Self-Catering Holidays in Atlantic Aquitaine, South West France - Villas, Cottages & Apartments

Call 01395 576655 or email info@alternative-aquitaine.co.uk for information & booking

Family Holiday Sites in Aquitaine, south west France

FHS008 Dunes de Médoc, Soulac
small and friendly holiday complex in walking distance of the beach

Three Reasons to Choose Dunes du Médoc...
•	Just 300 metres from the sandy beaches
•	Attractive new apartments with swimming pool
•	Family-friendly Soulac is a charming seaside resort

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Links for Dunes de Medoc ref:FHS008

In Our Opinion

Soulac is an informal, traditional seaside town popular with families, and offers an easy beach-based holiday with a few local excursions. The town has some charming streets lined with neo-classical villas reminiscent of Arcachon, an excellent sandy beach, plus a good range of shops and restaurants. It is known as a 'mini-Arcachon', with a charming 'villagey' feel.

Les Dunes du Médoc opened in 2006 and has proved a popular choice - the proximity to the beach is a big 'hit' with families especially.

Next Steps
1	Check prices and availability
2	Check for special offers
3	Call 01395 576655 or email us to book or hold an option for 48 hours

Key Facts

Location :

Soulac sur Mer - 300 metres to the beach and 1.5 kms to Soulac centre. Bordeaux is 95 km south east and Royan 17km across the Gironde

Type of location :

Tranquil setting on the edge of the resort, situated in the pine forest close to the beach. Seaside resort - Soulac offers 7kms of sandy beach

Accommodation :

Low-rise development in the fragrant pine forests - consists of 4 two-storey buildings. 3 overlook the pine forests and one overlooks the pool. The interior decoration reflects the traditional local style. 76 apartments in total sleeping from 4 to 6 people

Prices :

Price Band for this venue:	- peak season
» See Price Bands	- off-peak

Check for special offers

Rental price includes: Bed linen & bathroom towels (collect from reception), two tea towels, cleaning kit, TV, final cleaning (except for kitchenette).

Compulsory extras: Local tourist c.1 EUR pp per day

Optional extras:
Payable on reservation:
1. Comfort Service (beds made for arrival, bath towels changed midweek, cleaning midweek) EUR 25 pppw.
2. Baby Kit (travel cot & sheet, high chair, changing mat, bath, pushchair) EUR 40.
3. Beds Made for Arrival EUR 35. Payable on-site: Pets EUR 49/wk, extra linens, cleaning, wi-fi (reception)

Refundable security deposit: EUR 200 collected on arrival (credit pre-authorisation only)

Arrival & Departure :

Arrival - from 5pm; Departure - by 10am
Changeover day: Arrival & departure flexible all season EXCEPT from 10/07 to 28/08/10 when Saturday-Saturday bookings compulsory.

Facilities :

• 120m2 pool with a 360m2 man-made beach
• Deckchairs and parasols are available, subject to availability
• Children's play area
• Reception
• Private free parking
• Laundry room
• Bike rental
• Bakery service (summer only - order day before)

Nearest beach :

300 metres - long sandy beaches reached in 5 mins walk. At this section of the beach (Plage Sud) there's also a surf school, basketball court and skate park

Nearest boulangerie :

Soulac town centre is 1 km - 15-20 mins on foot. Bakery service available at the apartments

Getting there:

Road - try taking the ferry from Royan to the Pointe de Grave; it shortens the route dramatically as you avoid circumnavigating Bordeaux, although in peak season the queues for the ferry do build up. Try this link for further information about crossings: Royan - Le Verdon Ferry
Air - Bordeaux - 1.5 hr drive (approx)
Ferry - St Malo - 7 hr drive (approx)
Train - station in the town

Things to see & do :

Beach life • surfing • cycle paths to explore • sailing • wine-tasting in the Médoc • birdwatching • day-trip to Royan • discover the Gironde, it's lighthouses and history

Location Map of Soulac

Soulac-sur-Mer is at the tip of the Gironde, close to the Pointe de Grave - where the mighty Gironde river exits into the Atlantic (the Gironde is Europe's largest river estuary).

Soulac is Aquitaine's most northerly resort and marks the northern tip of the Cote d'Argent. The 'Silver' coast is almost unbroken 200km stretch of sand!

Apartments

Les Dunes du Médoc has been thoughtfully constructed in the pine forest outskirts of Soulac. The neo-classical architecture, still seen in many of the town's side-streets, has been fully embraced and consequently the apartments are some of the most attractive to be seen.

The low-rise construction and relatively small size of the complex - there are just 76 apartments - add to the venue's charm and discretion.

Every apartment includes a well-equipped kitchen area with dishwasher, fridge, microwave grill, 4-ring electric hob, kettle and coffee maker.

The lounge includes a TV - should you feel inclined to watch it!.

Every apartment also has a private outdoor terrace.

FHS008-2R/5 1 bedroom • Sleeps 5 • 30-35m2
Living room with 1 single sofa-bed and 1 pull-out sofa-bed • 1 bedroom with double bed • bathroom • WC • terrace
CHECK PRICES & AVAILABILITY » GO

FHS008-2R6 1-2 bedroom • Sleeps 6 • 35-41m2
Living room with 1 pull-out sofa-bed • 1 bedroom with double bed • enclosed cabin room with bunk beds • bathroom • WC • terrace •
CHECK PRICES & AVAILABILITY » GO

Discover Soulac sur Mer

Soulac Tourist Office

Sheltered by pine-covered sand dunes, Soulac is a really fun place to spend a summer holiday. We think it has all the potential to become one of the south west coast's most popular resorts. At the moment it's something of an undiscovered resort although the French have been holidaying here for a century.

The beaches of white sand are clean and provide excellent surf and windsurf for novices and body-boarders (in Autumn and Winter it's a little more dramatic). More modern derivatives of surfing are also now popular here - skim-boarding and kite-surfing, for example, plus sand-yachting on the beach too.

The town's four main beaches are all supervised in the high season. There's also a 'Club Mickey' beach club for kids in the summer - you can find out more on the Soulac Tourist Office website. Young kids will also enjoy a ride on the Petit Train that tours the town.

Further south at Montalivet and l'Amélie, there's a selection of beaches where naturists tend to hang out (as it were), so you should choose your spot carefully depending on whether you want to go sans vêtements or not.

There's also numerous possibilities for safe cycling and mountain bike trails in the forests, kayaking and windsurfing on the lakes and sailing at le Verdon marina. Soulac also has an equestrian centre and at the seafront is Cap 33, a permanent activity centre featuring tennis, volleyball, rollerblading and diving for over-15s. There's also a swimming pool and casino.

For something more adventurous, try Cordouan Air Club for scenic flights across this amazing landscape. Also based at the aerodrome is the local parachuting club!

Today a popular and informal seaside resort, Soulac is actually rich in history. The good thing is that even though the town is busy in summer, it is the natural landscape that dominates this northern-most point of Aquitaine's Silver Coast. The town has been swallowed by sand and sea on more than one occasion; until 16C, it had a large natural harbour which was overrun by marshes. At least it made a change from sand and sea.

Going back several centuries, Soulac became the site of an ambitious Romanesque abbey. The Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres orginates from the 12thC. Some of its Romanesque architecture remains and this accounts for its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's actually quite a surreal image seeing something of such profound antiquity in the heart of seaside town. That said, there's also a good sprinkling of turn of the century bourgeoise chalets, similar to those found in Arcachon. Each has it's own colours, name and character. Also for the culturally-enlightened, Soulac has a good Musée d'Art er Archéologie displaying items from Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

Today, there's still a real feeling of heritage about this resort. The streets are lined with "500 villas" of red brick in "Silver Coast" and neo-colonial styles.

Here are some further links for enjoying Soulac. Please note that we are not responsible for the content of third party websites.

Soulac Cycle Hire and Mountain Bike Excursions
Soulac Surf Club
Cordouan Airclub

Discover the Region

Discover the Medoc Bleu region of Aquitaine

The surf doesn't affect the beach at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, a calmer alternative to the Atlantic as it is situated on the lee side of the peninsula. Verdon is a popular sailing spot - there's a marina here where boats can be hired. The Gironde river mouth is near its widest at this point - it's the best part of 6 kms to the norther banks at Royan. Verdon was one of the last places in France occupied by the Germans.

During the second world war, the Gironde estuary was, geographically, of great strategic importance in the Nazi occupation of France. The waterway was a major route in and out of France and the Pointe de Grave itself was the scene of one of the fiercest battles fought in the war. The Pointe de Grave was not recaptured until weeks before the April 1945 armistice. The coastline is still home to a trail of pillboxes; a poignant reminder of how different this coast must have looked 60 years or so ago.

Here are some ideas for excursions:

• Market days are, of course, always a treat in France. St Vivien (Wednesday) and Lesparre are good options for traditional markets. In the summer, Montalivet holds a daily market. If you're out and about, drop in at the Moulin de Vensac which is now working again. Erected in 1858, it's one of the oldest mills in the country.

• Panoramic views from Pointe de Grave - from the top of the dunes are panoramic views of the Gironde mouth, the resort of Royan on the opposite bank, le Verdon and, 5 miles out into the Atlantic, the lighthouse Phare de Cordouan. There's another lighthouse on the Pointe itself, and which has a small museum.

• Boat-trip to the Phare de Cordouan - the lighthouse is said to be the world's oldest still standing. It's stone structure dates back to the 16thC. It was updated in neo-classical style in the 18thC and once contained a royal apartment and chapel.

• Wine-tasting in the Médoc
Naturally, a major draw of the Médoc is wine. The steep-sided valleys, gravel soils and gentle climate all combine to create ideal growing conditions - something the viticulteurs have exploited here for hundreds of years. You may be surprised to learn that the Médoc's wines are exclusively red, made principally from the Cabernet grape. The most highly-rated labels are household names - Château Lafite, Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Mouton. Pauillac on the Gironde coast is a place to head for - this pleasant market town and marina has a great market, some fine restaurants and an appealing, laid-back ambience. There are several possibilities for wine-tours whether it be by bike or organised tour.

• City culture in Bordeaux - the big city is just over an hour away and is a good option for a day-trip, whether it’s boutique shopping, sight-seeing or museums. The town has been revitalised by its forward-thinking mayor who has overseen the new tram system and a big clean up of the city's many fine monuments and buildings. Walking around the 18th century old town centre (Quartier St. Pierre), you can begin to imagine the city’s commercial and maritime past.

• A day at the lakes - Aquitaine is well-known for its colossal lakes which lie just inland from the Atlantic. Lac de Hourtin-Carcans is the largest of them all. You can reach Hourtin-Port (the lake's northern base) in 45 minutes for a day of beach activities, watersports, cycle rides, nature walks and picnic-ing. The lakes have natural sandy beaches which can be quite a bonus on days when the Atlantic surf is high.

• Visit Royan and la Rochelle in the Charente-Maritime
Royan took a bit of a battering during Word War II as the Germans retreated. However, some of its older buildings remain and the town is a popular, very French resort. Royan is easily reached by ferry from the Pointe de Grave. You can even do this trip by bike. However, if you want to head on up to the lovely fishing port of La Rochelle, we recommend you put your car on the ferry!

And here are some more useful links for discovering the region. Please note that we are not responsible for the content of third party websites.

Bordeaux Tourist Office
Gironde Tourisme
Wines of the Médoc
Royan Tourist Office
France Tourist Information

Links for Dunes de Medoc ref:FHS008

Call 01395 576655 or email info@alternative-aquitaine.co.uk for information & booking

updated 08.12.09 ja