It’s not just the Dune de Pilat that’s unique in the world ! There’s also a former alpine ski resort, a landing strip for extraterrestrials and the oldest aquarium-museum in the world. And if you thought you knew everything about the Basin…
If aliens were to land on our planet, it would be on the Bay of Arcachon!
Did you know that the town of Arès, near Lège-Cap-Ferret, boasts the world’s first UFOport capable of landing flying saucers from other solar systems? Located near the tourist office and the pier, this landing strip for UFOs from elsewhere was inaugurated on August 15, 1976, by the then mayor Christian Raymond.
The Ovniport d’Arès was the brainchild of Bob Cotten, an electronics technician at Mérignac airport, based on the observation that “if we see so few UFOs landing, it’s because we haven’t done much to welcome them”. A marble stele has even been erected to welcome visitors from outer space.
The oldest aquarium-museum in the world!
It’s often said that the Arcachon Aquarium is the oldest aquarium in the world. Is this because it has remained “in its original state”? Or because it was created in 1865, just after Brighton (England), considered to be the oldest aquarium in the world? Whatever the reason, this small museum-aquarium, straight out of a Jules Verne novel, offers a complete overview of the fauna of the Arcachon basin.
You’ll also discover a collection of oyster shells from all over the world and from all eras, marine fossils, naturalized animals, cetacean skeletons, prehistoric pottery and tools, and many other curiosities. The visit is highly instructive, and the atmosphere… from another time. So don’t expect an ultra-modern aquarium, and that’s part of its charm.
When Arcachon was famous for its ski resort!
Hard to believe, but from 1938 to 1970, Arcachon hosted official competitions of the French Alpine… Alpine Skiing! Here, no snow, but a bed of pine needles – the grépin -, where many champions came to train for slalom, downhill and ski jumping, until the 1970s. 250 m long and 60 m high, this unique slope was even equipped with a ski jump and a ski lift! By 1960, the Arcachon Ski Club had 420 members.
Situated near the Arcachon equestrian center, on the side of the dune, Arcachon’s improbable ski slope is now abandoned, drowned in the forest. For several years now, an association of enthusiasts – sponsored by Raphaël Poirée and Carole Montillet – has been working to rehabilitate the site and create a “grépinpark”. The aim is to be able to slide all year round on needles. Although the association is not authorized to organize and supervise skiing on needles, there’s nothing to stop you from skiing on your own.