you are in the car and driving...

Sitting down next to the Courant d'Huchet with a friend and share a coffee and some cookies... yes, I appreciated it so much the last time with the children that I brought a friend to go and explore it a bit further...

Dressed too warmly though. Needed nor the gloves, the coat or the sweater... is this November or what?

Parasol mushroom: 23 cm high; 20 cm diametre. This autumn has been heaven for mushroom lovers!

Marie

Courant d'Huchet meets the ocean

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:33:00 +0000

As you might know, Moliets is our favorite beach. A bit to the right of the main entrance, the protected Courant d'Huchet, an outflow from the Léon lake, meets the ocean... this gently running water is not controlled and each winter overflows on the beach, making it the biggest on the coast.

We went there for another strange 'summer' afternoon... summer but with the winter early setting of the sun...

Families, dogs and virtually not a single leaf moving. So calm.
I would have liked to say this was the end of our weekend, but we went to see the Tintin movie, which according to the children was a perfect end to our weekend...

The amazing Holzarte bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:35:00 +0000

The Holzarte bridge was cast across the Olhadubi canyon as early as 1922 by two Italians that were interested in exploring the forest. (It was rebuilt in 2010 after the storm Xynthia had damaged it).

About 180 metres above the ground, I thought it would impress my children. And me. I suffer from vertigo and I honestly wasn't sure I would be able to cross the bridge....

This is mid-november but with unusually high temperatures (around 22 I believe). The hike was extra, the beauty of the landscape was only enhanced by the autumn colors and the lack of leaves. It took us an hour to get up to the bridge, partly on a steep path with slippery stones, with a couple of breaks to drink and have some chocolate... my children are launching their hiking careers and I find it very important that they connect hikes with pleasure!

(The path is not protected at all and most of the time it lies on the brink to precipices... at the same time it is pretty large and it didn't feel too dangerous).

The first part longs the river

Steady upwards...

Colors!!

Do you see the bridge?

The white dot: my son

Picnic time

Going back on slippery stones

You start the hike from Logibar, 8 km after Licq in the Soule Valley in the Pays Basque.

Mushroom hunting in our garden

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 20:30:00 +0000

We were forced out of our usual mushroom hunting schemes... not in the ordinary corner, not next to the cherry tree but close to the fence... and well in view from our terrace. Beautiful, aren't they?
A lovely end to a unusual summer day in mid November... 23 degrees. We had earned an easy day after our excursion yesterday... a new post coming up soon!

General advice for planning a trip to Aquitaine!

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Yes, I know. You come for the food......

OK; take a deep breath: I'm gonna try to give some general advice about travelling to Aquitaine and how to plan your trip. Keep in mind that I know little about the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne and of course only my personal opinion. I'll get back with another post to talk about practical advice.

Typical for Aquitaine is that you fill find many different things in a concentrated area.
Feels like I'll need a lifetime to explore everyting. Some topics might be the sea and the beaches, the mountains, wine, festivals, shopping, travelling with children, skiing and other sports, taking it easy, eating fantastic food...

If you are going for the sea and the beaches, I'd split the coastal area in four parts or even five:
1. The north part of the Silver Coast, close to the Arcachon Bay and Bordeaux. Here you have the excellent wine region Medoc close by but it gets pretty crowded in summer.

2. The middle part of the Silver Coast, the least known and the most untouched, vast views and lots of space. Perfect to take it easy, enjoy the sea and go biking in the pine forest. Calm.

3. The south part of the Silver Coast, with a more urban feeling, closer to the Pays Basque, Spain and the Pyrenees mountains. A good compromise between sea; sand and civilisation.
4. The Basque coast and a more dramatic coast with beaches and cliffs mixed together. Houses all the way down to the water front, strong Basque culture and of course very close to Spain. Very crowded in summer.
5. I add a fifth one which is not the sea but the big lakes close to the sea. They have calmer beaches and are a good option for families with children. Still close to the sea and lots of good camping options..

If you want the mountains:
Then the Pyrénées Atlantiques is the perfect option, either the Pays Basque, busier and on the seaside, or Béarn, in the countryside with rolling hills and real mountains. Pays Basque is getting a lot of tourists while Béarn is very calm and good for hiking and taking it easy.

If you want culture, food, shopping and wine there is really only one answer:
Go to Bordeaux! Perfect for a cultivated stay, a romantic getaway, great shopping and an atmosphere that reminds a lot of Paris. Pick one of the 600 restaurants to get a top notch gastronomic expericene or an easy bite at a genuine brasserie. Museums, theatre, music....
(But I wouldn't stay more than a day or two with small children).
If you are a wine nerd:
Aquitine is heaven on earth for wine interested persons, and I don't only think of the world famous Bordeaux region... have a look at Madiran, Jurançon, Bergerac, Irouléguy or the Vin des sables from Capbreton.

Party and music:
Go for one of the festivals in Bayonne, Dax or Mont-de-Marsan. Perfect if you're 20 and in good shape, it takes a lot of energy to participate for five days in a row! Elderly people might be contented after a day or night... Else try the Music Festival, a national event in France end of June.

... and food ....

Travelling with children:
General for Aquitaine is lots of activities linked to nature and outdoors. Spending time by one of the big lakes, enjoying the beach and the huge waves (surfing from six years), biking in the pine forest. Lots of child friendly activities like obstacles tour in the trees, canoeing, horses, animal parcs and amusement parcs.

We've done lots of visits at wine castles, which the children enjoyed a lot the first times. Look at the grapes and the fields, taste some, go down the cellar and see all the weird equipment can be very exciting for children. (Our children have unfortunately been over exposed and almost refuse these visits by now... oh no, not another wine castle).

Lots of good campings by the sea, very child friendly and well situated. Station Kid is a quality label for child friendly places (like Hourtin, Carcans and Mimizan for example).

Skiing:
The Pyrénées are not of the same size as the Alps, but you get good value for your money, especially families with children. And the food is good...
Doing nothing:If your main aim is to get rid of stress I would recommend the inner parts of Aquitaine. Very nice landscapes, rolling hills and vast fields, cows and ducks. Very idyllic and free from tourists. Rent a house, go to the local markets and enjoy eating local produce.

Getting excellent food:
Trust me, you get good food everywhere, but not always the same. The different areas have regional differences. More refined restaurants are more likely to be found in Bordeaux (but be aware, some of the top Michelin star restaurants are in hidden places). The Arcachon Bay is of course a good place for oysters and seafood (they breed oysters there). The Basque cuisine is very well known and inspired by the Spanish cooking. In Landes you'll have a lot of duck and Armagnac...

... and the wine!!

Bike outing in the pine forest

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:17:00 +0000

Björn has been practising alot lately to be able to surprise his dad. Biking with no support wheels!! The actual pedalling was not so difficult, it was starting and stopping that needed to be worked on...

Today he was so confident we decided to go for a small outing in the nearby pine forest. The indian summer continues and we had a lovely weather for this family event... even if the trail was a bit sandy at times which proved difficult for our fresh pilot, otherwise everything was perfect...

We sat down for a picnic by the trail, feeling alone in the world. We could hear the buzz from a fly or a bee from time to time, otherwise the forest was peace and silence. A good silence, calm and warm. I wished for a big blanket, to stretch out and gaze up on the tops of the pines and think of nothing...

(Trails like this are abundant in Landes, proper cycle lanes as well.)

After school beach time

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:04:00 +0000

I whisked the children from school and straight to the beach... isn't there something special about 'cheating' to get another swim at the beach in the after season? The beach is calmer, the sea is still warm and you're saying to yourself: is this the last swim of the year?

Surprisingly there were quite alot of people at the Moliets beach. German, Dutch... and of course, 33 degrees and sun can make anybody want to feel the sea breeze...

No pictures this time... the photos added are from another year, but the feeling is ther. Afterwards we had a mussels treat and then stayed on a while to watch the sun setting in the sea....

After the tourists have gone

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:35:00 +0000

The children are off to school again. The mornings are getting chillier and there is like an air of autumn hanging over us.... I decided to pay myself a treat. A couple of hours on the beach in Moliets, all alone, just taking time to walk slowly, think of nothing...

The air was lukewarm. The beach was alot calmer but still pretty busy. Lots of German and Dutch tourists, some elderly people. The beach guards were still there but seemed more relaxed than usual.

I went into the water and swam around for a while, mostly letting myself float on the waves. Realised that it was the first time this summer I did that: swim instead of standing close to the shore keeping an eye on the children...

What is this....

... the protections to keep the sand in place

Trying to show immense blueness of the sky...

Rafting in Bidarray!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0000

We planned a little surprise for a friend... rafting on the river Nive in Bidarray! The weather was quite gray but we hardly stopped laughing during the whole day... we brought our own sunshine!

Thanks to our guide Pierre who expertedly took care of these four girls that equalled eight... I hope to be back next summer with the children!

(The pictures show Nive with very little water - when it has rained alot or in springtime is is quite a different story with steps of up to 2.5 metres since the river is not regulated)

The river is breathtakingly beautiful... here a picture from one of the calmer parts.

We went with Ur Ederra, but there are at least two others: Cocktail Aventure and Uhina.

Yearly festival in my village Castets III

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 20:38:00 +0000

And there were also dancing on stilts, Spanish horses, fun fair and a demonstration of 'corrida' (with a cow and no blood)..... and lots of partying late at night... and then it was over for this time...

Yearly festival in my village Castets II

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 15:58:00 +0000

Then there were the cow games... a lot of emotion and adrenaline here too!!! Adults in the crowd are invited to join... they are mostly young fearless men.....

The instructions were clear: if you get into trouble, lie down with your hands on your head and don't move until we tell you so!

Or run for the fence!

The game is to get the red 'cocarde' on top of the cows' head.....

... so they need to get close. Very close.

The same game but for the kids, with a very cute calf!

Yearly festival in my village Castets I

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:53:00 +0000

Up until 1999 there used to be an arena for course landaise in our village. They were falling apart and destroyed at that time... and this year the mayor decided to bring a mobile version to the same spot for the yearly village festival! I think it was a great idea to revive the old traditions.

Beautiful, Spanish inspired costumes

He attracts the cow to avoid her going for the guy who just jumped!

Concentrated fascinated children

The rope handler has an important role to play, making sure the cow starts from the exact right position

During the break, some Spanish dances!

A training instrument?

The adrenaline is for real. Sometimes the cow gets too close....

He made a run for it and barely escaped...

Look at his face!

It looks like he is too close but he made it. The closer the better.

Drinking Sauternes a whole day...

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:34:00 +0000

Château d'Yquem

We spent a whole day drinking Sauternes... wonder if that is really healthy? Looking back it wasn't difficult. Wine tasting at the premier cru classé Château Coutet.... Lunch at the one star Michelin restaurant Claude Darroze with three different Sauternes.... and a visit to the legendary Château d'Yquem... tasting a 2008 Yquem was a great way to end a great day! (My anniversary might have had something to do with all this).

This day was organised by the Sauternes tourist office. I very rarely participate in organised events but I really appreciated this one!

I learned that Sauternes is a very small wine district. It represents about one percent of the Bordeaux region total production. The area has a micro climate due to topological reasons. The cold river Ciron falls into the warmer river Garonne, creating morning fog in autumn that spreads over the Sauternes area but is kept within it by the pine trees on one side and the slope on the right side of the Garonne river. Perfect for the Botrytis Cynerea, the fungus responsible for the noble rot necessary to create this sweet wine. And even better with the warm and sunny afternoons, needed to mature the raisin.

I also learned that at Yquem they harvest by hand, raisin after raisin, passing several times by the same grapes to pick them at the perfect moment. They are famous for their quality requirements, so tough that some years they don't even produce a wine with their grapes. (In that case they sell them anonymously as Sauternes grapes...)

Château Coutet

Lunch at Claude Darroze, among many other delicate servings, what about lamb with your Sauternes? (I don't even show the foie gras crème brulée, nor the lobster ravioli or the Aquitaine caviar...)

Look at the different colors of our three sauternes, the deepest being from 1973... and the other two both 2005.

View over the Yquem vines... the castle is on top of a small hill.

Old traditions...

The Yquem grapes before the fungus start its action.

What non surfing friends do.....

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 22:04:00 +0000

... meanwhile on a beach close to you.... to summarise I think we can agree there was a lot of digging going on, taking photos, swimming and checking out the beach guards...

(Erretegia in Bidart)

A hard work called surfing

noreply@blogger.com (Eva) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:14:00 +0000

I've written before about the adrenaline rush in surfing, the beauty of the Erretegia beach and showed surf photos of Clara and of my friends... so this time I wanted to put the emphasis on how bloody difficult and tiring it is.... The friends who tried it once last year came back this year, for a full week of training! Told you, it is addictive!!!!! And hard work.

You thought it was easy getting that darn surf out to the right spot?

They look cool, right? But they are just panting for air and pretending to be waiting for the right wave....

After two hours in the water, when you can hardly walk, then is the time to walk back AND carry the surf...

Maybe that is why surf teachers look so hot being five months pregnant????

It is nearly over. The wet suits are off. Time for picnic.