La Petite Couronne is situated in a village called St. Cricq Chalosse. A small community in the Chalosse, in the Landes department in the South-West of France.
The area is characterized by its hilly landscape and offers many possibilities in terms of nature, culture, sports and gastronomy. Too many to mention all of them. However, we would like to give a few examples.
The most southern part of the Landes department flanks the Pyrenees. The Chalosse is part of this area, which is characterized by hills. From this area you can see the mount tops (covered with snow)of the Pyreneeën. Miles-long walking routes have been outlined, which allows you to discover nature at your own pace.
Furthermore, the Landes are famous for Europes largest pine forest, “Parc Landes de Gasgogne”. The region has 66 miles of sand beaches, where you will find plenty of space even during the high season. The Landes is also the department containing the highest amount of water areas, such as the lakes and marshes of the coast area, the floodable banks of the Adour river, small reservoirs, forest creeks and the peat grounds. The water is obviously also to find in the thermal baths in 5 different health resorts with hot water sources.
Like in the rest of France, the Chalosse area contains a rich cultural heritage. Within a stone´s throw from the hotel you can find the prehistoric museum 'Dame de Brassempouy'. On this spot a figurine from the prehistory was found; only 1,44 inch head of the Brassempouys Venus or “Dame de Brassempouy”. It is the oldest precise picture of a human face known in history. It is between 22,000 and 26,000 years old.
Also the Chateau d´Amou and Chateau de Gaujac, -both no more than 5 minute by car- are worth a visit. In Montfort-Chalosse is the Musée Chalosse, a museum where you can experience the former lifestyle in the Chalosse. Saint Sever is a beautiful medieval village. We should not forget to mention the many rural festivals taking place in spring until the late autumn. Beside plenty of food and drinks, the “Villages en fête” are combined traditionally with the “Course Landaise”. This event looks like a Spanish bullfight, but instead of bulls, cows are used. It is a game between man and animal, whereas the animal is not killed.
If you are a sports lover you are definitely in the right place. We already mentioned the many walking routes. But you can also explore the area by bicycle. Do you think the Chalosse is too hilly? After a 45 minutes ride by car you can ride along the tracks of a former railway near the flat coast. Thanks to the mild climate in the Landes you can play golf all year. Between the forests, over the hills or at the Atlantic coast. Perhaps even on Europe´s the oldest golf resort in Pau. The Landes is also the right place for ultra sports. Canoeing, hydro speed, surf, bodyboarding, quad driving ..... the Landes has it all!
Many products grow on home soil and are cultivated in the Chalosse, which enriches the areas´ gastronomy. A lot of restaurants, as well as the “Fermes Auberges”, serve local products. The area is especially renowned for its “Foie Gras”. For centuries this delicacy has been prepared here in the traditional way. This explains the high amount of duck farms and corn fields that mark the area. However, you will also find plantations of asparagus and kiwi in this part of France.
The inhabitants of the Landes department (Les Landais) like to enjoy ”the Good Life”. This means that they attach great importance to food, which of course usually goes with a drink. A special wine is made in the area, relatively unknown abroad: Vin de Tursan. Apart from this wine, Armagnac is produced in the heart of Gascogne since 1936. The 88 producers have their doors wide open for visitors and tastings.