Original subtitles

(wind howling)

(epic upbeat music)

- Our journey begins at the city of La Rochelle,

once an important medieval port.

From there we'll cross the bay,

to the largest of the French islands

off the Atlantic Coast, Ile d'Oleron.

Our route south takes us over the vast swaths

of the renowned oyster farms

of the Charente-Maritime Region on the way

to the resort town of Royan.

We'll make our way along the Gironde estuary,

leading us to some of the most prestigious vineyards

in France, including Chateau Margaux.

Which gave rise to the most expensive bottle

of wine ever broken.

At the wine industry capitol of Bordeaux,

we head back towards the coast.

Our journey concludes at The Great Dune of Pyla.

A colossal hill of sand working its way relentlessly inland,

with no sign of slowing.

(calm music)

Over the centuries, the port town of La Rochelle

has come to be known as "the city of rebels."

It refers to it's long standing Protestant tradition,

in the face of Catholic dominance in France.

During Nazi occupation in World War II,

the port was used to garrison a massive fleet of U-boats.

It was so heavily fortified,

that while allied forces swept across the rest

of the country,

these pens held out until the Germans surrender

in May of 1945.

Although La Rochelle isn't situated at a river mouth,

it's western position enabled it to thrive

as a trading partner with the New World.

And it retains its strong links with the sea

through a significant boat building industry

and the leisure marina,

the largest in all of Europe.

(gentle music)

During the Reformation,

the city became a stronghold of Protestantism,

and was in constant conflict with the French Catholics.

The struggle culminated in 1552

when two Calvinists, denounced as heretics,

were burned at the stake as an example.

This spire the Tour de la Lanterne,

remains a symbol of that conflict.

Because in 1568 the city's Protestant mayor worked

the populous up into an anti-Catholic frenzy.

Resulting in 13 priests being captured and thrown

from the ramparts.

The bodies were washed out to sea,

never to be seen again.

(gentle music)

Guarding the entrance to the old port,

are the distinctive towers.

They symbolize the city's emergence as a key harbor town

at the turn of the 13th Century.

When Alexander Auffredi famously sent seven

of his trading ships off to Africa.

Promising untold riches for the noblemen,

he eagerly awaited their return,

but with no sign of the vessels,

Auffredi was finally resigned to a life of poverty.

His misery was to continue for seven long years

until one day, and out of the blue,

the ships returned, making Auffredi a very rich man.

But such turn of events weren't lost on the ship owner,

who went on the dedicate the rest of his life

to helping the needy.

It also cemented the port as a major center of trade,

which continues to this day.

More recently, tourism has also emerged as a key industry.

With holiday apartments springing up around the old town.

Well served by motorways,

La Rochelle is now one of the most visited cities

on the Atlantic Coast.

Holiday makers are drawn to the liveliness

of the beautifully preserved city.

As well as the plentiful seafood restaurants.

And not least of the leisure activities,

is sailing along the sheltered harbor

of Pertuis d'Antioche.

But for some, the town is just a way point,

to an island destination just over the harbor.

(spunky island music)

Every year, thousands of well heeled Parisians

and British cross this three kilometer bridge

for their holiday choice at Ile de Re.

With chic hotels, restaurants, and bars,

and prices to match,

it's most definitely the place to be seen.

But surprisingly, there's very little opulence on show,

bicycles and fishing boat trips

have replaced the glitz of Ferrari's and super yachts.

(light bouncy music)

Here, it's the authentic charm of whitewashed villages,

unspoiled beaches, and natural reserves

that give the island its appeal.

And, as we'll find, along this Atlantic coastline,

evidence of centuries of fighting,

between French and English forces, still remain.

This example, is Fort del La Pree.

Constructed soon after the French regained control

of the region in the 17th century.

(gentle revealing music)

We rejoin the mainland to follow

the Charente coastline south.

Here we pass rows of fishing huts perched high on stilts.

Nets suspended on poles are cast out,

then hauled in with a catch.

Up until the 19th century,

this was the traditional method for fishing

along the these shores.

But a devastating storm in 1999,

destroyed almost all of them.

Over time, many were rebuilt, though today,

they're mostly used for leisure.

Much of what's caught,

ends up on the plates of delighted diners

at the nearby town of Fouras.

Its standing as one of the earliest French seaside resorts

from the 1900s,

is preceded by centuries of military activity.

The imposing fortress that hugs the shoreline,

dates back to the 17th century,

built to defend against a potential attack by the English.

And within sight of the mainland is Ile d'Aix,

situated on the mouth of the Charente River.

It's served as a spiritual center for traveling monks

in medieval times.

But once Napoleon visited the island in 1808,

he realized its strategic potential

and ordered the construction of fortifications.

Seven years later, the emperor retreated here

after his defeat at Waterloo.

And began plans to slip past

the British Royal Navy to safety, in America.

Realizing the plan was futile,

he penned his final surrender from his house here in 1815.

Beside Ile d'Aix, protecting the entrance

to the river Charente is Fort Boyard.

Louis XIV's advisor cautioned against building it,

saying "it would be easier to seize

"the moon with your teeth,

"than to attempt such an undertaking,"

in such a place.

Nevertheless, construction took place,

and it now watches over neighboring Ile d'Oleron.

The largest French island off the Atlantic coast

and mecca for lovers of seafood.

Because it's here in these marshy beds

that the renowned Marennes-Oleron oyster is produced

and exported worldwide.

Elsewhere, orange, fig, and eucalyptus forests abound.

And the scents have given rise to the name "perfumed isle."

Oleron also has and important military past

as seen in this 17th century citadel.

Constructed to protect the mouth of the Charente River.

But the island had already earned it's place

in maritime history by the 12th century,

as it was a sight of the judgements of Oleron,

the first official laws of admiralty in Northwestern Europe.

(slow calm music)

The wild, west coast of the island makes traditional fishing

and oyster farming quite challenging.

So most fisherman here use an ecluse,

a special device which ensnares the catch at high tide,

leaving it stranded on the shore as the ocean recedes.

Between the southern coast of Oleron

and the French mainland, sits Fort Louvois,

also built during the reign of Louis XIV.

(slow calm music)

Modeled on castles of the middle ages,

with both a drawbridge and mote,

it's horseshoe shape was perfect for controlling traffic

through the river mouth and into the interior of France.

These days, all five stories

and the retro fitted lighthouse are open to visitors.

If you can make across the causeway before

the high tide catches up with you.

And beware, because in 2010 a massive storm, Xynthia,

was so strong it caused severe damage to the fort,

and swept the entire drawbridge away.

The Seudre River ends in this estuary,

lined with salt marshes and brackish waters,

an ideal habitat for wild oysters.

Enjoyed by the French since before Roman times,

the demand for this delicacy almost wiped

the species out in the 19th century.

(calm music)

Luckily oysterman way would prevent this catastrophe,

by developing marsh beds which are flooded

with nutritious estuary water,

allowing the shellfish to flourish in numbers.

The French tradition of feasting on oysters at Christmastime

has kept beds like this thriving up and down the coast.

While in the rest of Europe,

this delicacy has now become a rarity.

Continuing along the coast,

we come to the fortified town of Brouage.

The coastal land here provides more than just oysters

because this town was built in the 16th century

with the sole intent of extracting salt

from the surrounding marshes

and selling it to vessels arriving from Northern Europe.

In the 17th Century, the town was fortified

as a Catholic bastion.

And now we move on to Royan.

(gentle music)

Once a chic seaside resort,

the city center was completely demolished

by misjudged allied bombings in World World II,

but now modernist style buildings sit beside colorful villas

in a charming mixture of old and new.

The city is situated on the Gironde estuary,

the largest in all of Europe.

A source of food and commerce,

the river mouth has always been important to French life,

so important in fact,

that some historians speculate

that the outbreak of the French Revolution

was caused by the waters here freezing over

in the horrible winter of 1788 throwing the population

into mass unrest.

Working our way into the heart of the Gironde estuary,

reveals a landscape central to French culture and character.

It's from the marshy soil of

this 120 kilometer stretch of land,

that many of the country's most prized wines originate.

(calm music)

Stranded out in the estuary farmland,

is the St. Pierre Abbey.

Erected in the 9th Century long before the vineyards

here had reached fame and fortune.

Built to spread the influence of the city of Bordeaux,

all that remain are these ruins scattered

around farm buildings.

(gentle bouncy music)

On the left bank of the estuary,

is the famous Medoc wine growing region.

Before the ancient Romans introduced the vine,

this area was primarily salt marshes and pine forests.

But it wasn't until much later,

that the industry really took off.

In the 1500s Henry IX hired Dutch engineers

to drain the marshes in order

to create perfect viticultural conditions.

The unique taste of the red wine here

is often to the gravel in the soil

which retains heat and encourages extensive root systems.

The ultimate symbol of French wine culture is the Chateau.

For the fabulously rich who buy these vineyards,

this extends way beyond the wine itself.

What lures such wealth to the region

is the Medoc's inclusion in a historic 1855 document

which categorized French wines into levels

of quality and importance.

And almost all the red wines on the list,

came from this one region.

This is Chateau Lilian Ladouys,

situated in a subregion that's known for it's fresher

and lighter wines in part, due to the cold and wet soil.

This idea of attributing tastes to natural conditions,

is called terroir.

Often translated as, a sense of place.

(light bouncy music)

and for top wine tasters, even the most minor changes

in the soil, climate, and natural surroundings

can be detected.

(birds chirping)

The style of classification, was initiated

in the middle ages by Benedictine Monks.

Who would conduct painstaking observations

on effect of surrounds on the taste of wine.

(calm epic music)

some legends, even have the monks going so far

as to taste the soil itself.

It was from their work that the first terroirs

were officially passed on.

This detailed knowledge, and almost mysticism,

has kept wine from this region

in high demand around the world.

And encouraged the construction of such formidable chateaus.

Moving into the Pauillac terroir,

we come to Chateau Latour Vineyard.

The holding takes its name from the tower built here

during the Hundred Years War.

The current tower was reconstructed in the 1600s,

and is now quaintly used as a pigeon house.

A chateau that was famous among the aristocracy

and well to do of 18th century France,

this land is coveted to this day,

and the product still highly regarded amongst experts.

(epic rising music )

Another vineyard named after its tower,

is La Tour L'Aspic, topped with a statue

of the Virgin Mary.

(epic rising music)

The wine produced here is known as a second wine,

made from grapes not chosen for the grand vin

or the primary label.

Although second wine is considered to be inferior,

this vineyard is special,

because what's produced here performs better in competitions

than the supposedly superior grand vin.

(epic music)

Chateau Margaux was one of four wines

to achieve premiere cru, the highest status

in the wine classification of 1855.

But the wine here had reached fame decades before,

having been praised by the likes

of American President Thomas Jefferson in 1787.

Indeed a wine bottled in that very year, 1787,

still holds the record for

the most expensive bottle ever broken.

In short, for $225,000, generations after it was produced.

Crossing the Gironde estuary,

we pass Ile de Patiras.

The island served as a quarantine point for incoming ships

in the 19th century.

Once populated by a thriving community,

the island is now home to a few die hard residents.

(upbeat music)

This crude oil storage plant and refinery situated

at the confluence of the Gironde and Dordogne rivers,

is an indication of the sheer scale of the region's

wine production,

as it's purpose is to meet the fuel needs

of the industry in the area.

Nearby on the banks of the Dordogne,

is the city of Bourg.

This medieval town is where some

of the top wine experts converge each year

for a three sampling fest.

It's aim is to select the best

of 800 wines brought in from around the world.

Following the Dordogne River upstream

brings us to Cubzac,

a busy crossing point for centuries,

sail boats and cable ferries moved travelers

and traders across until Napoleon ordered

the construction of a suspension bridge in 1812.

Since then, three bridges have been completed,

but not without their fair share of bother.

When the Germans retreated in World War II,

they made sure to destroy as much as they could

in their wake.

Crossing over to the Garonne River,

brings us to the island of la Lande.

Straddling two settlements on the banks of the river,

the island is almost fully submerged during spring tides,

causing these expansive azure lagoons.

The remains of old houses can still be seen,

but there are no longer any full time residents,

as the tides have prove too challenging

for year round occupancy.

And westward, along the banks of the river

is the region's biggest city, Bordeaux.

Known primarily for it's wine industry,

which brings in over 14 billion euros a year,

the city of 250,000 is also

an important cultural heritage site.

From 300 B.C. until the middle ages Celts, Romans,

Franks, and Muslims laid claim here,

each contributing to its unique character.

UNESCO recently added the old center of Bordeaux

to its heritage list.

And 400 years after serious wine production started,

the city is still synonymous with the best

the industry has to offer.

(rising epic music)

We now head west, to the vast swaths of farmland

back towards the coast,

this is the Aquitaine region of France.

And we join its shoreline at the Bay of Arcachon.

A geological curiosity, fed by myriad inland waterways,

giving it's waters the bright colors of a lagoon.

The town here was founded as a luxury winter resort

in the 19th century.

The waters of the bay, renowned for their healing powers,

lured in Spanish royalty and Russian dukes,

as well as famous artists and socialites.

Still celebrated for its balneotherapy,

or the treatment of disease through bathing,

over 90,000 visitors come to these shores

in the peak season.

(gentle bouncing music)

Protecting Arcachon Bay from the pounding Atlantic waves,

is the 18 kilometer headland of Cap Ferret.

It's long been the exclusive summer retreat

of wealthy families from Bordeaux and Paris.

Yet it remains rather understated,

save for its prominent lighthouse

that's been guiding vessels into the bay since 1947.

(dramatic music)

And surrounding the Bay, are the remnants of recent history.

Hitler's Atlantic wall.

Stretching from Scandinavia to the Spanish border,

pillboxes, command posts, and bunkers,

guarded occupied France against allied invasions.

Along with the unpredictable seas

and obstacle ridden coastline,

the allies were successfully deterred

from staging their invasion here.

And following the vestiges

of the Atlantic wall down to the coast,

brings us to the last stop on our journey.

This extraordinary geomorphic oddity that is

The Great Dune of Pyla.

(gentle revealing music)

The mountain of sand three kilometers long

and over a hundred meters high,

is moving relentlessly inland.

Sweeping over houses, strangling forests,

and burying roads.

(gentle epic music)

Over 20 private properties have been isolated

or destroyed in its path.

In the last hundred years,

it's thought to have doubled in size

and today shows no sign of slowing.

(upbeat smooth music)

Each year it advances three to four meters,

covering around 8,000 square meters of forest.

Even so, The Great Dune of Pyla is protected

as a designated natural monument.

During World War II the dune was used by the Germans

for training new recruits,

but these days are mostly for leisure.

People arrive in droves to make their way

up the steep banks against avalanches of sand.

The reward is to experience the unique wonder

of Europe's biggest dune.

A perfect place to end this journey.

(calm retreating music)

(quick epic music)