Arcachon - Holiday Ideas

Visitez Arcachon: gites : Arcachon Hotels : location des voitures return to Aquitaine

Arcachon is to the west of Bordeaux, and is at the northern end of the longest, sandiest coast in Europe, stretching 200 kilometres to Biarritz - known as the Côte d'argent ('the silver coast'). It is a popular resort for people from Bordeaux to escape to, being easy to reach by train.

The big attractions in Arcachon are the beach, the town itself, which is very attractive, and the seafood restaurants. Arcachon is not exposed to the full might of the Atlantic waves, being on the edge of a large inlet, the Arcachon Basin, rather than facing the sea directly.

The town is divided into two parts - the summer town (Ville d'été) and the winter town (Ville d'hiver) slightly further inland. As a visitor you will probably spend more time at the waterfront and in the summer town, but the winter town is also worth exploring, for the magnificent houses as much as anything else - Arcachon contains a large number of interesting and ornate old houses, sometimes almost verging on the Disneyesque, a tribute to the days when many rich merchants set up home here.

The Parc Mauresque falls between the two towns, and has lovely views over the lower town and the coast.

Activities

Various boat-related trips are available from the jetties in the town centre, or if you bring a bike with you (or hire one) there is a lovely promenade and cycle path that heads south from the beach and continues 30 kilometres to Biscarrosse, via various beaches and coastal towns en route.

If you enjoy cycling, don't forget that the whole Arcachon coast is backed by the largest forest in western Europe - Les Landes. Until a hundred years ago this was just infested swamp, but was reclaimed and planted with pine trees, and is now a 'Regional Natural park'.

Of course, beach activities and boat trips off the coast are available to suit all. If you are a beach lover, even a busy weekend seems unable to overcrowd the beaches south of Arcachon, so you should always be able to find somewhere quiet, if that is what you are looking for. 

And the famous local oysters will undoubtedly tempt you into one Arcachons many restaurants, after all that activity.

But perhaps the two biggest attractions in the area are found a few kilometres away: Dune du Pilat and Teich Ornithology Park

 

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Photos de Arcachon, France

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Tourisme dans les environs

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Les villes et attractions noté sont a moins que 20 km de Arcachon, France.