Today, we’re off to discover the Dune du Pilat, one of France’ s most impressive natural sites. Located at the entrance to the Bay of Arcachon, 20 minutes from the 4-star Le Ker Helen campsite,Europe’s highest dune hides many secrets, which we’re going to reveal to you in this article.
How old is Dune du Pilat?
This immense sand dune, 106 metres high, stretches for 2.7 km along the Atlantic coast. Geologists tell us that the Dune du Pilat was formed around 4,000 years ago. The Dune is a mille-feuille, a superimposition of layers of forest. These fossilized forests are called paleosols. The oldest paleosol, located at the base of the dune, dates from 8,000 to 2,000 BC and corresponds to the Landes plateau.
How was the Pilat Dune formed?
A protected natural monument, the Dune du Pilat is made up of some 60 million m3 of sand. Where does the sand come from? From the erosion of the Massif Central and Pyrenean reliefs, the rock debris having been transported by rivers and streams to the ocean. It’s thanks to the Leyre current that the Arcachon Basin hasn’t closed up, unlike other lakes.
How high is Europe’s highest dune?
At 102.4 metres, the Pilat Dune is the highest inEurope (according to the 2022 survey). It extends 616 metres east-west and 2.9 km north-south. You might not realize it, butArcachon ‘s “mountain” is in constant evolution, changing shape according to winds and tides. It moves by an average of 1 to 5 metres every year, and its height varies from 100 to 115 m depending on the year.
How do you climb (and then descend) the Dune du Pilat?
Installed in spring, a grand staircase allows visitors to climb up and down the Dune du Pilat without tiring. It takes ten minutes to climb the 150 steps to the crest. Once at the top, visitors enjoy a spectacular view of the ocean and pine forest. You can then descend through the sand. To avoid the crowds and traffic jams, we recommend visiting the dune early in the morning or late at night in summer. In winter, the dune can be climbed without stairs. The climb is a little more strenuous.
Things to do on the dune
Dune du Pilat (or Dune du Pyla– both spellings are accepted) is much more than just a mountain of sand. In addition to its exceptional panorama, the Dune du Pilat is also a vast playground for outdoor activities such as paragliding, sandboarding and hiking. A trail to discover the forest of the Dune du Pilat. 2,000 years old, it has retained its wild character, as well as an impressive diversity of plant species, and has covered part of what is now the commune of La Teste-de-Buch since the beginning of the Christian era.
An archaeological treasure under the dune
Under the sand, the past… The Dune du Pilat is the subject of regular archaeological excavations, revealing a very ancient human occupation of the site. The current site of the Dune du Pilat was home to temporary protohistoric encampments, notably for activities linked to sea salt mining. In 2013, a tourist found a funerary urn and a vase dating from the Iron Age (800 BC) at the foot of the dune.
photo@W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0, wikimedia