For most of the year, Aquitaine's mild climate offers perfect weather for golfers, and its 50 courses have made it a golf destination to rival Portugal's Algarve and Spain's costas.
Road and rail give easy access to the region, which stretches from Bordeaux in the north to the Spanish border in the south, but it's cheaper and quicker to go by air now the budget airlines service Bordeaux, Biarritz, Pau and Bergerac from most UK regions.
Non-golfing travellers need not despair – the area is steeped in history, with a plethora of heritage sites to explore including the Lascaux caves in the Dordogne and Lot et Garonne's medieval villages. The scenery is beautifully diverse, from the Pyrénées national park to the Gironde estuary, with more than 150 miles (250km) of safe, sandy beaches. Quaint shops and cafes abound, and there's no shortage of luxury health resorts to choose from. If all else fails, there's always the wine either from the Médoc, Saint Emilion, Bergerac, Duras or Jurançon, to name a few.
Rest assured, the golf will not disappoint – the region has had more than 150 years to get this right. High on anyone's list will be Golf du Médoc, a spa complex and golf resort deep in Bordeaux wine country. It boasts two superb courses, one, Les Châteaux, hosted the French Open in 1999; over 6,000 metres long, the wide and friendly fairways are made more challenging by the variable ocean "breeze".
For a quieter, but no less rewarding retreat, head for Château des Vigiers, near Bergerac in the Dordogne area, a luxury spa resort built around a 16th-century mansion. It boasts three nine-hole parkland tracks designed by the great Donald Steel.
Further south, the outstanding Golf de Moliets, one of many in the Landes area, has the feel of a course a lot older than its 20 years. Set on the coast, with a mixture of woodland and links, it presents a challenge equal to anything in Ireland or Scotland, especially when the wind is blowing.
Finally, let us not forget the oldest golf club outside the British Isles, at Pau, and its museum of a clubhouse, a must-see for every enthusiast.
From coast to parkland to forest, Aquitaine offers a memorable golfing experience at prices that won't break the bank. Before you shoulder your clubs, be sure to investigate the many golf passes available. Golf Pass Xlandes offers access to either three or five courses in Les Landes, with prices starting at just over €135 (£113). A Médoc golf pass pays for green fees for at least two courses for €144 (£122), while Vigiers golfers can use a Bordeaux pass (three courses) for €99 (£84).
To find out more about this destination, visit gotofrancenow.com/aquitaine
Holiday offer
Save 10% on a luxury five-bed (sleeps 10) beach-front apartment in Les Grandes Vagues with Alternative Aquitaine. Seven nights from £1,700 in June or £1,400 in September and October (some dates excluded). Visit alternative-aquitaine.co.uk for details.
