Aquitaine, Bordeaux, Bayonne & France's Basque Country

Aquitaine, Bordeaux, Bayonne & France's Basque Country

Author: Kelby Carr

Publisher: Hunter Publishing, Inc

Published: 2009

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1588437825

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A thoroughly detailed guide to this region of France, with full information on where to stay, how to get around, the history & culture, sights to see, and what to do. Following are a few excerpts from the guide. Some of Europe''s most beautiful cities, stunning beaches and serene, vineyard-dotted countryside are in the Aquitaine region, yet it remains underrated and undiscovered by most tourists. Bordeaux, an epicenter for wonderful wine, is an amazingly vast and entertaining city that is constantly abuzz. To the south lies the enchanting Basque Country, a region crossing into Spain whose borders are not official, but whose people are vehemently (and sometimes violently) proud and independent. Much of the Aquitaine region is a national park. Along the Pyrenees and the Spanish border are several quaint mountain and seaside villages, such as St-Jean-Pied-au-Port and Oloron-Sainte-Marie. Saint-Jean-de-Luz, practically kissing the Spanish border, is one of the prettiest small cities in all of France. The Aquitaine is a place to indulge, be it in wine, fabulous food, relaxing spa therapies, ocean breezes or incredible shopping. The outdoor adventures here are one of the main attractions. The Basque Country attracts visitors from around the globe for its year-round surfing. The national park, spanning a massive stretch of Atlantic coast, beckons those interested in watersports. The Pyrenees to the south of the region offer splendid hiking and skiing opportunities. Tip: To see Aquitaine arts and crafts in the creation stage, and to buy great locally-made wares, make stops along the Route des M(r)tiers d''Arts (contact the Association pour la Promotion des M(r)tiers d''Art d''Aquitaine, tel. 33-05-57-22-57-36, 353 Boulevard du Pr(r)sident Wilson in Bordeaux, www.route- metiers-d-art-aquitaine.com). They have maps and a book on various artists in the region. Popular in France since the 1960s, thalassotherapy means sea-water cure. It was discovered by a Tour de France cyclist healed from his injuries by seawater in his Brittany home. Today, there are numerous thalassotherapy treatment centers in the Aquitaine. Treatments are catered to each visitor, and can be used to address any number of ailments. Or just go for the sake of relaxation, a noble cause indeed. A new trend has been combining spa treatments with vinotherapy, or wine treatments. What could possibly be more indulgent, or uniquely French? Additionally, many of these treatment centers have their own upscale accommodations and gourmet restaurants (although most allow for booking of just therapies without overnight stays). Bordeaux is an absolute paradise for shopaholics and wine aficionados. Easily one of France''s most beautiful and interesting cities, Bordeaux''s pedestrian shopping zone is constantly filled with tourists and locals alike. As a hub of the Bordeaux wine-producing region, there are numerous shops selling high-quality wines at low prices. There are many tours to the area''s grandiose wine choteaux for tastings in stunning settings. The city''s shopping options are vast, ranging from small malls to tiny locally-owned boutiques.


The Basque Region

The Basque Region

Author: Geoffrey West

Publisher: Oxford, England : Clio Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 202

ISBN-13:

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An important and thorough account of Euskadi, a culturally distinctive region occupying an area on either side of the border between France and Spain at the western end of the Pyrenees. Includes geography, history, language, religion, politics, industry, statistics, the arts, media, and folklore, among other topics. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


De Renne

De Renne

Author: William Harris Bragg

Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 792

ISBN-13: 9780820320892

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Much of what is known today of Georgia history was preserved through the diligent efforts of a single family. From Wormsloe, their ancestral plantation near Savannah, the De Rennes built an extraordinary collection of books and manuscripts on the history of the state and the Confederacy, much of which is now housed at the University of Georgia and the Museum of the Confederacy. This book focuses on their efforts in the years 1827 through 1970, conveying the passion and purpose with which they pursued their avocation. William Harris Bragg has mined a vast array of archival sources to present this engaging narrative of the De Renne family. He tells how wealthy bibliophile and philanthropist G. W. J. De Renne and his wife, Mary, set the precedent for the family’s accumulation of historic material, how their son established the Wymberley Jones De Renne Georgia Library that bears his name, and how his children in turn expanded upon that tradition. The De Rennes also printed limited editions of primary historical materials beginning with the series known as the Wormsloe Quartos. Bragg’s account of three generations of the De Renne family vividly records their achievements as it reconstructs their life at Wormsloe and follows them in their travels around the world. It provides glimpses into the dynamics and behavior of one of Georgia’s oldest and most prominent families and the evolution of the southern aristocracy. The book draws on newly available material to expand significantly on Ellis Merton Coulter’s 1955 work, Wormsloe, and provides the most complete account to date of the De Rennes. Beyond the story of the De Renne family, Bragg also reveals much about the history of collecting and of the antiquarian book trade, as well as of the evolution of Georgia historical documentation. Appendix material includes genealogical tables and lists of collections and publications, making De Renne: Three Generations of a Georgia Family an invaluable source for all scholars and aficionados of southern history.


Au Naturel

Au Naturel

Author: Stephen L. Harp

Publisher: LSU Press

Published: 2014-05-12

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 0807155276

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Each year in France approximately 1.5 million people practice naturisme or "naturism," an activity more commonly referred to as "nudism." Because of France's unique tolerance for public nudity, the country also hosts hundreds of thousands of nudists from other European nations, an influx that has contributed to the most extensive infrastructure for nude tourism in the world. In Au Naturel, historian Stephen L. Harp explores how the evolution of European tourism encouraged public nudity in France, connecting this cultural shift with important changes in both individual behaviors and collective understandings of the body, morality, and sexuality. Harp's study, the first in-depth historical analysis of nudism in France, challenges widespread assumptions that "sexual liberation" freed people from "repression," a process ostensibly reflected in the growing number of people practicing public nudity. Instead, he contends, naturism gained social acceptance because of the bodily control required to participate in it. New social codes emerged governing appropriate nudist behavior, including where one might look, how to avoid sexual excitation, what to wear when cold, and whether even the most modest displays of affection -- -including hand-holding and pecks on the cheek -- were permissible between couples. Beginning his study in 1927 -- when naturist doctors first advocated nudism in France as part of "air, water, and sun cures" -- Harp focuses on the country's three earliest and largest nudist centers: the Île du Levant in the Var, Montalivet in the Gironde, and the Cap d'Agde in Hérault. These places emerged as thriving tourist destinations, Harp shows, because the municipalities -- by paradoxically reinterpreting inde-cency as a way to foster European tourism to France -- worked to make public nudity more acceptable. Using the French naturist movement as a lens for examining the evolving notions of the body and sexuality in twentieth-century Europe, Harp reveals how local practices served as agents of national change.


Basque Country and Navarre

Basque Country and Navarre

Author: Murray Stewart

Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 412

ISBN-13: 1784776246

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This new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's award-winning guide to the Basque Country and Navarre remains the most comprehensive and in-depth guide available to this multi-lingual, multi-cultural borderland encompassing parts of southern France and northern Spain. This fully revised second edition includes all the elements required for an enjoyable holiday and also the unique aspects of Basque culture and traditions which make this such a fascinating part of the world. Bradt's The Basque Country and Navarre seeks to give a real insight into what is a strong regional identity, uncovering the peculiarities which imbue the area with its aura of intrigue and taking you way beyond the delightful, well-known cities and into the heart of the beautiful Basque countryside. When it comes to food, discover not just what to eat, but also how to eat it, for many Basque eating rituals apply! In this, the most complete guidebook to the Spanish and French Basque Country and Navarre, Murray Stewart covers the principal cities - rejuvenated Bilbao with its famous Guggenheim Museum, beautiful San Sebastián, verdant Vitoria-Gasteiz and lively Pamplona - and also delves deeper into the region's interior, capturing the quirkiness that makes it so special. With 36 maps, 16 walks, advice on where to cycle, horseride and surf, he guides travellers through an area whose profile is firmly 'on the up.' Find the best pintxos (Basque tapas) and txakoli wine, the finest chuletón (beef chop) and the freshest fish. From elegant Biarritz, via the French Basque Pyrénées, to the Navarran 'badlands' of Bardenas Reales, travel to fascinating, less-visited places. Here are the best festivals, including Pamplona's famous, bull-running San Fermin. Learn how the handing-over of three cows has kept the peace for centuries, or where you can see the annual 'Benediction of the Red Pepper'. Join the walkers on the Caminos de Santiago, the pilgrim routes which still sustain the local economy, 1,000 years after they began. Find information on the unique Basque and Navarran wines, top birdwatching sites, history, music, sports and culture - and when to visit. Bradt's The Basque Country and Navarre is the ideal companion.


The Basque Country and Navarre

The Basque Country and Navarre

Author: Stuart Butler

Publisher: Bradt Travel Guides

Published: 2016-04-14

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13: 1841624829

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In this guidebook to the Spanish and French Basque Country and Navarre, Murray Stewart covers the principal cities - rejuvenated Bilbao, beautiful San Sebastian, verdant Vitoria and lively Pamplona - and also delves deeper into the region's interior, capturing the quirkiness that make it so special