Cité Océan François-Mitterrand

Arcachon is a seaside resort on the Atlantic coast, in the Gironde department south-west of Bordeaux, set on the edge of the Bassin d'Arcachon, a large tidal lagoon that is one of the most beautiful stretches of the French coast. Visitors should check with the tourist office what the Cité Océan François-Mitterrand currently offers.

The resort is young. Arcachon was founded in the middle of the nineteenth century as a seaside and health resort, when the railway from Bordeaux arrived in 1841 and the Pereire brothers, who were bankers and railway promoters, developed the area. It became an independent commune in 1857. The town is made of several districts, among them the Ville d'Été, the summer town, along the seafront, and the Ville d'Hiver, the winter town, on the wooded hillside, laid out for people who came to benefit from the mild winter climate and the pine-scented air, which was thought to help with lung conditions. The villas of the Ville d'Hiver, built in many styles, from Swiss chalets to Moorish fantasies, are a highlight of a walk. The long seafront promenade, the pier and the beach are the focus of summer life.

The sea is the centre of everything. The Bassin is famous for its oysters, farmed in the shallow waters for more than a century and a half, and the oyster parks, with their wooden stakes and huts, can be seen from boat trips. The Île aux Oiseaux, a small island in the middle of the lagoon, is a bird reserve with picturesque stilt houses, and the Cap Ferret peninsula, which closes the basin to the west, is a long spit of sand and pines with fishing villages, beaches and lighthouses. Nearby stands the Dune du Pilat, the highest sand dune in Europe, rising more than a hundred metres above the sea, with long views over the Bassin and the ocean. A museum of the sea and an aquarium in town present the life of the Atlantic and the history of the fishing and oyster trades.

The Atlantic coast is cooler than the Mediterranean, and the water at the beaches can be rough, so be careful about currents and respect the flags.

The resort suits families, nature lovers and those who enjoy seafood. Opening times and admission for any attraction depend on the season, so check them in advance.