Bordeaux or bust!

I am spending 5 nights in Paris then my husband and I are visiting friends in Hossegor( of which I know nothing about).We are going beg August.

My problem is I have 4-5 nights up my sleeve and do not know what to do with them after we leave Hossegor.Our return flight to Aus is from London so I could fly back from anywhere to connect with it.

I have more or less decided we should catch the train from Paris to Bordeaux or further down ( for the scenery)and then hire a car.

If say after Hossegor we want to keep the car and head back up to Bordeaux ( and fly out of there to London when the time comes) what and where should we go .Is it pretty ? Castles? medieval villages? WOW factor ? It is my husbands first time in France and I do not want to dissappoint.

On reading this it sounds confused ( and I am)

1) Aus- London-Paris .... stay 5 nights

2) Paris- Hossegor ..... possibly by train from

Paris then picking up a car somewhere..stay 4-5 nights

3) Hossegor - ??????? ... 4-5 nights

4) from ????? to London and fly home

I would appreciate some help as I do not know this region of France at all

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The Bordeaux region has a lot to offer besides just wine, vineyards and châteaux. The Atlantic coast is practically an unbroken stretch of beachfront and beauty all the way down to the Spanish border.

In the immediate area closest to Bordeaux, I%26#39;d suggest a visit to the resort town of Arcachon and (especially) the nearby Dune du Pyla, which is the largest sand dune in Europe and definitely worth a look.

Of course, the vineyards are a key part of a visitor%26#39;s reason for coming to Bordeaux, which is where most of my clients%26#39; interest lay. There are three areas where most of the best-known châteaux are: the Médoc, Graves, and Saint-Emilion. If you%26#39;ll be making vineyard visits a part of your stay here you%26#39;ll certainly want to leave time to see one, two, or all three areas.

All in all, there should certainly be enough in the Bordeaux region for anyone%26#39;s WOW factor, and your husband should not be disappointed.

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I%26#39;d recommend using Bordeaux as a center point for day trips. Here are a few interesting possibilities:

-Dordogne Valley: Bergerac, Sarlat, St. Emilion, Lascaux, and the bastide towns. 2 hours east.

-The coast: Arcachon and the Dune Pyla. 1 hour west.

-Basque country: Biarritz, St. Jean de Luz. 2-3 hours south.

-Toulouse: a destination in itself, but only 2 hours east by motorway; even less by train.

-La Rochelle and Ile de Re: 2 hours north.

But spend at least a day wandering in Bordeaux itself, too. On foot is best - driving is tricky.

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