Arcachon

To the west of Bordeaux, the region's capital, the Bay of Arcachon, a veritable geographic and hydraulic entity, inhabited since the time of the Boïens, in the Gallo-Roman area, and more particularly since the Middle Ages, offers a haven of beauty and serenity, set on the Aquitain Coast, facing the superb and immense expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

Beaches, sand-banks, islets, saltings, rivers, inlets and marshes surround the vast expanse of water where fishermen, oyster-breeders and sports lovers mingle. The Arguin Sand-Bank, a migratorv bird reserve and the unusual, serene Island of Birds are also an integral part of the soul of the Bay of Arcachon. Here, the age-old tradition of oyster farming reigns supreme.

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Arcachon, a seaside resort on the Bay of the same name, was born of the salt air, the scent of the pine forest, the train, and a strike of genius by last century businessmen: the Pereire brothers. In the spring of 1862, avenues and streets are traced; a casino and mansions emerge from the sand. Now according to me it is like a small paradise. Nice weather, pure water, and a preserved natural area, do you need more? Arcachon is the right place for sailing fishing walking and swimming.

In a truly exceptional setting, sit back and enjoy the delights of the local food produce, with freshly caught fish, and seafood's platters. With a glass of Bordeaux wine, discover the gastronomic pleasures of SouthWest France.

Best Way To Get Around:

Arcachon benefits from the highways, rail and air infrastructure. Merignac international airport, which connects Bordeaux to all the main French towns and to over thirty European cities, is just 45 minutes away. The high-speed train (TGV) means that Arcachon is 3h1/2 from Paris. Finally the Biarritz-Bordeaux highway runs right down the Atlantic coast to Spain in two hours.

As early as the XIX century, our ancestors had already cast their eye on the magnificent site of Arcachon Bay. The mild climate, the pure air, the clear light had already at that time fired the imagination of numerous follower, as witnessed today by the magnificent and elegant mansions of the Winter Town.

Built on the hillside, with often one of the best view on the bay, these houses still generate an elegant and oldie atmosphere. Emperor Napoleon III, the musician Debussy or the famous painter Toulouse-Lautrec all stayed here, and has left here and there, memories to be mulled over, and stories to be passed on....simply follow the guide!

This reserve of 120 hectares, situated on an important migration route, enables you to watch more than 260 species of wild birds during the year in their natural habitat. 75 species nest here including storks bluetroat, herons, ducks etc. ...

The variety and the number of wild birds species varies from day to day. This natural reserve is open to the public from 10am to 6 p.m. every day on the year. Entrance fee is about 2 $. Several walking trails are available, from easy track for child to a long daytime tour. It is really a paradise to birds and birdwatchers.

Situated in the very heart of Arcachon, between the seafront, the "Boulevard de la Plage", the Casino is within just two minutes from the railway station. This is a nice white building, which looks like an ancient fairy tale medieval castle. In France the law ruling the casino and gambling place is very strict. Casinos are only located near the sea or close to water resort. The nearest other casinos could be found at 200 km (Biarritz on he South, La Baule on the north). The traditional games played are:

Black Jack: this is a card game in which the player participates actively making decisions and playing against the casino. The aim of the game is to score as near 21 as possible, preferably with two cards, without going over that.

Roulette is a game of chance whose main characteristic in that the players bet against the casino. The aim of the game is to guess on which number of the wheel will the ball thrown by the croupier drop. The cylinder is divided into 37 boxes alternatively black and red and numbered from 1 to 36, plus zero, which is in a green box. Chips (never cash), must be used to bet on the roulette.

The "Boule", also named the roulette of the poor. It looks like to a roulette with less numbers. The scale with a central race shows 4 rows of nine holes numbered from 1 to 9. The rubber "boule" will fall in one of these boxes to specify the wining number. The holes 1,3,6 and 8 are black. The holes 2,4,7 and 9 are red. The hole 5 is yellow. The bets on the even chances allow you to win the same amount in your bet. The bet on a one number straight up are paid at 8 to 1.

Of course you could find the very popular machine in a separated room where no special attire is required.

The Thiers Jetty is the heart of Arcachon. Alongside the large wooden wharf you could catch the atmosphere of the city. It is crowded at anytime. Morning is the realm of the joggers, the walkers; afternoon is time for children to dive from the top of the pier. Evening is the best period for fishers and lovers. The sunset is so romantic... to see the sun disappear in the ocean. It is also the right place to catch the boat to the other side of the bay. The crossing lasts 30 minutes. At the beginning of the jetty you have now a LA 's Sunset Boulevard like hall of fame. Famous sailors let their footprint in the cement (such as Tabarly or the local hero Yves Parlier).

Arcachon owns several beautiful beaches of white sand. The central beach near the Thiers Jetty is the most crowded. The bay protects the beach from the big waves of the ocean. It is a quite and safe place, even for children. Important matter in the bay is the tide and the strong stream. Superficies of the beach depends of the tide. The strongest ones occur on the full moon. On the high tide the beach could be very narrow.

One km away is the Peireire Beach. A very large beach with a nice lawn where you could practice sport. On the extremity the Moulleau beach is the most select, home of French TV stars or local famous politicians. In summer the temperature of the water is usually between 21° and 23° Celsius.

This is my favorite place. This dune with its 114 m of altitude is the highest dune of Europe. It is a natural wonder. Classifed since 1978 as a Major National Site, is a splendor of nature, uncreasingly remodelled by the wind from the ocean, where everyone can indulge for the space of a few hour in dreams of infinity.The great dune of Pilat is an extraordinary accident of nature, as unusual as it is unexpected, 2700 meters long and 500 metres wide at its base.

Wooden stairs will help you to climb the dune. From the top the panorama is unique on the bay and the ocean. The dune is 6 km from Arcachon town. The parking costs about one $.