Numbers are often better than long speeches. Here’s a look at the Arcachon Basin in a few figures. Let’s get cracking!
800 km2
That’s the total surface area of the Bassin d’Arcachon, a small inland sea covering around 18,000 hectares at high tide. Partly enclosed by a dune belt, this vast, triangular bay stretches for 80 kilometers in circumference between the Dune du Pilat to the south and Cap Ferret to the north. The Bassin d’Arcachon jetties are the starting point for taking the maritime shuttles and crossing the bay by boat.
102 meters
The Dune du Pilat is the emblem of the Bay of Arcachon. And with good reason: this vertiginous mountain of sand rises to a height of over 100 m, 102.5 m to be precise (according to the 2020 survey). Europe’s highest dune is constantly on the move, and its summit varies between 100 and 117 m depending on the year. From one end to the other, it is 2,915 metres long and 616 metres wide. To find out more, read our short guide to the Dune du Pilat!
220 km
That’s the total length of the cycle paths that allow you to visit the Bay of Arcachon by bike. For adventure-seeking cyclists, the Tour du Bassin offers a long and beautiful ride from Cap-Ferret to the Dune du Pilat. Distance: 77 km, for the most muscular of calves!
258 steps
That’s how many steps you have to climb to reach the top of the Cap Ferret lighthouse. But it’s well worth the effort! At 52 metres (height of the light bulb), you have a 360° panoramic view of the Cap Ferret peninsula, the Arcachon Basin and the ocean. Listed as a historic monument since 2009, the Cap Ferret lighthouse harmoniously combines classic, original elements (reinforced concrete and bricks from 1947) with more contemporary designs (from the 2010s) structured around steel and glass materials.
10,000 tonnes
Between 8,000 and 10,000 tonnes of oysters are produced annually in the Arcachon basin and Cap Ferret peninsula. With some 700 hectares of oyster beds, the basin is home to 315 oyster farms and more than 500 traditional oyster huts where you can enjoy oysters with your feet in the water. It takes an average of three years for an oyster to reach maturity and reach the market.
6,300 hectares
This is the total surface area covered by the forest of the Bassin d’Arcachon. The state forests of La Teste-de-Buch and Lège et Garonne are emblematic landscapes, spaces of memory and nature in the Basin. For over 150 years, generations of foresters have succeeded one another in maintaining the durability of the dune ecosystems and the renewal of the woodlands created in the 19th century.
1 800 €
That’s the price per kilogram of caviar from Gironde. Aquitaine caviar was born in the 1920s on the right bank of the Gironde. Today, the basin is home to two sturgeon farms for caviar production, one at Le Teich, the other at Biganos. Aquitaine fish farmers produce 34 tonnes of caviar a year, representing over 70% of French production. Tins of caviar are available to suit all budgets: 20 g, 30 g, 50 g or 100 g.