The Dune of Pilat

The Dune of Pilat is the tallest sand dune in Europe, a huge pale ridge on the Atlantic coast of the Gironde in France, at the southern mouth of the Bassin d'Arcachon. Strictly speaking it lies in the commune of La Teste-de-Buch, just beside the seaside village of Pyla-sur-Mer, and it is reached from Arcachon along the coast road. It runs for roughly three kilometres along the shore and measures a little over a hundred metres at its crest, though the exact figure changes from year to year.

The dune is not a fixed monument. Wind and sea keep reshaping it, and the whole mass creeps slowly inland, burying the edge of the pine forest that borders it. On the western side the slope drops steeply toward the beach and the surf; on the eastern side the ridge meets the dark green forest of maritime pines that belongs to the larger Landes de Gascogne. That contrast of sand, ocean and trees is what draws people here, and it is easiest to read from the top.

Reaching the crest means climbing the sand. A wooden staircase is usually set up on the landward face to make the ascent easier, while the seaward side is steep and loose and tiring in the heat. In summer the surface gets very hot, so shoes, water and a hat make the visit far more pleasant; early morning and late afternoon are cooler and the light is better for photographs. From the summit the view takes in the Atlantic Ocean, the long sandy shore, the Bassin d'Arcachon with its sandbanks, and on clear days the tip of the Cap Ferret peninsula across the water. Banc d'Arguin, the sand island at the entrance of the bay, is a bright shape at low tide.

Many visitors walk along the ridge rather than just up and down, and the beach below is a pleasant place to continue, with swimming possible when conditions allow. Care is needed: the Atlantic currents here can be strong, and the dune's edges should be treated with respect, since people have been caught by sand slides. Families with small children can enjoy the climb in stages and the run down is a favourite part. Access without a car is possible by bicycle, on foot from nearby paths, or by the local Baïa bus service.

The dune pairs naturally with a day around the bay: the oyster farms, the bird island called Île aux Oiseaux, the ocean museum Cité Océan François-Mitterrand in Arcachon, and the market in town are all covered separately. Visitors who like quiet will find the dune far less crowded outside peak summer weeks, when sunsets over the ocean are among the finest in this part of France.