It helps. This is France's largest region by area, and while TGV links the main cities, a car makes it much easier to reach the coastline and smaller towns in between.
Discover Authentic Nouvelle-Aquitaine: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Nouvelle-Aquitaine, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as the Bétharram caves, the Caves de Jurançon and La Ferme Vignécoise in Saint-Lary.
Top 5 Things to Do in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
La Rochelle
A fortified port town guarded by three medieval towers, including the Tour de la Chaîne and the Tour Saint-Nicolas, both still climbable for views over the harbour.
Biarritz
An elegant Basque Country resort where the Atlantic swell has made it a reference point for surfing in France.
Poitiers
Romanesque and Gothic architecture fills the old town, alongside Futuroscope, a science and technology theme park that draws visitors well beyond the region.
Périgueux
A city of art and history at the heart of Périgord, the region most associated with truffles and duck in French cooking.
Limoges
Known across France for its porcelain, with a Gothic old town built around the workshops that made the name famous.
Explore Nouvelle-Aquitaine's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
We've mapped local spots across Béarn and the Pyrenees, and on to Angoulême and Limoges.
Pau & Béarn
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Pau
Pau's fine arts museum groups painting, sculpture and decorative arts into themed circuits. 12 minutes from our Mercure Pau Palais des Sports.
Pau · Art museum · Perfect for art lovers
Cave de Jurançon, Gan
Jurançon was Henri IV's favourite white wine. Take a free tour of the cellar, see Gallo-Roman mosaics and taste – the Jurançon wine route starts right here. 20 minutes from our Mercure Pau Palais des Sports.
Gan · Wine cellar · Made for wine lovers
Monein
A church, a market hall and vineyards all around: Monein is Béarn in a nutshell. Download the free Terra Aventura app for a geocaching treasure hunt kids love.
Monein · Village · Great for families
Commanderie de Lacommande
A 12th-century commandery with an unusual sensory twist: an anechoic chamber, a room of near-total silence. How long can you stay?
Lacommande · Historic site · Perfect for an unusual visit
Musée du Béret
Surprise: the beret was born in Béarn, not the Basque Country. This museum in Nay tells the story.
Nay · Museum · Ideal for curious minds
MI[X]
A cultural centre in Mourenx housing Hervé Di Rosa's Musée de l'Art Modeste, a contemporary art gallery and a cinema.
Mourenx · Art centre · Made for art lovers
Le Tour des Géants
An open-air museum in Pau devoted to the Tour de France, which has visited the city more than 75 times.
Pau · Open-air museum · Perfect for cycling fans
Stade du Hameau
Home of the Section Paloise rugby club, with guided tours behind the scenes.
Pau · Stadium · Great for rugby fans
Babette Beer House
A bar where you can try axe throwing. Aim well.
Pau · Bar · Perfect for groups
Musée des Arts Sucrés Francis Miot
The sweet museum and shop of the famous confectioner, 15 minutes from Pau.
Uzos · Museum and shop · Great for families
Jardins du Château de Viven
Thirteen garden moods around a 17th-century château, with events all year.
Viven · Gardens · Made for garden lovers
Pyrenees
Bétharram caves
A 90-minute journey on foot, by boat and by little train through caves full of astonishing formations. 15 minutes from our Mercure Lourdes Imperial.
Near Lourdes · Caves · Perfect for families
La Ferme Vignécoise
In Vignec, the Coustalat family raises Noir de Bigorre pigs, ducks and pasture-fed veal. The farm tour is free, followed by tastings and a shop. A 5-minute walk from our Mercure Saint-Lary.
Vignec, Saint-Lary · Farm · Ideal for local produce
Angoulême & Limoges
Musée de la Bande Dessinée
More than 20,000 comic plates and 250,000 original drawings from around the world, in Angoulême, the comics capital.
Angoulême · Museum · Made for comic fans
Les Halles d'Angoulême
A listed iron-and-glass covered market, open Tuesday to Sunday mornings.
Angoulême · Market · Perfect for food shopping
La Coulée Verte
A 17 km green path along the old Charente towpath. Pedal gently.
Angoulême · Walk · Great for cycling
Le Saint André
Homemade dishes with fresh local produce, plus vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Angoulême · Restaurant · Ideal for lunch
The Patio
Tapas, wine and cocktails on Angoulême's main square, with DJs Thursday to Saturday.
Angoulême · Tapas bar · Perfect for an aperitif
Les Petits Ventres
Chef Stéphanie Cuq keeps Limousin cooking alive in a half-timbered house in the old Boucherie district.
Limoges · Restaurant · Made for regional dishes
Le Chalet
Semi-gastronomic cooking with Limousin beef and fine wines, and a summer terrace on a historic square.
Limoges · Restaurant · Great for dinner
FAQ
It varies by area: Atlantic oysters and seafood on the coast, Limousin beef inland, and truffles and duck confit around Périgueux and the Périgord.
Biarritz has built its reputation on strong Atlantic swell and a long surfing culture, with schools catering to a full range of levels, including first-timers.
Yes. The 90-minute visit combines walking, a boat ride and a little train, 15 minutes from Hotel Mercure Lourdes Imperial.
At the Cave de Jurançon in Gan, 20 minutes from Pau, which offers free tours and tastings.
At La Ferme Vignécoise in Vignec, a 5-minute walk from Hotel Mercure Saint-Lary.
Where to Sleep in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
See our Mercure hotels across Nouvelle-Aquitaine, ideally placed to explore these picks.