For your next vacation in France, discover the Bassin d’Arcachon! From the Cap Ferret peninsula to the Dune du Pilat, via Ile aux Oiseaux, the Bay of Arcachon continues to seduce holidaymakers in search of a change of scenery. Here’s a sneak preview of what awaits you during your camping holiday on the Bassin d’Arcachon!
Heritage and tours
The Bassin d’Arcachon offers great opportunities for cultural visits. Starting with the beautiful town of Arcachon. Our Le Ker Helen campsite is located just a few minutes from the tourist highlights of the “city of four seasons”. Stop off in the Ville d’Hiver and visit the Villa Teresa, an emblematic monument of the basin, the Moorish park and the Sainte Cécile Observatory. Other buildings such as the Notre-Dame des Passes church, the sailors’ chapel and the Château Deganne, now home toArcachon‘s casino, are also well worth a visit.
Landscapes and natural sites
France’s sixth largest natural marine park, the Bay of Arcachon is a veritable inland sea, subject to the winds and tides. Open to the Atlantic Ocean, the Basin is home to numerous unspoilt natural sites that can be explored on foot, by bike or by boat.
Discover the famous Dune du Pilat . This vast expanse of golden sand, the highest in Europe, offers an incredible panorama of the surrounding forest and the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll also want to visit the Banc d’Arguin national nature reserve, located at the entrance to the Bay of Arcachon. It’s a magnificent spot, offering a superb base for your vacation.
A popular destination for ecotourism enthusiasts, the Bay of Arcachon is home to exceptional flora and fauna. From the Domaine de Certes-et-Graveyron to the Réserve ornithologique du Teich, via the Leyre Delta, you’ll be seduced by the wealth of biodiversity as much as by the singularity of the landscapes you encounter. You can also enjoy the magnificent sandy beaches, observe the wildlife in the salt meadows and ancient salt marshes, and stroll through the forest of La Teste-de-Buch.
Other emblematic sites not to be missed during your stay in the Arcachon Basin include the Cap-Ferret headland, the Mimbeau lighthouse and cove, Bird Island, Malprat Island and Lac de Cazaux, all of which will appeal to campers in search of new horizons.
Leisure activities
The ideal vacation destination for a seaside break, the Bassin d’Arcachon is particularly well known and appreciated by families for the quality of its water and its vast stretches of white sand. Many of the beaches have been awarded the “Pavillon Bleu” (Blue Flag) label, where you can enjoy the pleasures of swimming in complete safety. If you like big waves, Plage du Grand Crohot and Plage de La-Teste-de-Buch are particularly popular with surfers and board sports enthusiasts. With the kids, a trip to the Arcachon Zoo will add a touch of the exotic to your vacation. And for a breath of fresh air with the whole family, there’s nothing better than a fishing trip in Arcachon to pick up cockles, clams and razor clams.
Culture and traditions
It’s impossible to spend a vacation in Arcachon without sampling the famous oysters of the Bassin d’Arcachon and Cap Ferret. As you wander around, you’ll come across numerous oyster beds. You can visit these typicalArcachon seascapes. Many oyster farmers open their huts to visitors and holidaymakers. For fans of this exquisite shellfish, the Fêtes de la Mer et de l’Huître are not to be missed. Every August, Arcachon lives to the rhythm of traditional ceremonies, tastings, regattas and other festive events.
Pine gemmage, the old-fashioned harvesting of resin, is another tradition deeply rooted in the history of the Bassin d’Arcachon. For 2,000 years, until the 1980s, resin harvesting was practised by the resiniers in the great forest of La Teste-de-Buch. To find out more about this ancestral know-how, visit the Gardarem Ecomuseum in Lanton, a living memory of Gascon heritage and the trades of yesteryear.
Of course, there’s much more to see and do. For more inspiration, ideas for visits, walks and activities to share with the whole family, take the time to browse the campsite blog to find out everything (or almost everything) about the Bay of Arcachon!