The most beautiful natural sites to discover Bassin d'Arcachon

Municipal authorization of June 8, 1994.

Naturism is permitted near the military observatory. Mixed attendance. Large parking lot and many people in the summer.

Grand Piquey, which means great dune in gascon occitan. As you have understood, this village is marked by high wooded dunes. But you will also find a small oyster farming area, of course, a pier, as well as beautiful beaches highlighted by rows of pine trees. Between the villages of Petit Piquey and Grand Piquey is La Pointe aux Chevaux, from which the herds of mostly wild horses, swam to the Bird Island, popular for its salty herbs. The village is also famous for its visitors: Jean Cocteau, Raymond Radiguet, Jean Marais or Le Corbusier stayed there.

At the end of the peninsula of Lège Cap Ferret, the tip is a unique place, both powerful and moving, where the ocean enters the basin. It offers a breathtaking view of the Dune du Pilat and a nature so wild that one could imagine oneself at the end of the world. Wind, waves and currents have shaped this moving territory. Follow the "Dune Primer", a five-kilometre trail that invites you to better understand the landscape around you. On the theme of mobility (dunes, tides, birds, clouds...), words from A to Z follow one another illustrating the fauna and flora but also the local history and geography. You can also opt for a visit accompanied by a guide of the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, from June to August on Monday, Thursday and Sunday from 10am to 1pm, registration at the Tourist Office.

Yes, vineyard used to be grown here, on the Cap Ferret peninsula. Muscat, chasselas or cabernet, the avenues of the penisula still bear the mark. Surrounded by fine sand beaches, the village has superb villas scattered on the slope of the dune and its marina, dating back to 1960 and built on former fish tanks, is quite remarkable. Here the tide arises less than elsewhere, due to the unusual layout of the coast and the channels. Thus a large cement pontoon could be built in order to load heavy tonnages on boats.