The Gironde is the largest department in France. Its Atlantic coastline is an immense ribbon of fine sand that stretches from Cap-Ferret to Verdon. Swept by the waves of the Ocean, the coastline offers surfing pros strong sensations, especially in Lacanau Océan. The Landes forest, kingdom of the maritime pine, covers the western half of the department. The banks of the Gironde are the domain of the fishermen but also of prestigious wine castles and some jewels of the Romanesque and Gothic architecture. TheArcachon Basin has kept its oyster farming traditions intact. It abounds in sublime landscapes, often breathtaking like the famous Dune du Pilat. At the tip of Grave stands, in the middle of the ocean, the Cordouan lighthouse, the oldest in Europe. In the heart of this territory, Bordeaux is classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco. First port of the kingdom in the 18th century, the city has preserved the architectural elegance of that time. The City of Wine is the symbol of what has made its wealth for centuries: the vine and its great classified wines. There are 57 appellations from the Medoc to the Saint-Emilion, including the Graves, the Sauternes, etc. The chateaux Yquem, Margaux, Mouton Rotschild, Haut-Brion and others are renowned throughout the world. Wine is synonymous with gastronomy, and the Gironde is not to be outdone with products such as canelés, foie gras or caviar from Aquitaine. It has no less than 14 starred chefs, including Philippe Etchebest, Pierre Gagnaire and Gordon Ramsay, who are featured in all the tourist guides.

When to go Gironde ?

When to go to Gironde ? If you want to enjoy the ocean, July and August are the best months to come to Gironde. On the other hand, the seaside resorts, especially those of the Bassin d'Arcachon, are overflowing with people and prices are skyrocketing in all accommodations. If you want to be quiet, the months of May, June and September are usually quite mild and all the establishments, closed in low season, are open. This is an ideal time to visit the sites in peace and quiet and to enjoy the beach as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear. Big events punctuate the holiday schedule in Gironde. In Andernos-les-Bains the oyster festival takes place in the second half of July at the same time as the Jazz en liberté festival. Fest'arts Libourne opens in early August to street art companies. Every two years in June, Bordeaux celebrates the river with prestigious boats and Bordeaux celebrates wine, an event where you can discover all the appellations of Bordeaux wines on the same site. In November, Bordeaux S.O. Good is an art of living and gastronomy festival with many exceptional chefs. For those who love sports, wine and parties, at the beginning of September, the Médoc Marathon passes through the heart of the illustrious Médoc vineyards and the greatest châteaux open their doors for a snack or a tasting. In mid-August, Lacanau hosts Lacanau Pro, an international surfing competition with the best surfers in the world. From mid-July to the end of August, lovers of the past will go to Castillon-la-Bataille to attend a breathtaking show on the Hundred Years' War, with stunts and pyrotechnic effects with the participation of more than 600 volunteers. Classical music also has its place with, among others, the Estivales de musique en Médoc in Pauillac in July or the Variations musicales de Saint-Estèphe in August.

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Popular all year round for its mild climate, the beauty of its landscapes and its many activities, the Gironde is a first choice destination for slow tourism enthusiasts, sports enthusiasts and lovers of good food. Families enjoy it as much as young couples and retirees. The Bordeaux region being one of the most beautiful regions of the French vineyards, the wine routes are the perfect way to discover the best the area has to offer. But as you will have understood, if the Gironde has so much to offer, it is because there are also a thousand and one ways to organise your stay according to your desires. From the mouth of the estuary to the gateway to the Landes, the Gironde coastline with its ocean beaches, its large lakes and the Arcachon basin is already full of contrasts. The Entre-deux-Mers is a very pleasant area to cycle through, with many beautiful escapes along its quiet roads and in the heart of the bastides.

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Between historic châteaux, characterful bastides and wine estates, the roads of Gironde wind through vineyards, undulate in the shade of pine trees and lead down to the beaches between the dunes. Large lakes, the Arcachon Basin, the ocean, the Garonne and its tributaries, not forgetting the Estuary, make the Gironde an exceptional land, rich in remarkable flora and fauna. It's the ideal destination for lovers of nature, history and heritage. It's also an ideal destination for those who like to keep their feet on the ground, take to the open seas, ride the waves, get laid... There's no shortage of sporting and leisure activities, and a vibrant artistic and cultural scene. The Gironde is also, of course, the promised land of epicureans: here, good food and good wine delight the heart as much as the palate! Here's the best of the Gironde.

Pictures and images Gironde

La MECA de Bordeaux. JeanLucIchard - Shutterstock.com
Parapente au-dessus de la dune du Pilat. Philippe Devanne - stock.adobe.com
Le lion Veilhan dominant la place Stalingrad. Vincent Bengold - OT Bordeaux
La Foire du Cheval, par Rosa Bonheur, 1852 à 1855. Everett Collection - Shutterstock.com

The 12 keywords Gironde

1. # ANQUI

"Ho Anqui" is the local "Oh là là" in its popular, even vulgar version. Young and old alike continue to use this insult with varying degrees of rudeness. And mainly in cars, because of all the "wankers" out there! In the same spirit, there's the inescapable swearword "Anfigueille".

2. # BORDELUCHE

Do you speak Bordelais? Derived from Gascon, Bordeluche was in common use just a few decades ago. In reality, it's a clever blend of Bordelais patois with Landes and Périgord expressions, sprinkled with a few words derived from Occitan. So you might hear: "J'ai gavé de chocolatines dans ma poche".

3. # BOUCHON

Established in Bordeaux since 1965, Jacques Pouquet, master pastry chef and chocolate maker, was driven by a strong desire to create a speciality that would evoke and enhance the region. After many experiments, this is how the famous Bouchon was born, a small delicacy with almonds, flavoured with grapes macerated in Fine de Bordeaux.

4. # CANELÉ

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Crunchy on the outside, melting on the inside, the canelé has a delicious sweet flavor of caramelized vanilla. The origins of the canelé are uncertain, but the story goes that it was born in the Annonciades convent in Bordeaux. Whatever, it is one of the culinary symbols of the city of Bordeaux. You can't get enough of it!

5. # CHOCOLATE

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Chocolatine or pain au chocolat? That's the eternal debate! In Gironde, we say chocolatine, a linguistic deformation of the Austrian Schokoladen. It therefore seems likely that the first term for a chocolate-filled pastry was "chocolatine". And to say "pain au chocolat" to designate a viennoiserie makes no sense at all!

6. # SCALE

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Initially intended to house a working class and modest population, the stone stalls are very popular. Built between the Second Empire and the immediate pre-war period, they are the charm of the Bordeaux region. If there is a curtain in front of the entrance doors, it is to create a draught in summer, while preserving intimacy.

7. # GAVE

"Gavé" is one of the most widely used words in Bordeluche. In conversation, it's not uncommon to hear the famous "Gavé bien", meaning "very well", "really well" or "too well". We've lost count of the number of derivative products in which this typical local "Gavé" is spelled. Guaranteed easy to adopt!

8. # LAMPROIE

A great speciality, lamprey à la bordelaise is prepared in a red wine sauce in the manner of a stew. More delicate and refined than eel, it is a dish much appreciated by delicate palates. Sainte-Terre, the self-proclaimed capital of the lamprey because of its history and its link with fishing, organises the famous Lamprey Festival.

9. # MASCARET

The tidal bore is a wave formed at the mouth of the Gironde and which travels up the river for more than 100 km. It is a unique natural phenomenon in France! Many surfers meet to hope to slide on this breaking wave which can reach 2 m high and move from 15 to 30 km/h. The good season? Between June and October.

10. # MASCARON

Often affixed to the keystones of window or door arches and lintels, or dispensing water from fountains, mascarons are an integral part of architectural decor. In Bordeaux, they are a reminder of the city's history. The reproduction of African faces refers to the slave trade between the 17th and 19th centuries.

11. # POCKET

This "pocket" has nothing to do with the one on your pants or jacket. At home, the pocket is the plastic bag at the supermarket! At the bakery, it's the paper bag where you put your chocolate and other buns at Epiphany time. Not to be confused, of course, with the "bag" as a fashion accessory!

12. # VINEYARD

Vignoble bordelais © FreeProd  - stock.adobe.com.jpg

With around 110,800 hectares of vines, 65 appellations, prestigious châteaux and grands crus, the Gironde is undeniably a world-renowned wine region. Organized around the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde estuaries, the Bordeaux vineyards are France's leading wine tourism destination.

You are from here, if...

Socially, you can boast that the Hundred Years' War ended on July 17, 1453 in Castillon-la-Bataille, you know which top chef is a member of the rock band Chef & the Gang and that Rue Sainte-Catherine is the longest pedestrian shopping street in Europe.

When it comes to oenology, Cheval Blanc doesn't particularly remind you of Henri IV. On the other hand, and contrary to popular belief, you readily admit that your knowledge of Grands Crus is limited.

In the evening, the paquito is a never-forgotten tradition. You don't miss a single Bordeaux Wine Festival or the Bœufs Gras Festival in Bazas (with your beret screwed on your head).

On the Bassin, you'll fall in love with the Ville d'Hiver in Arcachon and the village de l'Herbe in Cap Ferret. You eat your oysters with a crépinette and you know that the Dune Blanche is nothing like the Dune du Pilat. And you never confuse Bassin with Océan.

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