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French heritage: landmark sites and food of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
This sheet presents cultural landmarks of French society. It focuses on Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
Key points of the sheet
- The Dune du Pilat is on the edge of the Arcachon basin. It is the highest dune in Europe: more than 100 metres high and 3 kilometres long.
- Winds and tides form the dune. It is always moving and slowly advances inland.
- The dune offers a view of the Atlantic, the Landes forest and the Arguin sandbank. It is a protected natural site, with more than 1 million visitors each year.
- Foie gras from Périgord is a speciality of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. It is made from ducks or geese, using traditional know-how.
- This refined dish is soft and delicate. People eat it all over France, especially during the holiday season.
Words to know
- Dune du Pilat
- It is the highest dune in Europe, on the edge of the Arcachon basin.
- protected natural site (site naturel protégé)
- The Dune du Pilat is a protected natural site.
- foie gras from Périgord (foie gras du Périgord)
- It is a speciality of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, made from ducks or geese.
- traditional know-how (savoir-faire traditionnel)
- It is a way of doing things passed down from generation to generation, here for raising ducks or geese.
Test yourself: 3 questions
What is the highest dune in Europe?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle est la plus haute dune d'Europe ?
The Dune du Pilat is the highest dune in Europe, more than 100 metres high.
Where is the Dune du Pilat?
In French, the language of the exam: Où se trouve la dune du Pilat ?
The sheet says the Dune du Pilat is on the edge of the Arcachon basin.
Which animals is foie gras from Périgord made from?
In French, the language of the exam: Avec quels animaux produit-on le foie gras du Périgord ?
Foie gras from Périgord is made from ducks or geese.
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More in this topic (Culture)
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Hauts-de-France
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of the Pays de la Loire
Source
Sheet “Patrimoine français : sites emblématiques et gastronomie de Nouvelle-Aquitaine” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.