Located at the entrance to the Arcachon Basin, 20 km from the Ker Helen campsite, the Dune du Pilat is the highest dune in Europe. This natural jewel in the Aquitaine region welcomes almost two million visitors every year, making it one of the most visited natural sites in France after Mont-Saint-Michel. We take a closer look at this gigantic 110-metre-high pyramid of sand, part of the Réseau des Grands Sites de France…
A brief description of the dune
- Name: Dune du Pilat or Dune du Pyla
- Age: around 200 years (with a formation period of 4,000 years)
- Dimensions: 2,915 m x 616 m
- Height: 110.90 metres (2017)
- Location: La Teste-de-Buch in Gironde(33), France
- Special feature: it’s the highest dune in Europe!
Rates, visit dates and times and accessibility…
The Dune du Pilat is accessible all year round, andaccess is free for pedestrians and cyclists.
The site’s main parking lot (950 spaces) is located at the traffic circle, 400 meters from the dune. Pay parking is available for 2, 4, 6 or 12 hours, at rates ranging from 1 to 14 euros, depending on the season. From this parking lot, you can reach the grand staircase leading to the top of the dune.
If you’re coming in winter, the staircase won’t have been installed yet, so you’ll have to climb it on foot… Be warned!
Good to know: access to the top of the dune is not yet suitable for people with reduced mobility. Adaptation projects are in preparation.
Reception and relaxation areas with picnic areas, water fountains, refreshment points, souvenir stores and free sanitary facilities are available to visitors.
A visit to the Idune Tourist Information Point, which has the “Accueil vélo” label, will tell you all you need to know to visit the Dune du Pilat safely and with respect for the site.
Finally, if you’re spending your vacation with your dog, it’s perfectly possible to let him discover the dune if he’s on a leash.
Do you have to be an athlete to climb the Dune du Pilat?
You have two options for getting to the top of the dune: stairs or legs!
As soon as spring arrives, the vast majority of visitors prefer the large 160-step staircase, which is easier to climb. But beware: in winter, the staircase breaks down, so you’ll have to climb on the sand, which is the second best way to climb the dune.
Usually, the most athletic of us prefer to climb the sandy mountain on the strength of our steel calves alone. But that’s not as easy as it sounds! So, if you’re looking for a little sporting challenge to spice up your camping holiday, here’s your chance!
While the climb up is rather “sporty”, the descent promises to be much more fun! Children love to run down the dune, jump, roll and roll in the fine sand… and older children will easily fall for it!
Family activities and entertainment
You can explore the dune and its surroundings, linger on the ridge, walk down to the beach below, or wait for the sun to set over the dune: it’s really, really beautiful!
The panorama from the top of the dune is breathtaking. The view plunges into the Atlantic Ocean. At a glance, you can see the entrance to the Bay of Arcachon, the Banc d’Arguin and the maritime pine forest of the Landes de Gascogne.
From April to September, there are also numerous free events for the whole family, including the exhibition “La face cachée de la dune” (“The hidden face of the dune”), treasure hunts and games, bike rides and guided hikes to discover the dune and the Arcachon basin.
Fancy a thrill? Get your adrenalin pumping with a paragliding flight over the Dune du Pilat! Carried by the wind and in the calm of the sky, you’ll contemplate exceptional panoramas of the Dune du Pilat, the Banc d’Arguin and the Bay of Arcachon, with the horizon as your only limit!
Did you know that the Dune du Pilat has an itchy body?
It’s around 110 m high, but its height can vary from 100 to 115 m depending on the season, because the dune is always on the move! Every year, it gains ground carried by westerly winds, advancing several meters inland. So, slowly but surely, the dune and its 60 million cubic metres of sand are nibbling away at the forest at the rate of a soccer pitch a year!