Did you know that our Le Ker Helen campsite faces the Cap Ferret peninsula, the great sandy spit that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Arcachon Basin? With the majestic Dune du Pilat on one side and the ocean on the other, where the sun flirts with the horizon, the Cap Ferret peninsula is a little corner of paradise that’s a must-see for your next camping vacation! Discover…
THE BEACHES OF THE PRESQU’ILE: sunbathing, swimming or surfing!
Whether on the ocean side to the west or the Basin side to the east, the Cap Ferret peninsula boasts some twenty beaches, each as magnificent as the next! Just off the village of Lège, at the entrance to the Cap Ferret peninsula, Plage du Grand Crohot is one of the most popular beaches. It stretches for several kilometers. Supervised from early June to mid-September, it benefits from the proximity of shops, restaurants and surf schools. The other ocean beach that usually appeals to campers is Truc Vert. A funny name for a pretty ribbon of sand that runs alongside the ocean between the village of Petit Piquey and L’Herbe. Here, you can take a surfing lesson or swim in complete safety. For those with reduced mobility, a tiralo is available all summer long. On the pool side, the beaches are calmer. The Pointe aux Chevaux beach is the most tropical. This atypical little beach is nestled between the villages of Petit and Grand Piquey. A few hundred meters north of the Bélisaire jetty, Plage des Américains will delight lovers of nature and fine sand. Quiet and family-friendly, it offers a breathtaking view of the Dune du Pilat! If you have the time, don’t hesitate to explore the coastline of the peninsula to find the beach of your dreams, especially around oyster-farming villages such as Le Canon, Claouey and Piraillan…
LE PHARE DU CAP FERRET: soaring above the pines!
53 meters high and dressed in red and white, the Cap Ferret lighthouse is the most visited monument on the Bay of Arcachon after the Dune du Pilat. Once you’ve climbed the 258 steps to the top of the lighthouse, you’ll enjoy a spectacular 360° view of the basin, the peninsula, the national forest, the dunes and the ocean! Open to the public all year round, the lighthouse houses a permanent exhibition entitled “Horizons Voyageurs”, which traces the evolution of maritime cartography from the 17th century to the modern era. Here you can discover old maps of the Arcachon Basin, compasses, graphometers, sextants and other navigational instruments.
LA POINTE DU CAP FERRET: enjoy the view!
During your camping holiday, make a stopover at the Pointe du Cap Ferret, a magnificent place with the air of the end of the world, where the ocean and the Arcachon Basin tumultuously meet. Here, wild, unspoilt open spaces open out onto the Banc d’Arguin, the Bassin passes, the Dune du Pilat and the immensity of the Atlantic. On the back dune of Cap Ferret, an interpretation trail leads from the Allée des Dunes (approx. 5 km) to the Pointe du Cap Ferret. At the southern end of Cap Ferret, you’ll find the Pointe beach. In summer, it’s a real tour de force to find a place by car without losing your nerve (hint: it’s better to take the bus or the bike). But from the belvedere, you’re well rewarded for your efforts with a breathtaking view of the basin, the ocean and the Dune du Pilat! Please note that access to the tip of Cap Ferret is sometimes forbidden to the public due to its dangerous nature. In fact, natural erosion and the combined action of winter storms frequently lead to cave-ins…
L’ILE AUX OISEAUX: opening up to new horizons!
Take a boat or canoe trip around Ile aux Oiseaux and discover the famous cabanes tchanquées from Cap Ferret! A true symbol of the Bassin d’Arcachon, Ile aux Oiseaux is a small islet of 300 hectares at high tide and 3000 hectares at low tide, located in the center of the Arcachon basin. Departing from the Bélisaire jetty in Lège-Cap Ferret, you’ll enjoy sailing into the middle of the basin aboard a pinasse, barge or touring boat. You’ll be able to see the famous cabanes tchanquées, the little houses on stilts that are emblematic of Ile aux Oiseaux. They take their name from the “chancas”, a Gascon word meaning “stilts”, once used by Landes shepherds. Adventurers wishing to land on Île aux Oiseaux can do so. However, you’ll need to get there exclusively by canoe, kayak or pedalo (no motorized craft allowed). Don’t forget your camera and binoculars to make the most of your Robinson experience!
photo : Olivier Aumage – CC BY-SA 2.0