If you’ve never been to the Ville d’Hiver, take advantage of your camping vacation on the Arcachon basin to visit this unique area of the Gironde. Created at the end of the 19th century, this historic district is home to sumptuous residences that astonish and delight visitors. In all, some 300 villas sit proudly on the heights of Arcachon. Elegant, whimsical, atypical, extravagant, timeless… there’s no shortage of superlatives to describe this highly picturesque district of Arcachon.
Wildly original villas that stand out in the Arcachon landscape!
A guided tour on foot or by bike is the best way to get a feel for the unique atmosphere of this atypical district of Arcachon. In the labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys, you’ll discover a treasure trove of originality. You’ll admire extravagant Second Empire villas of Hispano-Moorish or Renaissance inspiration, improbable Swiss chalets, little operetta castles adorned with ceramic friezes, Belle Époque, neo-Gothic or Elizabethan style homes, colonial houses… No two villas are alike. No two villas are alike. Each has its own style, history and anecdotes! While many of these beautiful homes have been modernized or converted into apartments over the years, many have remained intact, such as the Villa Alexandre Dumas, one of the most beautiful and original in the Ville d’Hiver, comparable to a rustic Italian villa; the Villa Trocadéro, a redesigned former Landes chalet; and the Villa Vincenette, an authentic Art Nouveau residence. Don’t leave the Ville d’Hiver until you’ve climbed to the top of the Sainte Cécile observatory, next to the famous Saint Paul footbridge. At a height of 25 metres, the lookout offers a panoramic view of Île aux oiseaux and the Arcachon Basin. Just as famous as the seafront promenade, the footbridge and observatory are very popular with Arcachonnais, making them just as much a must-see on your camping vacation in Gironde!
The story of the Ville d’Hiver, or how an open-air sanatorium became a prestigious district of Arcachon
In 1860, when Arcachon was already a renowned seaside resort, the Pereire brothers, wealthy businessmen and shrewd bankers, had the idea of building a new district on the heights of the town. From then on, luxurious rental villas for tuberculosis sufferers sprang up. Indeed, the climate, the iodized air and the resinous scents of the pine forest were particularly suitable for combating the disease that was rampant at the time. And so the Ville d’Hiver was born! Later, even the healthy moved in. Hotels sprouted up like mushrooms, and fortunes flocked to the Casino Mauresque… The Ville d’Hiver became a popular vacation spot for the Parisian intelligentsia, the aristocracy and the wealthy of Europe.
If you’d like to explore the Ville d’Hiver and find out all about this emblematic district during your camping holiday on the Arcachon Basin, contact the tourist office to book your guided tour on foot or on board the “P’tit Train d’Arcachon”.
Reservations required from the Tourist Office: 05 57 52 97 97
photo credit: By Jibi44 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4189909