Press

Alternative Aquitaine in the media - read more
The Aquitaine region of France in the press - read more

Read about Alternative Aquitaine in the media...

Awards Nomination June 2010 • Alternative Aquitaine is nominated in the Best Destination Specialist Tour Operator 2010 category. Organised by Atout France - the UK Tourist Office for France - nominated business were chosen for their:
> innovation
> initiatives
> contribution to the promotion of France
> creativity during challenging economic climate

Hopping across the Channel is perennially popular with Britons and, if you're savvy, there are still bargains to be had, says Fred Mawer in the Telegraph - Alternative Aquitaine picked out as a regional specialist, Jan 2012 - read Fred's Good Value Guide to France
Francophile Anthony Peregrine invites you to southern Aquitaine - "the beautiful, bonkers Basque bit of France". He highlights Alternative Aquitaine for villa rentals, and picks out Maison d'Olivier as a good example of a Basque Country rental.
Villa la Tosca (Arcachon Basin) is chosen by the Sunday Times as the "ultimate beach house" in France, 06.02.11
Fred Mawer plugs us in his annual round up of France, highlighting the "excellent detail on properties...clear comfort ratings...places reckoned by clients to offer particularly good value for money" - Telegraph 15/02/11
The Mail on Sunday reviews travellers' options for capturing Best Value for Money Rentals and highlights our 'Value Villas with Pools' collection - 16/5/10
France 2010 - we are highlighted in the Telegraph's France special as one of three regional specialists, and our "top notch" website gets a good mention - Telegraph Travel France 2010 - 16/1/10
Insider's Guide To FRANCE - Alternative Aquitaine is the agency mentioned for the Aquitaine coast - Ferne Arfin's Insider's Guide to France Sunday Telegraph 10/1/10.
France Accommodation Guide - Alternative Aquitaine picked out as a regional specialist by Fred Mawer writing in the Telegraph, Jan 2009 and Jan 2008 - read 2009 article and read 2008 article
Joanna Symons highlights Alternative Aquitaine for its choice of accommodation in the surf centres of south west France and recommends Hossegor and St Jean de Luz for families with teenagers - Saturday Telegraph 7/6/08
Alternative Aquitaine is invited to participate in a Q&A session on tennis holidays in France for Living France and recommends it's handful of villas featuring a private tennis court - April 2006
Anthony Peregrine recommends a townhouse apartment in St Jean de Luz featured on our website - Sunday Times 20/03/05
Alternative Aquitaine Director Alex Spalding achieves his 'Warhol' moment when he's quoted in the Times talking about his beloved Cap Ferret - 05/02/05
Alternative Aquitaine pop up in Sarah Barrell's guide to Luxury French Villas in The Independent - 13/03/04
One of our manor house's - L'Airial Landais - is highlighted for a family break where kids can swim and play games - Guardian 17/01/04
Our Villas Ecolo forest gites are highlighted as one of 30 Fresh Ideas for France - Sunday Times 10/01/04

Read recent press articles about the Aquitaine region of France...

Writing in the Sunday Times (which now costs to surf) Vincent Crump celebrates the 30th birthday of the association set up to showcase the most beautiful villages in France. There are now 155 of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France so choosing just 10 is quite an achievement. For info, Vincent’s choices include La Bastide-Clairence (Pays Basque).
Matt Barr writing in the Guardian picks out Europe's best surf festivals and picks out Hossegor and Biarritz Guardian 02.07.11 (true to form, there's a typo in the web link!).
Anthony Peregrine provides an entertaining analysis of the Bordeaux region vs Burgundy, but can't make up his mind which he prefers! Telegraph 05.06.11
"Raise your glasses to Bordeaux" - Stephen Rigley is bowled over by what he sees and experiences in the rejuvenated city of Bordeaux. After 4 years of works the tram is completed and the stone facades have all been cleaned. The waterfront area is listed by UNESCO and the city buzzes with cafés and restaurants. Venturing out of the city he travels to the Bay of Arcachon which he says “must go down as one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I have ever soon” and feasts on a plateful of the oysters cultivated there. If you’re energetic you can climb the Dune of Pilat. All in all there is a lot more to Bordeaux than just the wine (but he does point out that this is very good too). Sunday Express 13.03.11

Low-cost flights operator City Jet has a new route from London City Airport to Pau > for Gascony and the Pyrenees
One of our 'faves', St Jean de Luz, is chosen by the Sunday Times as one of two best beach destinations in France..."there aren't many places where beach and town life combine so well". 06.02.11
Robert Ryan celebrates the revival of Bordeaux in the Sunday Times 06.02.11
The region of Aquitaine is celebrated in a special 15-page downloadable brochure in the Sunday Telegraph 30/01/11..."from adrenalin-fuelled fun to serene country pursuits, and sublime scenery, the region of Aquitaine in Southern France has it all. Take in the fabulous wine, unique cultural heritage, and gastronomic delights..."
Actor Simon Williams (Upstairs Downstairs etc) talks about his love of Biarritz in the Sunday Telegraph 23/01/11
Nigel Thompson visits the Basque Country on the France-Spain border and, in particular the small mountain of La Rhune, the last real peak before the mighty Pyrenees hit the Bay of Biscay. At the summit you cross the border into Spain and can stand with one foot in France and the other in Spain. He also recommends visiting Biarritz, Bayonne and Saint Jean de Luz. Daily Mirro 22/01/11
Flights operator Flybe will be launching a new route from Southampton to Pau in May 2011
Harriet O'Brien visits Bordeaux and says 'the capital of wine is an architectural gem' - Independent on Sunday 17/10/10
Alistair McGowan recommends Ile de Re - a cyclist's haven in the Telegraph 15/8/10
Francophile Anthony Peregrine reckons there's a lot we could learn from the people of the 'most engrossing region in France - the French Basque Country - Telegraph 23/07/10
Étape du Tour 2010: taking on Tourmalet. Last week, Charles Starmer-Smith took part in the Étape du Tour, and tackled the agonising 113-mile stage himself. Here, he recounts the final gruelling climb. Telegraph 22 July 2010
Also partaking in the Etape, and off the back of some shoddy training, was Kevin Rushby of the Guardian: Fancy a go at the Tour de France? - Guardian 24/07/10
French Basque country: Hearth and home in France's 'most engrossing region'. Anthony Peregrine reckons there's a lot we could learn from the people of the 'the most engrossing region in France' - the French Basque. Telegraph 14 July 2010
A Basque Banquet - it started out as a simple fishing trip in search of the elusive Basque trout, but this ancient corner of southwest France yielded up a far richer catch - Andy Pietrasik writing in the Observer, Sun 4 July 2010
The Telegraph's list of The Best Beaches in Europe includes La Grande Plage in St Jean de Luz, Cote des Basques in Biarritz and Les Plages in Seignosse - Saturday Telegraph 15/05/10
Hossegor gets a plug as one of the Top Ten Surfing Destinations worldwide..."Europe's surf capital...miles of golden sand and some of the best beach breaks in the world..." The Times 15/05/10
No Planes No Airports No Hassle: St Jean de Luz is a recommended destination for those wanting to avoid flying to their holiday destination - Sunday Times 25.04.10
Reinvesting the Wheel - follow Charles Starmer-Smith's progress training for the Etape du Tour this July - Telegraph 17/04/10
Biarritz is plugged as one of 10 Weekend Breaks with a Difference - Times 30/01/10
Mike Peake takes a photography course in Biarritz - Can You Say Cheese? - Sunday Times 17/01/10
Anthony Capella enjoys a gourmet visit to Cap Ferret & Bordeaux - read Terroir: It's Not Just About Wine - Sunday Times 17/01/10
Mary Novakovich says that the French Pyrennes ski-resorts lack in altitude, it makes up for with its warmth and cuisine. Read Home on the Range - Independent 16/01/10
The world's beast beaches are in Hawaii, the Seychelles and Messanges, Aquitaine according to The Telegraph's Nicky Holford. "The south-west coast of France is one long, clean, sandy beach, with great waves for surfing & boogie boarding." Read Telegraph article The World's Best Beaches Saturday Telegraph 9/1/10.
Football fans will enjoy reading Will Hawkes' article about the iconic FC Atletico Bilbao, the pride of the Basque Country who to this day continue a club policy of selecting only Basques to play in their time - Basques of the net: Bilbao's iconic football team - Independent 24/11/09
Cathy Packe enjoys 48 Hours in Bayonne - Independent 13/06/09
Cathy Packe - she's having a nice time - enjoys 48 hours in Bordeaux - Independent 23/05/09
Misson to a Frozen Fortress - Gavin Bell visits the fantastic Pic du Midi Observatory in the French Pyrenees - Telepgraph 14/02/09
Biarritz is the perfect place for novice surfers to catch their first waves, says Dan Poole - read Break for the Border, Independent 16/05/09
Anthony Peregrine chooses The Best Beaches in the Basque Country - Telegraph 31/07/08
Helen Pickles travels by train to a “19-mile island of vineyards, salt marshes and white-washed villages fringed by soft sands”. “Ile de Ré has a shabby-chic charm that makes it a great place to idle around markets or cycle to the beach”. Telegraph Travel, 18th September 2008 - read article.
The port of St-Jean-de-Luz is a perfect marriage of Gallic and Basque charm, says Norman Miller in his article Weekend to Remember: St Jean de Luz - Telegraph 1/2/08
"Suddenly one of France’s best-kept secrets was revealed: a tranquil and beautiful wilderness colliding enchantingly with fishing boats, oyster villages, dreamy holiday homes and the ocean"
The FT 08/09/07 - read Cap Ferret article
Find out why Biarritz and La Côte Basque is a property and holiday hot-spot - read Paul Shearer's FT article on the property boom in Biarritz
"If you need the company of Champagne-spraying airheads from the international people pages, please go elsewhere: Biarritz doesn't do brainless bling" - read Anthony Peregrine's Telegraph article about Biarritz
"If you love the French seaside, yet are weary of the bare-faced overcharging and pretensions of the Côte d'Azur, try the country's Basque district" - read Nicholas Owen's Times article about St Jean de Luz
"If you could boil down just about every daydream you've ever had about French provincial life, it would look something like this" - read Sean Newsom's Sunday Times article about Gascony
St Jean de Luz has been in the press recently - it was the subject of an excellent article in the Guardian in April 2007 » Read Guardian Travel article on St Jean de Luz.
Our beach-front apartment in Hossegor - Les Grandes Vagues ref:038 - was also featured in the Guardian Travel section recently. » Read Guardian Travel article about Les Grandes Vagues
"Shacks are the new chic as fishing huts net a fortune" - The Times 23/04/05 - read cap Ferret article

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