Arcachon
City Tours
Produced by : 
© 2025
Produced by : © 2025
On the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, Arcachon is a favourite destination for beach lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Destinations such as Arcachon in France are rarely found on typical lists, but are all the more impressive for their attractions. The town is located south-west of the Bordeaux wine region on the Atlantic coast. The beaches are particularly impressive with their soft sand and sparkling sea water right on the doorstep. And there is an additional attraction: the largest shifting sand dune in Europe.
South of the villa suburbs of Le Pilat Plage and Pyla sur Mer, at the exit of the basin to the Atlantic Ocean, lies the highest dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat, which is approximately 110 metres high, 2.7 kilometres long and around 500 metres wide at its base. Archaeological excavations have revealed that people lived in this place as early as 2,600 years ago.
For a long time, Arcachon was just an insignificant fishing village. Its development into a luxury seaside resort took place in the 19th century. The brothers Émile Pereire and Isaac Pereire, who came from Bordeaux and were major investors, played a significant role in this. The beach casino, built in 1853 and also known as Château Deganne after its builder, and the Moorish Casino, which burned down in 1977 after a long period of decline, were landmarks of this heyday. The Basilica of Notre-Dame was also built between 1856 and 1860 next to the historic seamen's chapel. Arcachon, formerly a district of La Teste-de-Buch, was declared an independent municipality on 2 May 1857 by an imperial decree of Napoleon III. The town was liberated on 22 August 1944 by Resistance troops, the Arcachon Battalion, under the command of René Duchez.
The largest sand dune in Europe – Dune du Pilat – has been a protected natural site since 1994. But it's not just its size that's impressive. From its crest, it also offers an amazing 360° view of Arcachon Bay, the Arguin sandbank, the Cap-Ferret lighthouse and a huge forest area.
The Dune du Pilat is accessible via the car park located at its foot, near the forest. Park your car, walk past the stalls, enjoy an ice cream if you like, and climb the dune via the steps set up from April to November. Another possible access point is via the steps of the Corniche next to the memorial to sailors who lost their lives at sea on Avenue Louis-Gaume. Descend the steps to reach the beach at the foot of the dune. The steps are equipped with several small viewing platforms and signs about the (native) flora and fauna. In the evening, at sunset, this place is particularly magical.
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