AQUITAINE

(does not include Bordeaux)

ASCAIN
Hotels
●Achafla Baita – Route d’Olhette; 011-33-5-5954-0030; hotel-achafla-baita.com.

Restaurants
●Achafla Baita – Route d’Olhette; 011-33-5-5954-0030; hotel-achafla-baita.com; good, Basque food.



AUDRIX
Restaurants
●L’Auberge Medievale – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5307-2402; auberge-medievale.fr; also hotel (not posh but clean); restaurant serves clean, rustic, simple Perigord dish standards.



BEAUVILLE
Villas
●Chateaux Marcoux – anglofrenchproperties.com; sleeps up to 12.



BIARRITZ (includes Bidart & Ciboure)
Hotels
●Hotel Beaumanoir – 10 Avenue de Tamames (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5924-8929; hotelbeaumanoir.com.
●Hotel du Palais – 1 Avenue de l’Impératrice (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5941-6400; hotel-du-palais.com; overlooks “Grande Plage,” Napoleon III’s summer residence; most rooms have balconies (ask for lighthouse view).

Restaurants
●Chez Albert – 51 Bis Allee Port des Pecheurs (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5924-4384; chezalbert.fr; good, simple fare.
●Chez Mattin – 63 Rue Evariste Baignol (Ciboure); 011-33-5-5947-1952; low-key clientele belies exquisite, Basque cuisine; try ttoro (fish, mussels, and shrimp soup).
●Maison Adam – 27 Place Clemenceau (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5924-2168; macarons-adam.com; superb patisserie selling irresistible, chocolate macarons.
●La Rotonde – 1 Avenue de l’Impératrice (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5941-6400; hotel-du-palais.com; in circular room that overlooks crashing surf.
●La Table des Freres Ibarbaoure – Chemin de Ttalienea; 011-33-5-5954-8164; freresibarboure.com; Basque food in lovely, outdoors setting.

Shopping
●Cazaux Biarritz – 10 Rue Broquedis (Biarritz); 011-33-5-5922-3603; cazauxbiarritz.com; ceramics with unique (often iridescent) glazes; atelier (15 Rue de Larreguy) open by appointment (011-33-5-5923-1501).

Sights & Sites
●Musee de la Mer & Cité de l'Océan et du Surf Museum – Plateau Atalaye; 011-33-5-5922-7540; museedelamer.com; existing oceanic museum since 1920s; extension opened in 2011 is architecturally extraordinary.



CAMPAGNE
Hotels
●Hotel du Chateau – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5307-2350; modest, Perigord-style mansion opposite grand, private castle in cave country’s heart.



DORDOGNE (includes Champagnac-de-Belair & Vezac)
Hotels
●Le Moulin du Roc – Champagnac-de-Belair; 011-33-05-5302-8600; moulinduroc.com; private world in an idyllic country setting.

Sights & Sites
●Les Jardins Suspendus de Marqueyssac – Vezac; 011-33-05-5331-3636; marqueyssac.com; 22 hectares of pleasant walks in 150K boxwood maze; worth special trip.



LES EYZIES-DE-TAYAC SIREUIL
Hotels
●Hotel du Centenaire – Rocher de la Penne; 011-33-5-5306-6868; hotelducentenaire.fr; lovely pool and setting; in old mansion.
●Hostellerie du Passeur – Place de la Mairiel 011-33-5-5306-9713; hostellerie-du-passeur.com; charming, ivy-covered hotel on river.

Sights & Sites
●Musee National de Prehistoire – 1 Rue de Musee; 011-33-5-5306-4545; musee-prehistoire-eyzies.fr; highly regarded museum dedicated to Paleolithic.



HASPARREN
Hotels
●Hegia Inn – Chemin de Curutcheta (Quartier Celhai); 011-33-5-5929-6786; hegia.com; ancient wooden beams and timbers lovingly restored without losing rough-hewn appearance; interior completely transformed into minimalist lair.

Restaurants
●Hegia – Chemin de Curutcheta (Quartier Celhai); 011-33-5-5929-6786; hegia.com; Michelin-starred chef Arnaud Daguin; guests take aperitifs into open kitchen to watch Daguin create elaborate dinners based on whatever is fresh at local markets that day.

Shopping
●Duhart – 46 Rue du Docteur Jean Lissar; 011-33-5-5929-6308; leather shoes.



ISSIGEAC
Hotels
●La Bruceliere – Place de la Capelle; 011-33-5-373-8961; labruceliere.com.

Restaurants
●La Bruceliere – Place de la Capelle; 011-33-5-373-8961; labruceliere.com.

Sights & Sites
●Market – every Sunday, starting in morning.



MESSANGES
Hotels
●La Maison de la Prade – Avenue de la Plage; 011-33-5-5848-3896; lamaisondelaprade.com; 1930s art-deco setting; near beach (900 meters away) and golf courses; guestrooms are comfortable and have stylish, contemporary design; heated swimming pool; horse-back riding, cycling, hikes in Landes forest, or surfing in Atlantic.



MONTIGNAC
Sights & Sites
●Lascaux Cave & Lascaux II – Lascaux Cave closed to public; Lascaux II is replica; 011-33-5-5351-9503; culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/Lascaux/en.



PAU
Sights & Sites
●Musée National du Château de Pau – 2 Rue du Château; 011-33-5-5982-3800; musee-chateau-pau.fr; where Henry IV rocked in cradle made out of gilded tortoise shell.



PAUNAT
Restaurants
●Restaurant de l’Abbatiale Chez Julien – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5363-2108; in Medieval church garden; simply cooked, duck and fish dishes.



LA ROQUE-GAGEAC
Hotels
●La Belle Etoile – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5329-5144; hotel-belle-etoile-dordogne.fr; overlooking Dordogne River in 1 of region’s prettiest villages; clean, nice, quaint.

Restaurants
●La Belle Etoile – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5329-5144; hotel-belle-etoile-dordogne.fr; overlooking Dordogne River in 1 of region’s prettiest villages; gastronomic restaurant well worth visit to sample best of Dordogne cuisine; 7 courses of exquisite cooking using local specialties of fresh foie gras, truffles, duck and walnuts; moderate to expensive.



ST.-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT
Hotels
●Hotel les Pyrenees – 19 Place Charles de Gaulle; 011-33-5-5937-0101; hotel-les-pyrenees.com; remodeled guest rooms (ask for 1 with room view out back).

Restaurants
●Hotel les Pyrenees – 19 Place Charles de Gaulle; 011-33-5-5937-0101; hotel-les-pyrenees.com; 2 Michelin stars.

Shopping
●Jean-Vier – 17 Place Floquet; 011-33-5-5937-0905; jean-vier.com; Basque linens.



ST.-LEON-SUR-VEZERE
Services
●Aventure Plein Air – 011-33-5-5350-6771; canoevezere.com; rents 2-person canoes for Montignac to Les Eyzies trips; also can arrange guided archaeological tours.



ST. PALAIS
Shopping
●Ona Tiss – 23 Rue de la Bidouze; 011-33-5-5965-7184; traditional, handmade Basque linen boutique.



ST.-PEE-SUR-NIVELLE (Itxassou)
Hotels
●L’Auberge Basque – D307 Route (Old Road) de St. Jean de Luz; 011-33-5-5951-7000; aubergebasque.com; truly exceptional property, beautifully renovated 17^th Century Basque farmhouse only 15 minutes from St. Jean-de-Luz beach and little over hour’s drive north of Pamplona; small, ultra sophisticated boutique hotel with 9 spacious double rooms, 2 private suites sharing top floor, and 2, 2-bedroom, fully self-contained apartments that rent by week.

Restaurants
●L’Auberge Basque – 307 Route de St. Jean de Luz; 011-33-5-5951-7000; aubergebasque.com; Michelin starred; young chef who trained under Alain Ducasse is Cédric Béchade; open kitchen; dining room is modern and visually clean, with large wall of windows opening onto green countryside, farms, and hills; Basque, French, and Spanish menu.
●Boulangerie Darrigues – Place du Chateau; 011-33-5-5954-5237; not prettiest but best bakery; notable for gateau basque.
●Chez St.-Pierre – Maison Soldat-en-Borda (Itxassou); 011-33-5-5929-7061; small country restaurant with shady terrace that overlooks river 1.5K' below; try mamias (curdled milk pots).



SALIGNAC-EYVIGUES
Sights & Sites
●Les Jardins du Manoir d’Eyrignac – 011-33-5-5328-9971; eyrignac.com; most superb topiary garden in world.



SARE
Hotels
●Hotel Arraya – 011-33-5-5954-2046; arraya.com; just short distance from St.-Jean-de-Luz and beaches; former hospice on road to Santiago de Compostella is composed of 3 traditional Basque 16^th Century houses; wooden staircases lead to beamed bedrooms with elegant décor and beautiful 18^th-19^th Century furniture; some rooms with garden views, while most spacious look out over village square.
●Olhabidea Chambre d’Hote – Route de St-Pee-Sur-Nivelle; 011-33-55-954-2185; olhabidea.com; converted 19^th Century farmhouse with 3 rooms.

Restaurants
●Restaurant Arraya – 011-33-5-5954-2046; arraya.com; traditional Basque cuisine; lovely view from restaurant terrace; try Xangurro ravioli with crab fumet and/or pastiza with black cherry jam.



LE-TEMPLE-SUR-LOT
Sights & Sites
●Latour-Marliac Nursery – 011-33-5-5301-0805; Latour-marliac.com; 6 acres of aquatic gardens; original nurseryman inspired Monet; outdoor café.



TREMOLET
Hotels
●Le Vieux Logis – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5322-8006; vieux-logis.com; air-conditioning, swimming pool; 4 stars; tucked away on quiet street, opening on 1 side to farmland, with pretty back garden and small stream; same family has lived in ancient, ivy-covered farm complex for 400 years; bedrooms located in various ivy-draped buildings about property; tranquil views open onto countryside; each room has individual décor theme and everything matches, down to smallest detail.

Restaurants
●Le Bistro d’En Face – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5322-8069; vieux-logis.com.
●Le Vieux Logis – Le Bourg; 011-33-5-5322-8006; vieux-logis.com; among Perigord’s finest restaurants; main restaurant in barn, with tables positioned within each stall; off cigar lounge, at back, smaller room very cozy for winter dining.