Call +44 (0)1395 576655
or email for information & booking |
|
| Home > Destinations > Medoc Coast Holiday Rentals > Medoc Coast tourist guide |
Medoc Coast holiday rentals and tourist guide
Lacanau Ocean - Carcans - Montalivet - Soulac
|
What are you looking for?
> Our collection of Medoc Coast holiday villas
> All of our Medoc Coast holiday rentals
> A Medoc Coast destination guide (scroll down)
Apologies for this 'old-fashioned' web page. We are
in the process of updating this section of our
website - Justin & Alex |
|
|
Medoc Coast
Alternative Aquitaine's
Destination Guide
|
|
|
Ocean,
lakes, dunes, forest and vineyards too - the classic Aquitaine combo!
'Médoc Bleu' stretches from just north of
the Arcachon Bay to the tip of the Gironde
estuary at Pointe de Graves, taking in Lacanau-Océan, Montalivet-les-Bains and Soulac-sur-Mer along the way.
The
coastline isdominated by magnificent ocean beaches, pine forest and shimmering
lakes. There's a superb range of outdoor activities: surfing, cycling,
golf, horse-riding, sailing and more.
And it's an easy excursion to
sample the famous
wines of Pauillac, Margaux and Saint-Julien.
|
|
|
|
We've
picked out five 'must-dos' when on holiday on the Medoc Coast:
|
| 1 |
An after-dinner stroll along a beach in any of the Médoc's
sea-side towns, watching the sun set and listening to the
surf |
| 2 |
Tranquil
lunchtime lake-shore picnic - best spots at Longarisse (near
Lacanau) or near Hourtin - with baguette and cheeses of course! |
| 3 |
A
tour and tasting at Château Giscours - not just a vineyard,
but an entire community, dedicated to wine-making of the highest
quality |
| 4 |
A
surfing lesson on any Médoc Bleu beach - for over-40s,
under 12s and everyone in between, just give it a go! |
5 |
Forest
cycle ride on the trail from Moutchic (near Lacanau) to Maubuisson,
stopping at the Cousseau nature reserve on the way - a 20-25
km round trip, are you up for it? |
| |
|
|
|
Ocean
beaches
This being the Côte d'Argent there's endless sandy beaches
to choose from. All the main towns have supervised bathing
areas but if they're too busy, without venturing too far along the coast
you can usually find a quieter patch (though sometimes unsupervised
- ocean currents can be strong so only good swimmers should
venture out of the shallows).
Lake beaches
Within cycling distance of
most of the main sea-side towns Aquitaine's lakes ('étangs')
offer a lovely alternative to the ocean, with sandy beaches and shallow warm water perfect
for toddlers and with the added comfort of shady picnic areas
close by. Try the lakes at Lacanau and Hourtin-Carcans.
They are delightfully tranquil.
Surfing
Aquitaine is Europe's home of
surfing, and the Médoc Bleu region is no exception.
Soulac, Lacanau, and Montalivet all offer good surfing, and
have hire shops and surf schools. Sailing and wind-surfing are also popular, especially
on the lakes.
Cycling
France looks after its cyclists
well, and the Médoc Bleu is no exception: it enjoys
a 141km stretch of prepared trail along the Médoc coast
from the northern Pointe de Graves to Cap Ferret, which has
the additional benefit of being relatively flat! It's a lovely,
safe way to get around; the main towns all have bike hire
shops.
Golf
Half a dozen good golf courses near the coast,
including the highly-rated Golf du Médoc and Golf de
Lacanau-Ardilouse. Best times to go are May, June, September
& October. The Médoc Golf Pass offers discounted
green fees on these courses, plus others in easy striking
distance near Bordeaux and Arcachon.
Horse-riding
With all that forest and space,
it's not surprising horse-riding is popular, with several
'centres équestres' (including in Soulac, Lacanau)
offering courses and treks for beginners and more experienced
riders.
Wine-tasting
The Médoc rouge, a
short east from the Médoc Bleu, is home to the world's
most famous châteaux, including Château Margaux,
Château Lafite and Château Mouton-Rothschild.
Many (but not all) offer tours and tasings by appointment
- see opposite for some suggestions. The Gironde Tourist Office
(link opposite) also publishes the excellent 'Trips
to the Bordeaux Vineyards' which includes a detailed
section on the Medoc - please contact them via their website
for details.
Walking
Paths wind through the forest,
around lakeshores and over dunes all along the coast.
|
|
| |
|
Here's
a selection of the Médoc Coast's places and sights
to give a lasting flavour of this surprisingly distintive
area:
Panoramic views from Pointe de Grave
The
Médoc's northern-most point - 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.
Phare de Cordouan
The
lighthouse is said to be the world's oldest still standing.
It's stone structure dates back to the 16th century. It
was updated in neo-classical style in the 18th century and once
contained a royal apartment and chapel.
Vineyards
Even if you're not a wine-buff, a tour of the Medoc's
endless vineyards and baroque châteaux is an unforgettable experience. Pauillac on the Gironde coast is the place to start - this lovely
market town and marina has a great market, some fine restaurants
and an appealing, laid-back ambience. The tourst office
there offers several possibilities for wine-tours whether
it be by bike or organised tour, including the Route
des Vins which sign-posts drivers past the major
appelations and producers.
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, extensively pedestrianised
the centre, and undertaken 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.
Arcachon Bay
This popular and stylish area provides plenty of options
for visitors. Ferries run from Arcachon to a host of destinations
including Cap Ferret, a smart resort on
the other side of the Bassin d’Arcachon and to the
beautiful Banc d’Arguin, a sand-bank
nature reserve. The Banc d’Arguin sits at the foot
of the famous Dune du Pyla which at over
100 metres is the largest sand dune in Europe. A journey
to the summit (try it without the staircase provided!) is
a must; sunrise and sunset are the best times.
|
|
The
Medoc Coast is a destination that caters primarily for French
tourists, so traditional French dishes dominate menus, and
standards are good, even in quite modest-looking establishments.
The Medoc is also home to its own particular produce - starting
of course with...
Fine wines
The Médoc Rouge, bordering
the Gironde estuary a short drive east of the Médoc Bleu,
is home to some of the world's greatest vineyards, the prestigious Grand Cru Classes, as well as smaller,
newer but still quality producers in the northern part of
the region. Seconds vins of the major chateaux
are often more affordable and still very high quality. You'll
also find Bordeaux's other regions (St Emilion, Graves, Sauternes, etc)
well-represented on local menus.
Seafood
Arcachon oysters abound, obviously - even
if oysters don't normally appeal, they taste quite amazing
here. Also look out for local specialities such as anguilles
a la medocaine (eels cooked in a wine and prune-based
stock) and lamprioe a la bordelaise (lamprey wrapped
in jambon de bayonne, cooked in red wine and shallots).
The Gironde is also a major producer of sturgeon,
for steaks and caviar.
Treats
Sweet-toothed visitors to any local patisserie will spot
the ubiquitous canelé, a delicious
small Bordeaux cake made with egg yolks and a hint of rum,
best when dark and crunchy on the outside, moist in. Impossible
to eat less than two in a sitting - heaven!
|
|
| |
|
|
