Gironde
Gironde holiday rental villas, houses and cottages in France – Rent in France
Search the Rent in France directory for self catering holiday rental homes in Gironde, France - Book direct with the owners on our french holiday property directory. Gironde is part of the current region of Aquitaine, southwestern France and is the largest department of metropolitan France, home to 1.3 million people. The Gironde is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Guyenne and Gascogne. It borders the departments of Landes, Lot-et-Garonne, Dordogne and Charente-Maritime and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. The Gironde Estuary, after which the department is named, is formed from the Dordogne and Garonne rivers and is the largest in Europe. Rent self catering holiday accommodation in Gironde, France and visit Europe’s longest beach, the Cote d'Argent which attracts many surfers to Lacanau each year. The Cote d’Argent stretches from the Gironde Estuary south to Biarritz in Pyrenees Atlantic. The department is renowned for its hot climate, sandy beaches, traditional villages, vineyards and fine cuisine.
Many people choose to stay in Gironde holiday rental homes for the department's famous wines and fantastic gastronomy, offering the very best of both to the curious visitor. Whether you are in St. Emilion, Pomerol, Blaye, The Médoc, Entre Deux Mers, Bourg, Graves or Sauterne the wines of the region are without doubt some of the best in the world, and all waiting for you to arrive and taste them when you holiday to Gironde. The main wine area is situated around Bordeaux, the departental capital. Rent a holiday home in Bordeaux, a vibrant city with Chic shops and great restaurants making an ideal location for sampling the fantastic local wine.
The city of Bordeaux offers a wealth of interest to the visitor, from museums and exhibitions to concerts and festivals as well as many great restaurants. There is ALWAYS something to see and do. Due to the long coastline of Gironde seafood is unsurprisingly very prominent on the menus – enjoy fresh oysters from the Bay of Arcachon or other fine delicacies such as foie gras!
Bordeaux, St Emilion and the Vauban fortresses of Blaye, FortMédoc and Fort-Pate are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites which speaks volumes for the history of the region.
The Bordeaux Tourist Office at www.bordeaux-tourisme.com has all the answers.
Renting self catering holiday accommodation in Gironde, France
will provide you with endless cycle and hiking routes and with its number of classified monuments there is definitely no end to the spectacular scenery the Gironde has to offer. The fantastic rivers located in the Gironde provide a number of boat trips along the Dordogne or Garonne, and canoeing on the Leyre. The rivers in the Gironde offer an alternate method of discovering the wildlife and splendid architecture the area has to offer. The calm rivers and lakes along with the aggressive seas allow many types of watersport to be covered in the area whilst staying in a Gironde villa .
The Gironde is a golfers paradise with 12 top clubs in the area offering 20 high quality courses. These include Château des Vigiers, Golf du Médoc, Relais de Margaux, and Golf International de Lacanau. The Gironde deserves to become one of France’s favoured destinations for all golfers. With its mild summer months and cool winters the climate in the Gironde is temperate with around 2050 hours of sunshine each generating an average temperature of around 20 ºC each year.
Self catering villa rentals in Gironde, France
Many holidaymakers choose to rent self catering gites, houses and villas in Gironde, France and enjoy interesting days out to the Parc Ornithologique at Le Teich - a fantastic bird sanctuary which is home to some of Europe’s rarest birds. Art in Bordeaux at Musee des Beaux-arts - located in the Hotel de Ville, this gallery is home to some fantastic pieces by Renoir, Rubens, Matisse, Delacroix and a number of other fine artists. Dune du Pilat – This is a great day out for the family as you can experience Europe’s largest sand dune, located south of the Bassin d’Arcachon the dune runs for approximately two miles. And the Maison du Vin near St-Emilion- a great day out to see where grapes are grown and harvested, summer wine tasting classes available.
Places to visit in Gironde, France
Bordeaux- unlike the traditional atmosphere found in many of the towns in the area this bustling city is the capital of Gironde. A fantastic place for meals out with its number of fine restaurants serving delicious local food and making it a hot spot for sampling a glass or two of the locally produced delicious wines.
Bassin d'Archachon - A natural island, with peaceful beaches ideal for those looking to relax. Although quiet the Aquitaine Coast is considered the best surfing spot in France due to the high waves. If you like seafood this area is France’s fourth largest supply of mussels
Langon - This lovely port town with its cosy gothic feel is situated in the southwest up the river Garonne at its highest point. Situated where it is means this town is subject to the coming and going of the tide.
Most British airports provide cheap flights to Gironde with British Airways, Flybe and Air France offering cheap flights into the nearest airport which is Bordeaux (BOD). This excellent service means there is nothing stopping you from enjoying the beaches,surfing, wines, and the fantastic scenery Gironde has to offer.
So, from vineyards to surfing at Lacanau, from great seafood to sunny, empty beaches or picturesque villages to beautiful Chàteaux and freshwater lakes, it’s all here in Gironde………come and find out for yourselves!
Duncan & Elaine Andrews have lived in St Androny since 2002 and are well acquainted with the area. Their Gîte, LeTastevin is a quiet and comfortable retreat for 2 people who want a relaxed visit to the area. Duncan can arrange visits to local Châteaux for wine tasting as well as suggest places for peaceful relaxation.
Check out their listing for Le Tastevin on Rent-in-France -Click here.