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Where should we go after the Dordogne and Lot valleys?

Where should we go after the Dordogne and Lot valleys?

Old Sep 18th, 2022, 12:49 PM
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Where should we go after the Dordogne and Lot valleys?

I’m planning a trip for my family to the Dordogne in July. There will be nine of us, my two married children and their four girls aged 16-6. I have rented a house for a week.. We did a similar trip before the pandemic and spent a week in Tuscany and five additional days on the Amalfi coast. I am totally shocked by the increase in airfare and feel like we need to spend more than a week to justify it.

i’m trying to decide on a second location. I’ve heard positive things about the Biaritz St./Jean de Luz area. My son would like to surf there; but, is there plenty for the rest of us to do? I prefer charming places as opposed to big and glitzy.

Another option would be to go to Provence. I have spent a few days there but none of the others have. Suggestions please.
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 01:55 PM
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Basque Country might work for you
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 02:13 PM
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St-Jean de Luz is in French Basque region, a very nice nice beachfront small city. Drive up into the nearby foothills of the Pyrenees to explore the charming Basque villages of Sarè, Ainhoa, Ascain, Epelette, and more. Cross the border and you’re in the Spanish Basque region with San Sebastián, Hondarribia,Getaria, Bilbao. This is a fabulous area of Europe to explore! These areas are not glitzy! The Basque culture predates modern Europe, so interesting.
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 02:15 PM
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What HappyTrvlr said!
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 02:39 PM
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Ask Maribel to help you plan this part of your trip!
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 03:41 PM
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Basque country is an option and you could stay in a town like Sare which is within an hour of the ocean.

https://flic.kr/p/a746AD
one outing could be a ride up to the La Rhune summit, with those fit walking back down.

https://flic.kr/p/a76TtA
Or forgo the coast and go to the high Pyrenees with lots of hiking options:

https://flic.kr/p/7T6N77 https://flic.kr/p/N4Rf9f
A day trip to the Pic du Midi d'Ossau could also be considered:

https://artouste.fr/ete/le-train-dartouste/
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Old Sep 18th, 2022, 08:17 PM
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Bayonne rather than Biarritz. In any case, the trambus links the cities of Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 05:07 AM
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There were a lot of fires around the south West of France. South of Bordeaux, in land from Dunes du Pilat.
Saumos is the last one, during mid September 2022.
If you are going that way expect to see some burnt areas.It must have been terrifying there this summer.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 05:37 AM
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Thanks so much for your thoughtful replies. Looks like a really interesting area. I’ll start my research
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 07:32 AM
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Maps of the fires in southwest France appear to indicate that the worst does not reach the Pyrenees foothills.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 11:24 AM
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If you are looking to avoid glitz then Cap Ferret is stunningly beautiful and one of the shabby chicest coastal areas in Europe. The area is covered in pine trees, fishing operators bring in their catch to restaurants on the beach owned by the same family - some of the best seafood in the world. It’s very upmarket but absolutely not Saint Tropez.

Bordeaux is 45 minutes away and Lacanau is a short drive away - which has one of the best surf centres in Europe - it’s demanding but very well patrolled. I tried in August during a period of 6 weeks of high pressure and the current was too strong for me. Goodness knows what the conditions are like during a storm. Be generally careful of surfing on the Atlantic coast - the riptides are huge and the swell considerable , it is a good idea to surf in a recognised town with life guard around.




we are staying here in 3 weeks

https://www.lamaisondubassincapferret.com

their website gives you a feel for the place.

the whole area is reminiscent of the Out Islands of The Bahamas - just much better food and fewer Tiger sharks

Last edited by BritishCaicos; Sep 19th, 2022 at 11:27 AM.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by VANAARLE
There were a lot of fires around the south West of France. South of Bordeaux, in land from Dunes du Pilat.
Saumos is the last one, during mid September 2022.
If you are going that way expect to see some burnt areas.It must have been terrifying there this summer.
we are still the midst of a heatwave - summer is apparently going to end next week - good riddance- there are still smaller fires all over the Gironde but nowhere near as large as those previous in Landes. It’s been a very bizarre year for weather in the Gironde.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by BritishCaicos
we are still the midst of a heatwave - summer is apparently going to end next week - good riddance- there are still smaller fires all over the Gironde but nowhere near as large as those previous in Landes. It’s been a very bizarre year for weather in the Gironde.
It is not the prettiest of areas in land. I also remember when the area was hit with a storm. Trees down every where.
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Old Sep 19th, 2022, 11:13 PM
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Originally Posted by VANAARLE
It is not the prettiest of areas in land. I also remember when the area was hit with a storm. Trees down every where.
I agree, Landes is just a huge area of industry- ie pine cultivation - very sparsely populated and not very attractive as opposed to the coast around Arcachon Bay which is picture postcard pretty.
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Old Sep 20th, 2022, 04:07 AM
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I've always liked Hossegor, the surf capital. I believe it is the French town with the highest percentage of Australians in the population, which gives a unique vibe to the place. Rip Curl Europe has its headquarters there.
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Old Sep 20th, 2022, 04:43 AM
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Thanks Kerouac

we haven’t been and are due a trip down south to Spain - will drop in on the way.

even at my age I love the vibe of surf towns
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Old Sep 20th, 2022, 05:19 AM
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Provence is wonderful, especially Luberon area (Gordes, Lourmarin...)
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Old Sep 20th, 2022, 08:15 AM
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After a week in each Paris and the Dordogne, we drove to Provence and based ourselves In Goult in the Luberon. Perfect.
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Old Sep 20th, 2022, 09:51 AM
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As Kerouac says, Hossegor in the pine scented, flat Landes is indeed a great surfing town as well as Capbreton and both are within striking (driving) distance of the surfing beaches of Biarritz. The Baya Hotel in Capbreton sits right at the beach and rents bicycles. For surfers both have a great vibe.

And both have many "chill out" beach bars that draw in the surfing crowd (Monsieur Mouette, Nina de la Place, Belharra Café, Les Planches Éphémères at Capbreton's Notre Dame beach, Tante Jeane & Lou Cabanna in Hossegor). And lots of boutiques, of course, selling beach wear and "beachy" décor.

A couple of summers ago, on our way down from the Arcachon Bay (which we loved for a week's stay in La Rochelle with day trips to Cap Ferret) we stayed at the cute & inexpensive (for the area) B&B, Aux Sources d'Hossegor, in Soorts-Hossegor-Hossegor, owned by a surfer.
https://www.auxsourcesdhossegor.fr

The rentals in the Capbreton-Hossegor we've found to be less pricey than in the other surfing capital of Biarritz, which run quite high in the summer. Just another thought.
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Old Mar 8th, 2023, 04:08 AM
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British Caicoes i’m still working on this trip. We have two days on the end of our vacation rental and have decided we would love to stay in Cap Ferret. We plan to fly out of Bordeaux the third morning. The hotel you mentioned is completely full. I’ve looked at bed and breakfasts, but none seem to have AC which I think is a must in July. did you notice any other hotels nearby?
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