Are you heading for Gironde and southwest France? Let’s find out where to stay around the Arcachon Basin!
Wrapped around a small inland sea – opening onto the Atlantic Ocean – with a surface area ranging from 40 km² at low tide to 155 km² at high tide, the Arcachon Basin is a lagoon located in the Gironde region of the Landes de Gascogne. It’s a mecca for nature, fishing, oyster farming and pleasure boating. Approximately 50 kilometers west of Bordeaux, it has been the vacation spot of many French writers and artists, including Jean Cocteau, Jean Anouilh, Jean-Paul Sartre, François Mauriac and Pierre Benoit.
Where to stay around the Arcachon basin? There are a multitude of towns around the basin: Le Cap-Ferret, Arès, Andernos-les-Bains, Audenge, Gujan-Mestras, La Teste-de-Buch and Arcachon. To help you select a town to stay in, we’ve put together a list of towns to stay in around the Arcachon basin.
Lège-Cap-Ferret
Photo credit: Flickr – André M.
Lège-Cap-Ferret is a string of 11 villages surrounding the basin to the west, where you can truly enjoy a vacation in nature, with absolute peace and quiet. The summit of Cap Ferret and its peak are a must-see. It’s easy to get there by bike. In your wake, you can enjoy the waves of the Atlantic Ocean and bask on the vast sandy beaches on the eastern side of the basin: Plage du Grand Crohot, Plage de l’Horizon, Plage du Truc Vert and Plage de la Garonne. At Pointe aux Chevaux, a postcard-perfect view awaits you, with a magnificent panorama over Île aux Oiseaux – note that the island’s famous cabanes tchanquées (houses on stilts) are a must-see.
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Ares
Photo credit: Wikimedia – Nataloche
The commune of Arès will enhance your family holiday, from the oyster port to walks along the marked trails of the Prés Salés National Nature Reserve. This is the habitat of cistude tortoises and green lizards. Enjoy an evening walk – at sunset – along the Arès jetty, famous for being the oldest in the Bay of Arcachon. Arès has a population of 6,126, so you can find accommodation in Arès and continue your journey south the next day.
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Gujan-Mestras
Photo credit: Flickr – Grégoire Japiot
To the south of the basin, the commune of Gujan-Mestras has a population of 20,817, seven oyster-farming harbors and some wonderful nature walks. As for where to stay in Gujan-Mestras, there are few hotels, but you can count on homestay accommodation – book in advance, as the summer season can dry up the supply of apartments. In Gujan-Mestras – the oyster-farming capital of the Arcachon region – you can observe the daily work of the oyster farmers and – of course – gorge yourself on oysters without moderation. Stroll from port to port and contemplate the colorful huts dotting the shoreline. Between pond and nature, the forest landscapes are wild and unspoilt. For children, there are numerous theme parks: La Coccinelle, Kid Parc, Aqualand, Bassin Aventures, Max’ Golf, Laser Lander. If you’d like to spend the night in the south of the Basin, but don’t want to be overrun by tourists, Gujan-Mestras is the place to stay.
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La Teste-de-Buch
Photo credit: Flickr – Romuald Le Peru
Without doubt the second best-known commune on the Bassin d’Arcachon, not least because it includes the Dune du Pilat. With a surface area of 180 km², it is one of the largest communes in France, yet home to just 26,110 inhabitants. A stopover in La Teste-de-Buch is a must, as its historical, cultural and gastronomic heritage is extensive: oyster farming, wine, fishing and nature are the hallmarks of the town’s popular life. And of course, don’t miss the opportunity to climb the Dune du Pilat, Europe’s highest dune (110.9 meters in 2016) and a natural one at that. We’ve been there before on our travels, and can vouch for the fact that it’s well worth the detour: climb the steep 30-40° slope to overlook the Landes de Gascogne forest, and then descend to its gentler western flank to gaze out over the sea: you’d think you were in the Sahara!
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Arcachon
Photo credit: Flickr – Martine
With a population of 10,891 and an urban area of 65,500, Arcachon is one of the largest seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast, and can be visited all year round. Numerous bars and restaurants can be found dotted around the coastline, ideal for finishing off a pleasant stroll along the piers. Enjoy a stroll around the colorful huts of the Aiguillon district, still populated by fishermen. Last but not least, this is the place to stay on the Bassin d’Arcachon if you like lively, cultural evenings: theater, cinema, café-concerts, beach parties.
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Main photo credit: Flickr – Jacques Froissant