Arcachon Bay is one of the Aquitaine region’s main tourist destinations. Just an hour from Bordeaux, it offers exceptional landscapes. Boasting natural heritage, architecture, seaside resorts and popular beaches, it has treasures to discover throughout the year.
PICTURE POSTCARD LANDSCAPES
Arcachon Bay’s appeal lies primarily in its picture postcard landscapes. One of the most famous places has to be the Dune of Pilat, which majestically dominates the entrance to Arcachon Bay from a height of 357 feet. It is popular for its beauty, but also for the challenge of tackling a mountain of sand where you can admire, rest, walk or have fun before hurtling back down again at full speed! Opposite the dune is another of the Bay’s unmissable sites, the Banc d’Arguin. This stunning National Nature Reserve dazzles with its fauna, including migratory birds and even “giants of the ocean” (the bottlenose dolphin, the grey seal and the leatherback sea turtle). To discover this typical fauna or flora, you can also visit the Le Teich Ornithological Reserve (more than 260 species of wild birds) or Bird Island (a refuge for sea bass and migratory birds). Again on Bird Island, marvel at the famous Cabanes Tchanquées standing proudly on their stilts. If you want to extend your walk and get out into nature, you can’t miss the river Leyre and its delta, the Domain of Certes-Graveyron, the salt marshes of Arès, Lège-Cap Ferret and La Teste-de-Buch, the pine forests or the tip of Cap Ferret between ocean and bay.
IMPRESSIVE TOWNS…
Arcachon Bay is also home to some popular seaside resorts, starting of course with the town of 4 seasons itself, Arcachon. The city known for its good living is home to sumptuous villas with typical architecture, a casino, a stunning beach, a beautiful walk along the pier, numerous terraces of cafés and restaurants, glorious glaciers, and much much more! No less famous, people visit the town of Biganos for its magnificent ports and their brightly coloured huts, for a ride in a flat-bottomed boat or to sample its oysters and caviar! In Andernos-les-Bains, you will discover a 760-foot long jetty offering incredible views of the Bay, beaches for swimming, a charming oyster port and beautiful heritage (Church of Saint-Éloi, Gallo-Roman remains and ancient villas). Lège-Cap-Ferret is another of the Bay’s unmissable towns. It boasts a lighthouse, famous for its viewpoint, 9 ports, oyster-farming villages, popular beaches and a wealth of architecture (chapels and villas, including the first flat-roof villa designed by Le Corbusier). Audenge, Lanton, Arès… lots of other towns are well worth a detour!
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
As well as its natural landscapes and beautiful cities, Arcachon Bay is a land where you can give into your desires. The coastline and the forests are ideal for all kinds of sports: hiking or cycling, sailing, beach sports, horse riding, canoeing, golf… There really is something for everyone. Foodies will get the chance to sample the seafood. Museums and guided tours will also teach them about the maritime heritage. Children will enjoy exploring the recreation areas and amusement parks. Art lovers will be interested in the architecture of the villas. Curious minds will learn about the history of the Bay, from the development of oyster farming to the emergence of tourism.
You’ll love Arcachon Bay no matter when you visit, how old you are or what you enjoy doing!
The essentials
- The Banc d’Arguin
- Bird Island
- Dune of Pilat
- Arcachon town
- Seafront
- Nearby
- Bordeaux
- Cap Ferret
- Les Landes
