Le Bassin d'Arcachon

The Arcachon basin, a breathtaking panorama

Reaching the summit of the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe, is to suddenly embrace a breathtaking landscape, offering one of the most beautiful panoramas. The blue of the ocean, the blond of the islands, the green of the pine forest… A magical and preserved place. We have an exceptional viewpoint over the Arcachon basin, the tip of Cap Ferret, the Banc d'Arguin, the Tchanquées cabins and the Bird Island, a territory so well sung by Pascal Obispo.

Located just 50 km from Bordeaux, in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne, the Arcachon Bay is a vast bay where the fresh waters of the Leyre mix with the tumultuous waters of the ocean. The Bay enjoys a microclimate. From spring, the mimosas give off their delicate scent. The first rays of sunshine give a foretaste of summer on the water, which takes on turquoise reflections. Formerly called "the little sea of Buch", the Arcachon Bay has inherited a true maritime culture. The waters of the Bay were an extraordinary fish reservoir for the many fishermen of the Pays de Buch.

Navigation was carried out on pinasses, flat-bottomed boats, facilitating navigation in the channels. The Arcachon Basin has also preserved its oyster farming tradition. You can soak up the beauty of this vast natural area by boat, by bike thanks to its 150 kilometers of cycle paths around the basin, on foot, and even by hang-glider, paraglider and helicopter.

Arcachon, mosaic of the four seasons

Arcachon was born with the rise of the first sea bathing. On May 2, 1857, Arcachon was erected as a commune by Napoleon III and the railway line between Bordeaux and La Teste was extended to the seaside resort. The brothers Émile and Isaac Pereire, rich bankers, shareholders of the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi, bought land and built a sanatorium, villas and casino… The Winter Town was born.

The very large town is made up of several districts, each with a particular charm that gives it its identity.

The Winter City, listed as a Historic Monument since 1985, is home to elegant and sumptuous 19th century villas in neo-Gothic and neo-classical styles, sometimes hidden in immense parks where the people of Bordeaux loved to come on holiday. 73 residences are listed today.

The Pyla and its dune

The Dune of Pilat steals the show from the small homophone seaside resort housing the Daniel Meller and Corniche beaches. Its dimensions are impressive: 110 m high, 500 m wide and 2700 m long. For 8,000 years of existence, its panorama has fascinated, especially from its summit. To observe:

• Maritime pine and oak forest;
• Banc d’Arguin, the largest sandbank on the coast;
• Atlantic Ocean;
• Bird island whose surface area varies with the tides and which is home to many species of birds;
• Stilt-mounted huts standing like lookouts. They owe their name to the Gascon term for the stilts used by Landes shepherds; the tip of Cap Ferret.

In perpetual movement between the sand, the wind and the tides, the dune has the particularity of advancing every year, from 1 to 5 meters.

La Teste-de-Buch, between ocean and forest

It is the largest municipality in the Basin with 26,000 hectares including 10,000 hectares of maritime pines. La Teste-de-Buch welcomes on its territory the most emblematic heritage of the Basin that can be seen from the Dune of Pilat, with the Salt Meadows and the Cazaux-Sanguinet lake. The latter is the second largest freshwater lake in France, connected by a canal to the Arcachon Basin.

It is the ideal place for practicing many outdoor sports in the heart of a magnificent forest.

GUJAN-MESTRAS, OYSTER FARMING CAPITAL

Le Teich, bird paradise

Paradise is on earth at Le Teich, as it is in the air for all ornithological species. Located in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne regional natural park, on the Leyre delta and on one of the most important migratory routes in Europe, this 110-hectare nature reserve, with marshes and forest, is home to exceptional fauna and flora.

Numerous hiking trails and 12 km of cycle paths allow you to explore it up close, as do canoe or kayak trips. A 6 km signposted route, marked with 20 hideout huts crossing all the areas, has been specially created for observation.

Audenge and its little cabins

The small port of Audenge is quite authentic, like its small colorful wooden huts that line it. The small town has a 50 m seawater pool that is renewed with each tide, an open-air swimming pool created by a swimming enthusiast.

At the northern exit of Audenge in Lanton, the Domaine de Certes and Graveyron are sensitive natural areas, owned by the coastal conservatory, to be discovered for their typical vegetation and birdlife.

Biganos and its lakes

Rural, aquatic and forest landscapes define this town located in the Landes de Gascogne regional natural park, crossed by many rivers. Biganos has four lakes : Lac Vert, Lac Lambert, Lac de Pont Neau and the Trous des Tuileries, two ports: the Port of Biganos and the Port des Tuiles and an island: the island of Malprat. It is located between two arms of the Leyre delta, not accessible to the public and is home to a faunal and floral ecosystem.

Biganos is known for its production of Aquitaine caviar at the Cassadotte mill and Caviar Perlita at Teich. The Saint-Gervais church, like the Comprian priory dating from the 9th century, was a place of passage for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.

Andernos-Les-Bains, for all nature lovers

The small seaside resort of Andernos-les-Bains, close to nature, is rich in Gallo-Roman heritage, many of whose remains are still visible today. Many attractions will charm visitors:

• Sweet life on the oyster port and near the cabins.
• Quinconces Beach, lined with pines and tamarisks and its eponymous natural site, the longest jetty in France (at 232 m).
• Entertainment, including the jazz festival.

As in several municipalities in the basin, it is possible, for the space of a morning, to embark on a boat, with a fisherman or an oyster farmer to learn about the sea and the professions related to it.

Ares, between marsh and clearing

In the Middle Ages, Arès traded Médoc wines with the British Isles. In the 19th century, the town had five mills, of which only the tower of one remains. What characterizes the small seaside resort today is its extraordinary natural heritage. The fauna and flora evolve on the Quinconces site, which can be explored with a naturalist guide, in the middle of the forest, marshes and salt meadows.

You can also wander along the coastal path, stopping at the cove of Saint-Brice which is home to a pine forest and three freshwater lakes, supervised from June to September.

Lège-Cap-Ferret, the peninsula on the horizon

Like Arcachon, Lège-Cap-Ferret is the chic resort of Gironde. It has managed to preserve its wild and authentic side thanks to its preserved nature. It extends over 25 kilometers dotted with small villages and hamlets: Lège and its town, the grand Crohot (Lège-océan), Claouey, les Jacquets, Petit Piquey, Grand Piquey, Piraillan, Le Canon, l'Herbe, La Vigne and Le Cap Ferret.

The peninsula is almost half made up of an immense national forest of 7,500 hectares. It offers a variety of walks, horseback rides or bike rides on the many cycle paths. For swimming, you have the choice between the tumultuous waters of the Atlantic Ocean or the calmer waters of the Arcachon Basin.

The lighthouse, located at the tip of Cap Ferret, offers a unique view of the bird island, the Dune of Pilat and the basin. After climbing the 2580 steps, you are more than 50 meters high so no wonder!

The Pointe du Ferret is a place of wild nature where the ocean enters the basin and where waves, winds, tides and currents shape the landscape.