There’s much more to the Bay of Arcachon than the Dune du Pilat and its fine sandy beaches. It’s also home to several museums that are well worth a visit. Here’s a selection of cultural and heritage sites to visit during your stay at camping Le Ker Helen.
La Maison Louis David (Andernos-Les-Bains)
Built in 1908, the Villa Ignota, better known as the Maison Louis David (named after the former mayor of Andernos-les-Bains from 1900 to 1929), now houses a museum dedicated to the history ofAndernos-les-Bains. Richly decorated, the Maison Louis David is inspired by the seaside villas typical of the Bassin d’Arcachon. Numerous celebrities have stayed here, including Aristide Briand, Edmond Rostand and Sarah Bernhardt. Today, visitors can discover a collection of Gallo-Roman archaeological remains, as well as a fine collection of conteporaines paintings, sculptures, photographs, graphic works… The museum also boasts a beautiful wooded park and an annual jazz festival in July.
- address : 14, avenue Pasteur – 33510 – Andernos-Les-Bains
Le Petit Musée de l’Huître (Andernos-Les-Bains)
Entirely devoted to the “Pearl of the Basin” and housed in a former oyster shack, the Petit Musée de l’Huître d’Andernos doesn’t look like much, yet you’ll learn an enormous amount about the famous oyster from the Bay of Arcachon. Producers share their know-how and offer a tasting session at the end of the visit. And to combine business with pleasure, don’t miss the oyster festival on the quays of the oyster port in July. On the menu: a country-style meal with oysters, sardines, fried mussels and sausages, as well as musical entertainment, bandas and concerts.
- address: Quai Lucasson – Cabane n°68 – 33510 – Andernos-Les-Bains
Gardarem Ecomuseum (Lanton)
Created in 1998 by Jean-Louis Lapeyre, theGardarem eco-museum (translation of “We’ll keep” in Gascon) houses an authentic collection of antique tools and everyday objects that evoke the life of yesteryear. Much more than a museum, it’s the den of enthusiasts who take you on a journey back in time to the first oyster beds created under Napoleon III, and to the days of the gemmeurs who harvested resin from the Landes pines.
- address: Port de Taussat, 33138 Lanton
La Maison de l’Huître (Gujan-Mestras)
Located on the port of Larros, one of the most typical oyster ports in the Bay of Arcachon, the Maison de l’Huître de Gujan-Mestras (Gujan-Mestras Oyster House) lets you discover the secrets behind the production of this exceptional shellfish. Here you’re at the heart of oyster production, where almost half the oysters in theArcachon Basin are bred. A guided tour takes you through all the stages of oyster cultivation and the oyster farmer’s trade.
- address: Port de Larros, 33470 Gujan-Mestras
Cap Ferret lighthouse museum
In addition to its panoramic view of the entire Bassin, the Mimbeau Cove, the Dune du Pilat and the oyster beds, the Cap Ferret lighthouse houses a small maritime museum retracing the lighthouse’s history, including old navigation charts, animated nautical maps, interactive screens and a 3D presentation of the lighthouse’s optical mechanism.
- Address: 4, promenade Tour du Phare Cap Ferret, 33970 Lège-Cap Ferret
The Cap Ferret bunker
At the foot of the Cap Ferret lighthouse, the Ar36 blockhouse was built in 1943 to shelter German Kriegsmarine troops during the Second World War. The GRAMASA association has restored this historic site and now offers free tours of this vestige of theAtlantic Wall. The barracks bunker has been refurbished as it was in 1944. An exhibition room displays beds, wardrobes, ventilation systems and weapons racks in the spirit of the period. Its facade is painted in trompe-l’œil, and a wooden hut on the roof completes the camouflage.
- Address: 4, promenade Tour du Phare Cap Ferret, 33970 Lège-Cap Ferret
photo@Maison Louis David