Arcachon Travel

Arcachon Marine

2009-04-22T22:13:00.001+02:00

Arcachon Marine fishing port is ranked as 16th out of 40 in France and has a flotilla of 27 boats with 250 anglers. Fourteen of the boats are fishing trawlers and 13 boats use nets for catching sole, by raising nets from the seabed every day. The vessel lengths vary between 14 and 21 metres. Additionally, there are 6 coastal patrol boats and 20 smaller fishing boats (5 to 7 metres) that only fish within the Arcachon Basin.

Arcachon marine annual fishing catches are around 2 500 tonnes and valued at 14 million euros. Sole, sea bass, cuttlefish, squid and turbot are the main catches and fish sales occur during the mornings of every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Arcachon Marine is the second most important fishing port on the west coast of France, after La Rochelle.

Arcachon marine has a capacity for 2600 boater’s rings spread over 28 pontoons that are equipped with lighting, electricity and water.

The fishing port of Arcachon Marine was home to the word’s first steam powered trawler in 1837 and, in 1865, the first French steamer with an iron hull and propeller. The first French trawler with an internal combustion engine was also berthed in Arcachon Marine from 1927. The oyster production from Arcachon Bay is around 18 000 tonnes per year. Japanese oysters were imported to replace the Portugese oysters that were all killed in 1970 by disease. Previously, in 1920, all the Arcachon flat oysters were killed by disease and were replaced by the Portuguese oysters.

Gîtes Arcachon

2009-04-22T22:07:00.001+02:00

Gîtes Arcachon are fully-furnished French holiday homes equipped for self-catering and available for rent. To be called a ‘gîte’, the French owner must live nearby to provide help and assistance to guests. Many gîte owners choose to handle their own rentals. Gîtes are generally old farmworkers' cottages or converted outbuildings and barns near the owners' main house.

Gîtes Arcachon attract investment and tourism and are actively supported by the tourist board and planning authorities. Additionally, all gîte owners are required to ensure that their gîtes are safe and comply with the necessary rules, regulations and insurance requirements.

For example, Gîtes Arcachon offers high season weekly rates of 850 euros for a 2 room gîte comprising lounge/bedroom, fully-equipped kitchen, bathroom with indoor heated swimming pool. The weekly rate drops to 350 euros during the winter.

Arcachon Dune

2009-04-22T22:02:00.001+02:00

Arcachon Dune is the highest of its kind in Europe being; 107 to 117 metres high, 2700 to 3000 metres long and 500 metres wide. There are no restrictions on access to Arcachon Dune and staircases are built into the dune during the summer to make the climb easier. Arcachon Dune is actually located a few kilometres south of Arcachon at Pyla sur Mer.

There are car parking facilities at the site for 3 euros, together with a collection of souvenir shops, restaurants, toilets and showers. At summit of Arcachon Dune, the view is spectacular with the Bay of Gascogny, Landes Forest and (on a clear day) the Pyrenees Mountain Range.

Arcachon Dune is moving southwards at a rate of 3.6 metres per year into the pine forest. Each year, the dune covers 8000 square metres of forest and holiday homes, hotels and roads have been engulfed by the sand of Arcachon Dune within the last 80 years. Additionally, the Atlantic Ocean on the west has eroded the dune by 1 kilometre. It’s predicted that the road to Biscarrosse and the camping club will be engulfed by Arcachon Dune within the next forty years.

Arcachon Dune began forming about 3500 years ago and Bronze Age artefacts have been found at various locations of the dune.

Arcachon Zoo

2009-04-22T21:49:00.001+02:00

Arcachon Zoo is the creation of Bernard Couturier, who actually realized his childhood dream of living amonst wild animals. Starting from scratch, Bernard built the zoo himself to the 14 hectares that it occupies today. There are 50 wild animals and a bear pit. Children can bottle-feed lambs from April to September between 15:00 and 17:00 at Arcachon Zoo. There is 1 male 25 year old elephant (born in 1985) that arrived at Arcachon Zoo in the year 2000.

Arcachon Zoo is open from 5 April to 16 September from 10:00 to 19:00 and the admission cost is 12 euros for adults and 8 euros for children from 2 to 11 years. Food for the animals is sold at the entrance and sandwiches for visitors are available. Arcachon Zoo has access for young children, disabled people and a brochure is available, but dogs are not allowed. The rail station at La Teste is 10 km north of Arcachon Zoo.

The bear pit is the largest in Europe and Arcachon Zoo boasts tigers, lions, panthers, jaguars, lynx, pumas, ostriches, hippos, apes, bears, birds, giraffes and raccoons. An overhead walkway allows visitors to walk above the lion enclosure and you can also view the rare white lions. Feeding time for the animals at Arcachon Zoo is 16:00.

Arcachon Zoo also has inflatable castles, pony rides and picnic areas and the tour of the animal enclosures is 4 km long.

Arcachon Olympia

2009-04-22T21:43:00.001+02:00

The Arcachon Olympia concert hall rebuild programme started in 2003, recognising that the safety seating capacity limited to 327 was insufficient, and the refurbished building was inaugurated on 13 January 2006. It is the second most prestigious concert hall in the region of Aquitaine, with a capacity of 1000 seats (756 seats in the stalls) and having a floor area of 1500 square metres. The Arcachon Olympia has been hosting concerts, shows and conferences since 2001.

The refurbished Arcachon Olympia now allows performance of operas and operettas with the technical enhancements and revised seating capacity organised by the culture and Arcachon associations of the municipality, using the latest techniques in sound, light and staging.

The 19th century former neo-classical façade was dismantled stone-by-stone, retained, and integrated into a beautiful frontal display of sandblasted glass. The seating is modular and can be adjusted to cater for between 750 and 1000 people. The stage is 16 metres wide, 12 metres high, 14 metres deep stage and can now accommodate large choirs, operas and orchestras.

Originally, construction of the privately owned Arcachon Olympia started in January 1874, with fluted columns topped with Corinthian capitals and was later bought by the town council in 1898. The Arcachon Olympia started to show silent films and became a movie theatre in 1924.

Le Dauphin Arcachon

2009-04-22T21:40:00.000+02:00

Le Dauphin Arcachon is an authentic Arcachon villa that dates from the 19th century, with a swimming pool and private parking. It has 50 rooms, all of which were entirely renovated in 2008. All rooms at Le Dauphin Arcachon are equipped with air conditioning and have a view of the hotel gardens.

The beach and Arcachon town centre are only 300 metres from Le Daupin Arcachon. The rooms are for 2, 3 or 4 people and include satellite TV channels, small refrigerator, free wifi access, hair dryer, telephone, safe hire and a bathroom with bath and private toilet.

Le Dauphin Arcachon offers awake-up call and breakfast is served from 7:30 to 10:30 in the cafeteria or, alternatively, you can have a continental buffet in your room.

The hotel is one hour away from Bordeaux (60 km), by road or, alternatively, Arcachon rail station is only 10 minutes walk from Le Dauphin Arcachon. Bordeaux Airport, at Merignac, is about 50 minutes from Le Dauphin Arcachon.

Arcachon Aqualand

2009-04-22T21:30:00.002+02:00

Arcachon Aqualand occupies 8 acres at Gujan Mestras, not far from Arcachon. The admission price (24.50 euros for adults and 18.00 euros for children) is for one day of water attractions and children under 3 years (less than 1 metre high) are admitted free of charge. Arcachon Aqualand is a water park with 7 sites in the South of France. Pensioners, mothers and fathers are admitted for 18.00 euros if they take along a paying child.

Lifeguards, lockers at 3 euros each, sun lounger at 3.50 euros each, changing facililites, fast food stands, grills, gift shop, picnic area, are all provided at Arcachon Aqualand. Special rates are available for advanced reservations for organised groups of 30 or more people. A 2 day pass costs 30.50 euros for adults and 24.00 euros for children. A season pass for the whole of the year costs 79.00 euros.

Arcachon Aqualand is open every day, including Sunday, from the 10 June to 6 September 2009 from 10:00 to 18:00 and glass bottles aren’t allowed inside the water park and, if you wear glasses, you’ll be asked to remove them before going on the rides. The attractions at Arcachon Aqualand include water slide, toboggans, dingo dinghy, anaconda, wave pool, adult swimming pool, bubble baths and children paddling pools.

Arcachon Home Page

2009-02-25T10:24:00.014+01:00

The French town of Arcachon has a population of 11,400 and, in the summer, the influx of holidaymakers to Arcachon swells the population to 50,000 people. Arcachon became popular with bourgeois Bordealais at the end of the 19th century, thanks to a casino, luxury seaside hotels and a new railway line. Today the attractions of Arcachon are the direct rail connection to Paris with the TGV, sea food – especially locally harvested huîtres (oysters) – wide beaches, and the highest sand dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat. Arcachon is well served by buses and trains to Paris, Bordeaux and neighbouring towns.

Arcachon is on the southern shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon (Arcachon Basin), linked to the Atlantic Ocean by a 3km-wide channel. Across this channel is the peninsula of Cap Ferret, Aquitaine's mini St Tropez, buzzing all summer. Arcachon has two distinct quarters: the summertime, bayfront Ville d'Été and the sheltered, inland Ville d'Hiver to the south of the town centre. The liveliest part of the Ville d'Été is around the Jetée Thiers (Thiers Pier). The Ville d'Hiver dates back from the start of the 20th century, when rich Bordelais came to Arcachon for amusement or to recover from tuberculosis.

Arcachon Train

2009-02-25T10:16:00.005+01:00

A direct train service between Arcachon and Paris is operated by TGV (train à grande vitesse) and the journey time is around 4 hours. Monday to Thursday, a TGV leaves Arcachon at 13.33, arriving in Paris at 17.20. Also everyday, from 30 June(except Sundays), a TGV leaves Arcachon at 17.08, arriving in Paris Montparnasse at 21.30. A dedicated seat number is given to each passenger when buying the ticket. A single journey ticket from Arcachon to Paris typically costs from 50 € to 120 €, depending upon the day, date, time, booking method (Arcachon station or internet) and advanced notice given.

Regional trains, operated by ter (Transport Express Régional) operate regularly from Arcachon to Bordeaux and the journey time is from 40 minutes to 1 hour. A single ticket from Arcachon costs from 9 € to 11 €. The train times, except for public holidays, are:

Arcachon	Bordeaux	Arcachon	Bordeaux	Arcachon	Bordeaux
05.38	06.20 weekdays	08.44	09.36 weekdays	17.25	18.17 not Sundays
05.59	06.48 weekdays	09.02	10.01 not 3/6, 10/6	17.48	18.33 Mon to Thur
06.18	07.11 not Sunday	10.48	11.35	18.17	19.10
06.38	07.23 weekdays	12.39	13.27	19.19	20.08 not Saturday
06.48	07.36 weekdays	13.14	14.02	20.16	21.04 not Sundays
07.06	07.57 not Sunday	15.19	16.11 exceptions	21.04	21.52 Sunday/Hols.
07.32	08.22 weekdays	16.08	17.00	21.51	22.29 Sunday/Hols.
07.58	08.53 weekdays	16.57	17.42 not Saturdays

Arcachon Tourist Office

2009-02-25T10:06:00.005+01:00

Arcachon Tourist Office (Office de tourisme d'Arcachon) is located at Espanade Georges Pompidou, 33120 Arcachon. They organise walks on the forest rambling paths to discover the forest scent of the pine trees and to enjoy the story of the pine resin from April to October for 8€ (adults) and 6€ (children). They invite you to see the Arcachon fish market auction sale and get to know the different types of fish (Bass, Mullet, Sole) and it just depends on the season …a remarkable discovery with a guide who is an Arcachon ‘fishing epic buff' for 6 € (adults) and 4 € (children).

Facing the inner bay, the Aiguillon district of Arcachon is marked by its maritime vocation. When sailors from Brittany came to settle at the Aiguillon headland, the Saint Elme School of Arcachon trained future skippers, and the port of Arcachon was established. A retrospective cycle ride is organized by Arcachon Tourist Office: starting at the origin of Arcachon, and finishing at the fishing port and marina of today…with a port of call in a oyster cabin to taste one or two oysters. The length is 4 km and the cost, including bicycle rent, is 14 € (adults) and 10 € (children).

Arcachon Tourism

2009-02-25T09:46:00.004+01:00

Arcachon was a fishing village as early as the 16^th century, and then became a holiday location for the European aristocracy and a reputed seaside resort as from the 19^th century thanks to Arcachon's natural assets (bay, forest, ocean) and to its climate. The extravagant Arcachon homes of the the “Winter Town” bear witness to those times. Arcachon is also one of Europe's leading oyster-farming centres. The sights to see are; villas in the “Summer and Winter towns”; Arcachon's Neo-Gothic church of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Port; Mauresque Gardens; the casino in the fairy-tale former Château Deganne.

Whether they are named after famous men, operas or their characters, the 215 villas nestled amidst the greenery of the Winter Town district of Arcachon represent a fantastic testimony to Arcachon's bourgeois seaside resort architecture of the second half of the 19^th century. Arcachon's villas offer a genuine anthology of rubble stone and brick bond designs, of wood cut out in lace-like patterns, of balconies with worked railings, of gable or hipped roofs, of donjon-like turrets and outside stairways. All genres and influences combine joyfully : Arcachonais, Basque, Moorish, or Anglo-Chinese. These Arcachon houses are full of inventiveness.

Arcachon Maps

2009-02-25T09:34:00.006+01:00

Arcachon is located at Longitude 01°10'03”W and Latitude 44°39'34”N on the Atlantic Coast in the Gironde department of the Aquitaine region in France. The nearest large city is Bordeaux. Being a seaside resort, Arcachon is at an altitude of 0 to 45 metres, has a land area of 7.56 km²and a population of 11,459. Close by, on the Basin d'Arcachon, is Europe's largest sand dune, the Dune du Pyla (or Pilat), nearly 3 kilometres long, 500 metres wide reaching 107 metres in height, and moving inland at rate of 5 metres per annum.

Arcachon Bay receives freshwater from the Eyre river, draining the Landes plateau, and is linked to the Atlantic Ocean by the narrows. 115 m² of mud-flats are revealed when the 155 m² high tide waters of Arcachon Bay reduce to 40 m² at low tide. Arcachon Bay's climate changes little from one season to the next (13 Celsius on average). These mild conditions are home to 300 species of nesting or migrating birds. Arcachon was the first French port to fit out steam trawlers in the 19^th century and the Bay of Arcachon is Europe's leading oyster-breeding nursery.

Arcachon Hotels

2009-02-25T09:14:00.006+01:00

Arcachon's Hôtel Le Dauphin dates from the end of the 19th century, has 50 bedrooms and is open all year round. This Arcachon hotel used to be called La Maison Verdi and Tolstoy lived there in 1860. The hotel is located 300 metres from Arcachon town centre and the beach. You can stay peacefully in a calm area of Arcachon and in the middle of a large raised and flowered garden, comprising of a closed car park. Breakfast can be taken in the breakfast room or in your bedroom. The address is Hôtel Le Dauphin, 7 avenue Gounod, 33120 Arcachon.
Hôtel-Résidence Le Trianon is found in the heart of Arcachon, near the best open air seafood restaurants of the Arcachon resort, the Casino de la Plage and local produce market of the town. Linked with 89 rooms and self contained apartments, this is a good place for family holidays in Arcachon or seminars and business meetings. The hotel has covered parking. The pedestrian areas around the hotel lead directly to Arcachon beach, 50 meters away, and the bustling seafront promenade, with well maintained cycle track. The address is Hôtel-Résidence Le Trianon, 161 Boulevard de la Plage, 33120 Arcachon.

Arcachon Camping

2009-02-24T16:51:00.006+01:00

The Camping Club d'Arcachon is 1.8 km from the beach and 1.5 km from Arcachon town centre. There are 249 pitches in a 6 hectacre area, some of which are shaded. The Camping Club d'Arcachon has a swimming pool, refreshments area, restaurant, grocery store and launderette. The site is in the middle of Arcachon pine forest. A tent pitch costs 3 to 13 euros per night and 4 to 7 euros per adult. Mobile homes/chalets can also be rented. The site is closed during November and December. The address is 5 allée de la Galaxie, Les Abatilles, 33120 Arcachon.
The Camping Club d'Arcachon is divided into areas for youngsters, families and couples and there are three washroom centres. The site is very popular with French holidaymakers visiting Arcachon and they enjoy the surroundings of the 70 year old pine trees, oak trees and bushes at the end of a cul-de sac in the middle of a forest. The town centre of Arcachon is about a 20 minute walk from the site. Alternatively there are buses every 30 minutes and a cycle track to Arcachon. There is also a riding school and tennis club near to Camping Club d'Arcachon.

Arcachon Bay

2009-02-24T16:46:00.002+01:00

An inland sea of 150 km², the Bay of Arcachon is ideal for swimming, sailing and pleasure-boating. It is also a natural habitat that is lovingly protected, the realm of the Arcachon oyster and a fabulous nature reserve for birds from all over northern Europe. Three natural wonders have become the emblem of the fascinating beauty of the Bay of Arcachon: the Pyla Dune, Arguin Sandbank and the Ile aux Oiseaux with its cabanes tchanquées – huts built on stilts above the level of the Bay of Arcachon sea that enable the oyster men of Arcachon to raise their produce.

Situated on the Atlantic coast of the Gironde and its prestigious wines (covering the entire range of red and white), one of the 5 départements of Aquitaine, the Bay of Arcachon offers fast connections to the French capital (via the Arcachon to Paris TGV), to the main European capitals and to the rest of the world. The inland sea takes its name, the Bay of Arcachon, from the town at the seaward entrance. In addition to Arcachon, the Bay houses the resorts of Cap Ferret, Arés, Andernos, La Teste de Buch and Pyla sur Mer – within easy reach of Arcachon.

Arcachon Bus

2009-02-24T16:35:00.011+01:00

There are 3 bus services in Arcachon that came into operation on the 1st March 2007 run by COBAS (Communauté d'Agglomération du Bassin d'Arcachon Sud) in an effort to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. The Arcachon buses run on Diester fuel, which is a mixture of 70% diesel and 30% ester. The ester is produced from vegetable oils, such as rapeseed, sunflower, soya and palm oils. The Arcachon buses diesel engines didn't need any changes to be powered with Diester. The fuel is non-toxic, biodegradable and free of sulphur and aromatics. Like Arcachon, many towns own buses running on Diester.

Everyday, except public holidays, Line 1 serves Arcachon to Dune du Pilat, (31 minutes). The buses depart from Arcachon rail station at 06.45, 08.12, 09.29, 11.30, 13.15, 14.19, 15.55, 17.46 and 18.55. Line 2, duration 26 minutes, is from the town centre to Place Maydieu. Departing from Arcachon rail station at 08.42, 09.37, 10.41, 11.50, 12.42, 13.37, 14.59, 16.08, 17.10, 18.23 and 19.17. Line 3 buses, from Arcachon to Centre Commercial Miquelots takes 30 minutes. The buses depart from Arcachon rail station at 06.15, 06.40, 07.27, 07.44, 08.29, 08.56, 10.00, 11.11, 12.22, 14.15, 15.35, 16.42, 17.24, 17.45, 18.28 and 19.09.

Arcachon Accommodation

2009-02-16T11:03:00.101+01:00

Accommodation in Arcachon is scarce during July/August and many hotels require that, as a minimum, you take half board. The Camping Club d'Arcachon is 1.5 km from Arcachon town centre. There is a Hostelling International hostel 6 km from Arcachon at Plaine Bonneval, 33260 La Teste de Buch. It has 150 beds from 13 € per night and is located in the middle of a pine forest on a cycle track to Arcachon. There are many sport, cultural and discovery activities available. Bike and tennis court rental is available and breakfast is included in the price in July and August.

There are 736 furnished apartments in the Arcachon Tourist Office computer system and they can be searched by arrival date, duration time (1 week, 15 days, 1 month) and lodging type from studio to 13 bedrooms. Arcachon Tourist Office also lists the availability of the 23 hotels in the town from the Arc Hotel sur Mer to the Yatt Hotel at Bd de la Côte d'Argent, Arcachon. The database lists the hotel star rating, number of bedrooms and the room availability for the next seven days. There is also a link for all 23 hotels to make on-line bookings.