Alternative Aquitaine's Coups de Coeur

In French, a Coup de Coeur is that feeling you get when your heart seems to leap, skip a beat - it's a sign that you are about to fall in love. (As is so often the case, the French have an evocative term to describe a passionate feeling.)

Here at Alternative Aquitaine we feel the same when we visit the perfect holiday rental!

All the properties on our site are ones we would stay in ourselves. Nevertheless, in the same way that grandparents have favourite grand-children, we have a few that we feel are particularly special.

This doesn't mean the poshest most prestigious places, but ones that have a certain something that makes them stand out. Usually it's a combination of the following:

1. Somewhere with history, authenticity, character, often a couple of hundred years old or more. A place that will stay with you long after you've left.

2. A property whose atmosphere captures perfectly what Aquitaine is about: stylish yet unpretentious, relaxed not showy, where good, convivial living is the most important thing

3. In an area we love but, because it is so coveted by the French, it has been a real challenge to find good quality rentals - a challenge we've risen to!

4. Where you'll find French hospitality at its best, where the owner enables you quickly to find your bearings and to feel at home, even when you've just travelled 1000 kilometres

As with all our properties, our Coups de Coeur have the best of Aquitaine on your doorstep, whether it's beaches & lakes, sand-dunes & forests, vineyards & châteaux, medieval towns & villages.

We've listed our Coups de Coeur opposite - we hope you will share our passion for them!