Editions Sud Ouest

The Landes spread out in all their immensity north of the River Adour. To the south in the Chalosse area, there are hills and small valleys ; to the east, the vineyards of the Tursan area and Lower Armagnac. Along the Atlantic coastline is mile upon mile of fine sand.

The Département of the Landes occupies a respectable portion of Aquitaine. It is a land of tradition and innovation. Over the past two centuries at least man has totally recreated the local landscape. Drainage has been built to improve, extend and ensure the prosperity of the “ pinhadar ”, the pine forests. Nowadays, the vast stretches of woodland are dotted here and there with huge clearings that have been turned into fields of crops. Elsewhere, pastures and fields of maize serve as reminders of the importance of farming in Gascony. Customs imported from far away have been upheld and maintained. In the bullfighting rings of small towns in the south of the département, the “ baiters ” taunt the cows referred to as “ chargers ”.

This is an area where prudence is the rule, an area that has a tendency to keep itself to itself. Yet its natural and architectural heritage is particularly outstanding and is well worth taking time to discover. There is the wild beauty of the beaches facing out to the Atlantic Ocean or skirting the coastal lakes. There are small country churches, mysterious springs, small country houses and more modest farmhouses. This is an area with a soul.