Local
Guide :
Carcans-Maubuisson
Tourist Office Tel +33 (0)5.56.03.34.94
The
nearest village is Carcans which has a cave well-stocked with
Bordeaux wine. There is also a good bakery, fishmongers (Tuesday
& Friday) and butcher in the town.
Local
markets: Carcans (Friday mornings); Castelnau (Sunday mornings);
Maubuisson (Wednesday mornings high season only); Hourtin (Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday mornings – seasonal); Montalivet
(daily).
The
pine forests, lakes and ocean are a haven for walking, cycling
and watersports. In fact, this region of the Gironde is known
as something of an outdoor playground. Golfers will be pleased
to hear they are a short drive away from the prestigious championship
courses of Golf du Medoc, Les Châteaux and Les Vignes.
Slightly closer, just outside of Lacanau, is Golf d’Ardilouse,
a lovely 18-hole course set in the pine forests. Other local
activities to pursue include horse-riding, land-yachting, tennis
and surfing. There are riding stables 3 kms from the house.
Lac
d’Hourtin-Carcans is France’s longest freshwater
lake and offers great walking, cycling, waterpsorts and picnics.
The Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans and Lac de Lacanau offer sandy
beach resorts which provide safe bathing. There are excellent
watersports on offer too. Both bases are great for sailing;
there is a marina at Hourtin-Port. An enjoyable way to get around
the area is to hire bicycles. There are a number of local suppliers
and the area has many off-road cycle tracks and there are some
lovely routes in the forests around the lake.
Lacanau-Océan
is the most popular resort on this stretch of the Côte
d’Argent and hosts a world-pro surfing tournament in August.
For less crowds try Carcans-Plage and Hourtin-Plage. Further
south Cap Ferret and Arcachon are the favoured sunning spots
for wealthier Bordelais folk. Arcachon and Cap Ferret are approximately
90 minutes driving distance. Of particular interest is the magnificent
Dune du Pyla – Europe’s highest sand dune. Set on
the southerly edge of the Bassin d’Arcachon, the town
is perfect for boat trips, seafood, boutique shopping and a
good old-fashioned stroll along the promenade or the beautiful
Winter Town. Montalivet-les-Bains and Soulac-sur-Mer are the
main beach resorts to the north. Soulac, like Arcachon’s
Winter Town, is full of eclectic villas and mansions dating
to the late 19th century and built by wealthier residents of
Bordeaux. Soulac also has its own Unesco World Heritage Site
– the Romanesque Benedictine Abbey, located on the Esplanade
Alienor d’Aquitaine. At the northern tip of the Gironde
- an hour’s drive - you can take a ferry from the Pointe
de Grave to the resort of Royan or drive further north to La
Rochelle.
The
city of Bordeaux is 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.
For
wine-lovers, the nearby Médoc region is home to several
world-class vineyards including celebrated appellations such
as St-Julien, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc, Margaux and Médoc
itself. The warm climate and gravely soil combine to produce
some of the world’s most sought-after red wines. Naturally
there are plenty of wine-tasting opportunities. To visit the
best-known châteaux such as Lafite, Rothschild and Margaux,
you are advised to make a booking in advance. And if drinking
wine isn’t enough, you can also bathe in it. Yes, vinothérapie
is the latest in hedonistic body-revitalisation treatments and
you can indulge in this treat at Martillac, just to the south
of Bordeaux.
For further information try the links below. Please note that
we cannot be held responsible for the content of third party
sites.
Lacanau
Tourist Office
Bordeaux Tourist
Office
Gironde Regional
Tourist Office
Wines of the Médoc
UK Tourist Office for France
