Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Nouvelle-Aquitaine emerged from the 2016 merger as France's largest region by area, stretching from the Loire Valley to the Spanish border. Bordeaux serves as regional capital and economic engine—a growing metropolis whose wine industry, aerospace manufacturing, and technology sector have transformed a city that once seemed provincial. The Atlantic coast provides beach tourism that complements Bordeaux's urban attractions.

Wine production defines Bordeaux's global identity, though the industry faces challenges from changing consumer preferences and climate disruption. The 2024 frost and earlier vintages affected by heat stress demonstrate vulnerability that terroir prestige cannot eliminate. Cognac production in Charente departments adds distilled spirits to the agricultural luxury portfolio.

Aerospace manufacturing (Dassault, Thales, suppliers to Airbus) clusters around Bordeaux and provides industrial employment that complements services and tourism. The surf culture at Biarritz and Hossegor has developed into a minor industry (board manufacturing, events, media) that differentiates the Atlantic coast from Mediterranean competition. Whether Nouvelle-Aquitaine can maintain cohesion across its vast territory—from Limousin's depopulating interior to Bordeaux's growing metropolitan area—tests regional governance.