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Guide : Alternative
Aquitaine's Guide to the Bassin
d'Arcachon
Cap
Ferret tourist office
What's the Presqu'Ile de Cap Ferret actually like?
Difficult to say, there's nowhere like it! The closest we can get
to describing this part of France is to say that it has the laid
back ambience and relaxing natural environment of the Caribbean,
blended with the subtle refinements of the French way of life -
Barbados meets Bordeaux!
The Cap Ferret peninsula
is a treat for the senses - the scent of the pine forest, the constant
rumble of rollers washing up on the western coast, the salty, slippery
taste of oysters washed down with a Bordeaux blanc and, at the end
of the day, sitting on top of one of the dunes overlooking the Atlantic
and watching the sun go down. Bliss!
All these experiences and more are within very easy reach of Villa
de l'Océan. The Atlantic beach, popular with surfers, is
about about 2km away to the west; the bassin d'Arcachon at Le
Canon village d'ostréiculture (oyster-farming),
with amazing views over to ile aux Oiseaux (Bird Island), is 600m
to the east. Stop here at one the cabanes to enjoy a few oysters
fresh from the producer, it's the way the French enjoy them best!
l'Arkeseon is an excellent local restaurant offfering
classic, simple cooking. This area is also the focal point for the
village's annual mid-August oyster festival.
Piraillan, a 'village classé' (national
heritage) is 1.5km up the road from Le Canon and also worth a stroll
around. The daily market there (8am-1pm) in summer is lively, fascinating
and defintely beats going to the supermarket! l'Herbe is
another charming oyster-farming village about 2 kms away to the
south, and hosts an annual oyster festival in late-August.
About 6km south of Le Canon, reachable by bike on one of the purpose-built
pistes cyclables, is Cap Ferret village, the chic-est
spot on the the Presqu'Ile. Smart boutiques, cafes and restaurants
in a low-rise, laid-back setting - the ambience is casual, relaxed
but appreciative of good living. A
couple of 'bonnes adresses': it's worth stopping for a drink the
stylish Tchanque bar of the Hôtel
Maison du Bassin (so named after the famous houses on stilts
close to the Ile aux Oiseaux) - the address for an 'apéro';
and Fredelian, a salon de thé renowned for its patisseries, especially the local favourite (and
ours), cannelés.
From the village you can take
a ferry over to Arcachon or Le Moulleau, but you'll probably miss
your 'desert island' home quite quickly! Or try a boat tour spotting
the oyster beds and bird life of the bassin d'Arcachon.
There's also a charming 'petit train' that runs
from the jetty on the bassin side over the Atlantic beach on the
other side of the pensinsula; the trip takes 10-15 minutes and,
especially if you have children, is a delight!
Heading
on down to the Pointe is a must, stopping
to climb to the top of the famous Cap Ferret lighthouse on the way - the views across the bassin to the sandy wild-life
reserve of the Banc d'Arguin and over to the Dune
de Pyla (Europe's highest sand dune) are breathtaking.
The famous '44 hectares' of the Cap Ferret peninsula
are situated south of the lighthouse. This is an area of villas
built in the earlier part of the century set amongst the pine trees
all served by unmade roads, owned by several French stars, Bordeaux
vineyard owners and generations of Cap Ferret inhabitants of more
modest means. It's probably the most natural, exclusive yet unpretentious
housing estate in France and also home to the island's most famous
restaurant, Chez Hortense - laid back (what else
could it be here?) and popular with France's VIPs.
If you feel the urge to leave the
Cap - and many don't while they are here - the famous appelations
of Pauillac and Margaux north
in the médoc rouge are not far away. There are many vineyards
where you can visit and taste some of the famous wines. Two very
approachable châteaux are the under-rated (and relatively
inexpensive) Château Maucaillou, a medium-sized,
family-run estate in Moulis-en-Médoc; there is an interesting
museum exhibiting some of the history of wine-making. Or for a very
special visit, Château Giscours
in the Margaux region organises tastings of various vintages of
its grand crus classés, hosted by a particularly engaging,
unpretentious and plain-speaking 'oenologue' (Master of Wine).
Around
the other side of the basin is Arcachon, a popular
French resort; a part of the town known as the Ville d'Hiver (winter
town) is well worth strolling to see the quirky architecture of
its many 19th century villas.
South of Arcachon is the famous Dune du Pyla, the
largest sand dune in Europe, standing at over 100 metres. A journey
to the summit (try it without the staircase provided!) is a must;
sunrise and sunset are the best times.
If
you're feeling beached out, Bordeaux
is well under an hour away and is a good option for a day-trip,
whether it’s boutique shopping, sight-seeing or culture. Walking
around the 18th century old town centre (Quartier St. Pierre), you
can begin to imagine the city’s commercial and maritime past.
Medieval gems of the Gironde east of Bordeaux are also wonderful
days out; St Emilion, with its 11th century basilica,
is the best known but can be busy; St Macaire and
La Réole are also enjoyable. Obviously there
are more chateaux over here but an
altogether different wine experience can be had at Caudalie
Vinotherapie Spa, in the middle of the Château Smith
Haut Lafitte, vineyards, just south of Bordeaux. The spa offers
unique beauty treatments derived from grand cru grapes of the Graves
appelation renowned for their anti-ageing and micro-circulation
improving properties - in short, visitors apparently come out feeling
good!
For further information try the links below. Please note that we
cannot be held responsible for the content of third party sites.
Cap
Ferret tourist office
Arcachon tourist office
Bordeaux
tourist office
Gironde
tourism guide
Guide
to the Gironde coast
Château
Giscours
Château Maucaillou
Caudalie
Vinotherapie Spa
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