Located about fifty kilometers as the crow flies from the Atlantic, Bordeaux is a city under ocean influence as evidenced by its history as a seaport, its climate or its neuralgic estuary.
In summer, this intimacy with the ocean becomes an asset for the people of Bordeaux: whatever the means of transport and the desires of the moment, everyone will find the ideal beach.
Arcachon and the Basin, the most popular
The jetty of the Chapel in Arcachon.
David Remazeilles / Gironde Tourism
The Arcachon basin. "Le Bassin" for initiates, Ferret enthusiasts, Pyla enthusiasts, Moulleau lovers, Winter Town devotees ... The highly prized Arcachon basin is a kaleidoscope of landscapes, atmospheres and (high) places of life and vacation. First of all there is the beautiful Arcachon, born from the decree of Napoleon III and the visionary ideas of the Péreire brothers. The beaches, Eyrac, Péreire, Abatilles, Moulleau, are urban, equipped, supervised. Towards the south and Pyla-sur-Mer, the ocean reclaims its rights on the beaches of the Corniche, Petit Nice (labeled Tourism & Handicap), La Lagune or Salie Nord. Between two swims, climbing the majestic Dune du Pilat, 106 meters high, allows you to admire a unique panorama of the Banc d'Arguin, the forest and Cap-Ferret.The mythical
Cap Ferret
is just opposite, with its pretty villages, L'Herbe, Le Canon, its beautiful villas and ocean beaches (Horizon, Truc-Vert and Grand Crohot) or on the basin (
Jane de Boy
).
At the bottom of the basin, from Teste-de-Buch to Andernos, swimming is more random and depends on the tides.
So in Audenge, Biganos or Lanton, there are swimming pools, with playgrounds and swimming lessons, as an option, to then be ready to face the big waves on the other side.
For whom
: families, couples, lovers of city beaches, beautiful addresses and trendy places, those who want to put down the car and do everything by bike or boat.
What for
: a trendy getaway, a chic resort, a beach holiday but not only, and above all with the "Bassin spirit".
Go
By car: 64 km from Place des Quinconces in Arcachon, around 1h15 or much more depending on legendary traffic jams.
By train: from Bélisaire jetty in the village of Ferret to Horizon beach, 2 km in 12 minutes.
By bike: Arcachon side and Pointe du Cap Ferret side, there is a large network of cycle paths in the Arcachon basin.
Read also: Bacteria in seawater: our ranking of the cleanest French seaside resorts
Porge, natural
Le Porge is, as the crow flies, the closest beach to Bordeaux.
Press Photo
Full west, in a straight line to the beach: from Bordeaux to Porge, it is less than 55 km as the crow flies.
Le Porge is a quiet village inland and 13 km of sand facing the waves, and it is the closest beach to Bordeaux.
A beach and not a seaside resort because nature has remained queen there.
Here, there are no shops, no construction, no seafront. You have to walk a little, cross the dune and the ocean is revealed, finally, as far as the eye can see.
There are nevertheless two beaches, supervised in summer: that of Gressier, with its few wooden huts behind the dune which are home to restaurants, ice cream parlors and surf schools, and La Jenny, reserved for naturists.
The beach in its raw state.
For whom
: lovers of wild and sparsely developed places.
What for
: a day at the beach, surfing, picnicking and walking.
Go
By car: 56 km from Place des Quinconces in Porge-Océan, around 1 hour drive.
By bus: Line 701 from Gare Saint Jean to Porge-Océan, approximately 1 hour 45 minutes (ticket office).
Lacanau, lake, surf & seafront
Lacanau-plage at sunset.
Medoc-Atlantic.
Lacanau is one of those resorts born at the beginning of the 20th century from the first craze for sea bathing and from the railway line which linked Bordeaux to the coast. Like other resorts in the Landes de Gascogne, former swamps cleaned up by the planting of pines, it has a double face. Lacanau-Océan aligns canaulaises with pointed roofs, shopping streets and a seafront promenade that has been won over, for a time yet, on the dune and Nature. In mid-August, the Lacanau Pro brings together the best surfers in the world. Around the lake, the atmosphere is quieter: Lacanau-Ville with its port, Longarisse with its wooden houses, Le Moutchic popular with families for its activities (water park, paddle, boat trip) and its restaurants facing the lake. Between the two, an endless forest of pines and cycle paths.
For whom
: surfers, athletes and young people, but also families.
For what
: a weekend or a stay between ocean, lake and forest for a breath of nature and celebration.
Go
By car: 58 km from Place des Quinconces to Lacanau-Océan, approximately 1h10 journey.
By bus: line 702 from Gare Saint-Jean (ticket office).
By bike: 67 km following the Greenway built on the old railway line, around 4h30.
Read also: Brittany, the other surfing country: our best spots
Carcans, Maubuisson, Hourtin: between lake and ocean
Lake Hourtin, ideal for families.
Medoc Atlantic
Parallel to the ocean from which it is a few kilometers away, Lake Carcans-Hourtin is the largest natural freshwater lake in France: a real small sea with its beaches, dunes, forests and a true haven of calm a few kilometers from the ocean waves.
South of the lake, Carcans-Maubuisson embodies the triple face of Medoc resorts: Carcans, the historic town inland, Maubuisson, the lakeside resort and Carcans-Plage, the seaside resort. Beyond its diversity of sites and atmospheres, Carcans boasts a major asset: the Bombannes outdoor leisure center, created at the end of the 1960s. Incorporating campsites and a holiday village, Bombannes is an extraordinary playground in the middle of the forest and by the lake to practice multiple sports and outdoor activities: water skiing, catamaran, pony, paddle, canoe, tree climbing. There is something for all tastes and all ages.
At the other end of the lake, Hourtin-Port relies on its marina, from where you can go for a game of predator fishing, and its Île aux Enfants, with its large wooden castle which brings happiness little ones.
The Dunes et Marais Nature Reserve, which houses the Contaut lagoon, invites you to discover the flora, fauna and landscapes of these sensitive natural spaces through educational trails accessible to all.
On the side of Hourtin-Plage, the double lighthouse, built in brick, still marks the coast between Cap Ferret and Cordouan, while Hourtin-Ville hosts a traditional church and market.
For whom
: families who will appreciate the diversity of activities, from toddlers to teenagers.
For what
: unpretentious, sporty or quiet vacations.
Go to Carcans
By car: 58 km from Place des Quinconces to Maubuisson (west shore of the lake), 62 km to Carcans-Plage.
By bus: line 710 for Carcans and Carcans-Plage (ticket office).
Go to Hourtin
By car: 64 km from Place des Quinconces to Hourtin-Port (east shore of the lake), 73 km to Hourtin-Plage.
By train (and bus): from Bordeaux Saint-Jean to Lesparre-Médoc station then bus 711.
Read also: The South-West in six charming getaways