Discover the Bay of Arcachon near Bordeaux
Visit Arcachon Bay for beautiful beaches and oysters - just a short drive away from the vineyards and Bordeaux châteaux!
Beautiful Arcachon Bay - Source: Winekeller
The main reason to visit France’s Bordeaux wine region is of course to discover its famous Bordeaux wines and Bordeaux châteaux. However, take a short drive west from the vineyards and you’ll find yourself on a spectacular coastline around the Bay of Arcachon, with miles of sandy beaches, pine forests, beautiful villages and incredible seafood - especially oysters - which after all, pair perfectly with a lovely glass of chilled, dry, white Bordeaux!
We were fortunate enough to spend a few days on this beautiful coastline - here's what we discovered!
The Bay of Arcachon
The Bay of Arcachon is the epitome of the French good life and a true gem of France’s natural and cultural heritage. It is the perfect destination for lovers of either the ocean or the lake or indeed both, for nature lovers, for those who wish to relax, for lovers of great food - especially seafood - and wine and for those who love to stroll around picturesque villages.
The natural bay is distinguished by its famous Cap Ferret peninsula, with its pretty village and lighthouse on the tip and the spectacular Dune du Pilat - the highest sand dune in Europe and one of the most impressive landmarks in southwest France.
The Arcachon Bay is made up of 76km of beaches and 40km of coastline, incorporating an important bird sanctuary, ‘Le Teich Ornithological Reserve’ and 10 towns and villages including: Arcachon, La Teste-de-Buch, Gujan-Mestras, Le Teich, Biganos, Audenge, Lanton, Andernos-les-Bains, Arès and Lège-Cap Ferret. These range from bustling seaside resorts, to quaint villages and nature reserves, so there’s certainly lots to explore in the area.
Looking over Arcachon Bay to the famous Dune du Pilat - source: Winekeller
Where is Arcachon Bay?
Arcachon Bay is located west of Bordeaux and the vibrant town of Arcachon is in the southern part of the bay, approximately 55km southwest of Bordeaux city. If you’re wondering what to do for a day in Bordeaux, we highly recommend that you experience the stunning coastline of the Bordeaux wine region and in particular the famous Arcachon Bay - or Bassin d’Arcachon.
By car or by train the journey is about an hour - you can get the regional train (TER) or high-speed (TGV) service from Bordeaux St-Jean station.
Bay of Arcachon oyster farms - Source: Winekeller
Bay of Arcachon oysters
One of Arcachon’s main attractions is the oyster farming - along with fishing this is a key part of the region’s heritage and local economy.
The mild climate, the salinity of the water and tides, as well as its location between the Atlantic ocean and the Landes forest, make the bay a superb location for oyster farming. In fact Arcachon Bay oysters are considered some of the best in France.
You can experience Arcachon Bay oysters for yourself by buying them in the local market (note the Arcachon market opens daily Tuesday-Sunday mornings) or ordering them in the restaurants - they will be on most menus!
However, in our opinion, the best way to experience them is by visiting one of the oyster ports around the bay and enjoying them directly from the farmer at one of the famous Arcachon oyster huts - or ‘cabanes à huîtres’.
The colourful oyster huts can be found bordering the water’s edge and you can reach them by foot or bike - with each hut offering their own oysters - usually accompanied by prawns and whelks and of course a glass of chilled white or rosé Bordeaux wine! Try the white wines of Entre-deux-Mers or Pessac-Léognan.
We enjoyed the most wonderful oysters and a glass of wine at one of the small fishing villages during our cycle ride around the Cap Ferret peninsula (see later) -it was certainly a highlight of our trip!
What to do in Arcachon
For any trip to the Bay of Arcachon we recommend you visit the main town of Arcachon in the southern part of the bay - a beautiful resort town and today one of the most vibrant destinations on the French Atlantic coast.
Arcachon is divided into 4 distinct neighbourhoods, which all differ in architecture and atmosphere and are named after the four seasons of the year:
Ville d’Eté or Summer Town - is located in the north of the town around the main Arcachon Beach. This is the liveliest area and where you can enjoy dining or drinking a glass of wine in one of its many restaurants and bars, strolling along the waterfront and piers or browsing the many shops and retail outlets;
Ville d’Hiver or Winter Town - is south of Ville d’Eté in the hilly part of Arcachon, known for its 19th century villas and mansions, many built in the Belle Epoque style;
Ville d’Automne or Autumn Town - the location of the Arcachon port and the fishermen’s district of l’Aiguillon. We actually stayed in this district in an Airbnb - it was a perfect location, close to the main town but a bit quieter and really colourful and authentic. It had a really charming village vibe with several excellent bars and restaurants - we highly recommend!;
Ville de Printemps or Spring Town - moving west, out of the bustle of the town, this is where to go for the most beautiful beaches - specifically Pereire Beach or Le Moulleau Beach. We stopped here for a rest and refreshments during our bike ride to the Dune du Pilat (see later) and were bowled over by how beautiful it is - sandy beaches, lined with pine trees and views over to the peninsula and the famous dunes and small streets lined with fabulous shops and bars and restaurants. Learn more about the beaches in Arcachon Bay here.
Visit the Dune du Pilat
The spectacular Due du Pilat, Arcachon - source: Winekeller
The Dune of Pilat - or le Dune du Pilat is Europe’s tallest sand dune, rising to some 100 metres and stretching over 3km it attracts more than 2 million visitors each year. The site is free to visit and you can wander and explore freely, but there is a car park charge.
The views from the top of the dune are spectacular, across the Arcachon bay and peninsula and if you can go in the evening, the sunset views are said to be amazing! On one side, the sand plunges steeply into the pine forest of the Landes, while on the other it gradually slopes down to the ocean.
Up close the Dune du Pilat is truly an impressive sight so we really recommend you visit it. We cycled up to the Dune on our cycle ride from the centre of Arcachon and loved it! We also recommend you view this incredible sight from the terrace bar of the fabulous La Co(o)rniche Hotel and Restaurant. Order a glass of Champagne and maybe some tapas, sit back and just drink in the amazing views (see photos below).
Arcachon bike tour
There are over 300km of cycle paths to enjoy around the Bay of Arcachon and lots of marked trails. We spent a full day cycling from Arcachon to the Dune du Pilat and another day on the Cap Ferret peninsula and had the best time. See here for more information.
Visit the Cap Ferret peninsula
Arcachon Bay is separated from the Atlantic ocean by the ‘Lège-Cap Ferret’ peninsula, known for its oyster-farming villages, its beautiful beaches and lush pine forests. The peninsula is made up of a 25km stretch of coastline and 11 small villages and we highly recommend you visit! It gets very busy in the Summer but it’s the most delightful place!
What to do in Cap Ferret
You can access the peninsula by driving around the bay, but the road can get very busy, especially in the height of Summer, so in our opinion the best way to experience it is by foot/ bike, taking a shuttle boat from the pier in the centre of Arcachon, by Arcachon Beach.
We spent a full day on the peninsula cycling its full length on (mostly car-free) cycle paths, stopping off regularly to sample oysters, enjoy a glass of wine and simply appreciate the stunning views over the ocean or over the bay and across to the magical Dune du Pilat. We took our own e-bikes but you can also hire bikes in Arcachon.
The main village - Cap Ferret - is towards the southern tip of the peninsula and close to where the shuttle boat drops you. You can’t miss the main landmark here - the distinctive red and white lighthouse, which you can climb for some more fabulous views.
Our key recommendation for visiting Lège-Cap Ferret though has to be stopping in the small villages to enjoy some oysters! You can do this in Cap Ferret or in any of the other smaller villages - we stopped in an amazing oyster hut called ‘La Cabane de Cacanio’ in the charming fishing village of L’Herbe. The views from the beachside terrace were spectacular, as were the oysters and it was wonderful to watch the oyster farmer busy at work!
For more information on visiting Arcachon Bay, including where to stay, see here.
Conclusion
We loved every minute of our time spent in the Bay of Arcachon and we would recommend to anyone visiting the Bordeaux châteaux and vineyards to try to allocate some time to getting out to the coast. The scenery is incredible and if you like seafood, especially oysters, it’s one of the top places in France to visit. It can get busy in the Summer months but it really is a very special place - and it’s great for cycling too!
