A weekend in Cap-Ferret

Do you fancy a weekend at Cap-Ferret and want to know more about the visits and activities to do on site? We reveal our ideas and good addresses to discover this peninsula, in all its facets and according to your desires.

The " Ferret ", as the Ferretcapiens and Arcachonnais call it, is the peninsula which closes the Arcachon Basin. Its privileged location between the Atlantic Ocean and the " little sea of Buch " gives it many tourist assets : unspoiled natural spaces, maritime heritage, typical oyster-farming villages, nautical activities... get bored at the " Ferret "!

Opening photo : © SpiritProd33 ; Adobestock

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Day 1 : Take a tour of Cap-Ferret

Take a boat trip in the Arcachon Bay

To start this weekend, we suggest you take a boat tour of the Arcachon Bay to discover the places in an original way. This is a good way to find the sites you want to visit. You can simply make a crossing, aboard a shuttle, to go to Arcachon with the Union des Bateliers Arcachonnais. They also organize excursions to tour Bird Island (fr), along the coast, visit oyster beds, and many other activities. You embark at Cap-Ferret or at the port of Canon. To change the boat, the Catabas company offers cruises or the rental of a catamaran.

A boat trip from Cap Ferret. Photo © yannbehr; Unsplash

Take a road trip to see the villages of Cap-Ferret

To soak up the atmosphere of Ferret, the ideal is to take a road-trip with stops in its charming villages. You can of course take the road by car. But if you are a cyclist, there are many cycle paths in Cap-Ferret and cycling is preferred. During your tour, you will pass from fishing villages to oyster ports. Here is an idea of a route, with the points of interest of each site :

• The village of Lège is home to a Le Corbusier workers' city, but also a church with a fortified tower.
• The Claouey market is famous. It is open on Saturday morning, from June to September.
• The village of Les Jacquets has pretty shops along its “ rue de la déco ”, on the route du Cap Ferret.
• At Petit Piquey, do not miss the beautiful viewpoint at Pointe des Chevaux.
• The port and the reservoirs of Piraillan.
• Le Canon is a charming oyster village. The feast of the sea is held there every year on August 15.
• L'Herbe is an authentic fishing village. It is the ideal place to taste oysters, on a terrace by the water. Its Chapel of the Algerian Villa is surprising!
• La Vigne is a marina and a residential area. There you will see magnificent houses and beautiful boats.
• Cap-Ferret is a very lively village during the summer. Its lighthouse and the Mimbeau, a sandbank facing it, deserve a few shots. A superb panorama awaits you at the top of the lighthouse. Children will surely enjoy boarding the little tourist train.
• The point offers you an exceptional point of view on the dune of Pilat and the Banc d'Arguin. You will also observe the entry of the ocean into the basin.
  
  

View of the Dune du Pilat from Cap Ferret ; Photo @ Guide Bordeaux Gironde

  

Cap Ferret, its beaches with sandbanks and its lighthouse. Photos @ Guide Bordeaux Gironde

Taste the oysters

Whether for a lunch break or a gourmet snack, tasting oysters in a cabin is one of the essentials. To take a full tour of the oyster-farming areas of Cap Ferret, go to Aux Huîtres du Cap Ferret SCEA LB. In our article, we reveal all the secrets of oysters from the Arcachon Bay, Cap Ferret and Médoc.

One of the pleasures of Cap Ferret is to taste oysters by the ocean. Photo : © Tommaso Cantelli ; Unsplash

The charming alleys of the small fishing villages of Cap Ferret. Photo : © burgueyre; Adobestock

Day 2 : Enjoy the nature activities of Cap-Ferret

The Pres-Salés National Nature Reserve

The Pres Salés National Nature Reserve occupies the largest salt meadow in Aquitaine. It is an ecosystem, with specific flora and fauna. You can walk there on the coastal path, which takes you from Lège to Arès. It is found on the migratory route of certain species of birds and allows others to nest in peace. It is therefore a good place for bird watching. This protected environment is home to many animals, including the European pond turtle, eel and otter. Remember to take your binoculars on your walks.

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The national forest of the peninsula

You can easily cycle around the peninsula. A 26 km greenway crosses it. The environment is very well preserved, between its long beach on the ocean side and its forest. The national forest of Lège et Garonne represents nearly 7,500 hectares and covers a good part of Cap Ferret. It is crisscrossed with paths and cycle paths, which promise you beautiful hiking or cycling. In the heart of the forest, you can have fun with your family at the Four leisure park.

Take a bike tour of the Arcachon Bay.

Take a bike tour of the basin, a good weekend idea. Photo @ Guide Bordeaux Gironde

Bathe in the ocean or in the pool

At Cap-Ferret, you have the choice between a dynamic swim in the ocean or a dip in the calm and protected waters of the basin. In terms of nautical activities, it is the same. For surfing, go to Grand Crohot beach, opposite the village of Lège, or Horizon beach, at the other end of Cap Ferret. Otherwise, you can bask on the magnificent beaches of Bertic in Claouey, La Truquette aux Jacquets, or La Vigne. Glisse en Herbe rents you canoes or offers you to get on a towed buoy to fill up with sensations... To introduce you to surfing, here are the surf schools of Cap Ferret.

Some beaches are dotted with old bunkers, the remains of the Atlantic Wall, today a medium for urban art in the heart of nature. Photo @ Guide Bordeaux Gironde

If you are looking for a rental in Cap Ferret, we recommend the Lodge du Cap Ferret. Read our article on the 10 exceptional gites to rent in the Gironde. If you are more of a campsite, we have tested Camping Homair les Viviers for you.

This is our weekend at Cap-Ferret which is coming to an end. We hope to have made you want to make a getaway in this beautiful territory of the Gironde.

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