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Family Holiday Sites in Aquitaine, south
west France
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FHS008 Dunes de Médoc, Soulac
small and friendly holiday complex in walking
distance of the beach |
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| Three
Reasons to Choose Dunes du Médoc...
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Just
300 metres from the sandy beaches |
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Attractive
new apartments with swimming pool |
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Family-friendly
Soulac is a charming seaside resort
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Sites |
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Links for Dunes de Medoc ref:FHS008 |
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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.
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Call
0870 6092845 or email us
to book or hold an option for 48 hours |
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| Key
Facts |
Location
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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 : |
Seaside
resort - Soulac offers 7kms of sandy beach |
| Accommodation : |
Low-rise
development in the 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 |
Price
per week (2008) : |
| Price
Band for this venue: |
-
peak season |
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-
off-peak |
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» Check the notes on prices to see what the price includes
» Don't forget to check the Special Offers
» Modest tourist tax payable locally - €0.65 per
day per person aged 13+
» Optional supplements are available |
Arrival
& Departure : |
Arrival
- from 5pm; Departure - by 10am
NB Between 12 July to 30 August, the period reserved must
be Saturday to Saturday (although you can arrive/depart most
days of the week). Outside these dates, you can reserve midweek
periods. |
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 |
Nearest
boulangerie : |
Soulac
town centre is 1.5 kms. 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 |
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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!
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Links for Dunes de Medoc ref:FHS008 |
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| updated
13.06.08 ja |
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