Regions of France

The name Aquitaine is derived from the Latin “land of waters”, term which was first used by Julius Caesar to describe the south-western French region. The region played a prominent role in history when the Duchess, Elinor of Aquitaine ruled over the region in the 12th century. While she was married to King Louis VII of France, the region was France’s possession; however the duchess divorced the king and ended up marrying Henry II of England, thus making the Aquitaine a part of England.

The capital of the region is Bordeaux, a city that thrives commercially, especially due to the region’s wine industry. It is one of France’s better known cities, a major communications centre and is connected to an excellent road and railway network between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

An important aspect of the economy, aside from the wines, are the farming and food processing industries. Crops and products include cereals, poultry, pigs, cattle, tobacco and wool. The region’s main source of electrical energy comes from the Blayais nuclear power station, located north of Bordeaux.

The region has one of the country’s most extensive forests as well as open spaces, which provide the ideal environment for many outdoor activities. Golfing for example, is very popular here, due to the number and quality of courses available. Tourism here is very popular, given the areas endless attractions. There are beautiful little resorts dotted along the Atlantic coast, as well as in the Pyrenees that cater for different tastes. At Lascaux lie the caves that became famous thanks to their decorative prehistoric paintings dating all the way back to 13,000 B.C.