Biscarrosse
- out and about
Probably
the biggest draw of this area is the water: the
lakes of Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet
(the northern lake), Étang de Biscarrosse et de Parentis
(the southern lake); and the dramatic ocean waves
at Biscarrosse Plage.
The three pleasure ports of the northern
lake - Ispes, Navarosse and Port Maguide - each provide
a good base for exploring.
Beach
Surf experts
will appreciate the variety of surf breaks available – suiting body boarders, long boards and
short boards. Novices can take lessons
and rent equipment from the choice of surf schools
on the beach. See our section on surfing
if you are interested in exploring other breaks along the
coast. For surf schools, try La
Vigie.
Up and down the wide beaches,
the coast is also enjoyed by kite flyers, fishermen, builders
of sandcastles, and the occasional naturist.
The lakes are also flanked
by white sandy beaches, where you can while away the day
listening to the water lapping the sandy shores.
Activities
The
lakes of Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet,
and Étang de Biscarrosse et de Parentis are set amongst
the vast pine forests and offer all manner
of watersports and fishing.
Sailing,
windsurfing, water-skiing and kayaking
are all available.
As
well as the usual watersports, you can scuba dive
from Port Maguide, on the Northern lake.
Handiski
offer all imaginable watersports that require a speedboat,
including waterski-ing, wakeboarding, banana boats and plenty
other you’ve never seen before!
Biscarrosse
is arguably the best place in Europe for kite-surfing,
with a dedicated area at the Biscarrosse Ville end of the
northern lake, at Navarrosse. This works well because the
lake is shallow, and picks up consistently good winds between
5–8pm most evenings. There are even kite-surfing lessons
available here.
Gastes,
on the southern lake, is a good location for those searching
for an active day on the lake. There is one beach, a marina,
and games for children.
There
is a good golf
course set in the forest between Biscarrosse
and Biscarrosse-Plage (18 + 9 holes; the par 68, 18 hole
course is wooded and fairly tight, with good lake obstacles.
The Gujan
Mestras course near Arcachon is both a test of
golfing skills and a pleasure on the eye. Like some of the
famous Florida courses, Gujan makes the most of its natural
environment of pine forest and lakes, to which have been
added bunkers of brilliant white sand. 18 holes 6225 metres
Par 72, or 9 holes 2630 metres Par 35. There are also practice
facilities and a putting green.
For forest cycling & hiking,
there are 17 kms of hiking trails and 30 kms of safe forest
cycle tracks plus local bike
hire shops.
An
aerodrome at Biscarrosse offers fantastic pleasure flights,
or gliding over the lakes, ocean and forests. You can even
try your hand at parascending (Port Maguide, on the northern
lake).
Also
available to try locally are fishing, horse-riding,
tennis, go-karting and quad-biking.
Children’s
Tourist Attractions
There
is a cinema in Biscarrosse Plage, and another in the main
town. If your children are missing their virtual friends
while on holiday, there’s also a Cybercafe in Biscarrosse
Ville.
We
don’t really think you need children to enjoy the woodland
‘Aventure Parc’. Graded courses
get progressively more adventurous. 4 yr olds start with
the ‘white’ course, offering ladders, tunnels,
rope bridges and swings, in an earthy woodland location.
The ‘black’ course includes monkey bars high
above the ground, and huge poles like giant stepping stones.
Or you could always do a bungee jump.
Nearby
Gujan Mestras has several attractions that might appeal
to your little ones. Aqualand
does what it says on the tin – with every kind of
waterslide you can imagine, plus a pool
with waves. The Village Médiéval features
a reconstructed medieval Landais village, showing traditional
arts and crafts in action. The Musée de la
Maquette Marine is a museum of exquisitely made
model ships. At
the Parc Animalier la Coccinelle,
children can feed baby lambs and goats.
The Biscarrosse water plane museum - Musée de l'Hyrdaviation - which many will find interesting, young and old.
There
are skateparks at Biscarrosse Plage, and
in Biscarrosse Ville.
Shopping
In
summer there's a daily market at Biscarrosse
Plage, as well as a night market. Biscarrosse
Ville has a traditional market throughout
the year on Friday mornings.
Eating
Out
For
a speciality of the Landes region, look out for Omelette
aux Cèpes – mushroom omelette, cooked
in a very particular way with garlic, parsley and crème
fraîche.
Restaurants
you might like to try are:
Restaumer:
a big, smart seafood restaurant near the beach.
Rue Pietonnée, 210 av de la Plage, Biscarrosse
Plage, 05-58-78-20-26. |
Uncle
Sam’s Saloon ('Oncle Sam') serves Texan
and Mexican food in a cowboy-styled setting, and often
has live music at weekends.
236 av Latécoère, Biscosse Ville (main
town) 05-58-78-80-80 |
The
restaurant at Biscarrosse Golf Course, Le
Parcours Gourmand, is Michelin-starred
and has a great reputation. Open Thursday, Friday and
Saturday evenings for dining, or bistro lunch menu from
Tuesday to Sunday.
400 Avenue du Golf, reservations: 05 58 09 84 84. |
La
Caravelle, near the golf course, is a quiet
spot right on the Etang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet, open
to guests. 5314 Route des Lacs, Ispes 05 58 09 82 67 |
Cousseau,
in Parentis-en-Born, serves tasty sea and land food,
with a wide choice of wine. All served in restaurant
with a provincial French ambiance. Changing daily menu.
11 Rue St-Bartélémy, Parentis-en-Born |
The
above list has been compiled with the help of the Lonely
Planet Guide (South West France). We also recommend Michelin’s
‘The Green Guide’ (Atlantic Coast) and the Cadogan
Guides – always an excellence and informative read.
“Gascony and the Pyrenees” is the one to buy.
Nightlife
If
you haven't spent enough time at the table over your meal,
why not spend the rest of the night at the tables of Casino
de Biscarrosse at Biscarrosse Plage (Boulevard
des Sables) open every day from 10 in the morning until
3am.
Open
every day during July and August, and at weeekends during
the close season, L'Oceana is Biscarrosse Plage's night
club, 46, rue du Grand Vivier, tel: 05 58 78 24 02.
Arts
and Culture
Biscarrosse
town has one gallery, and two museums:
The
Musée Municipal De L’Hydraviation celebrates
Biscarrosse’s tradition as a port for sea
planes. It is filled with full sized seaplanes,
photos, models, films, and mementoes of the great aviators.
The Musée des Traditions et de L’histoire de
Biscarrosse demonstrates Roman artefacts from the
bronze age. These were found by divers at the bottom
of the lake Étang de Cazaux et de Sanguinet. On display
you will find coins, jewellery, canoes, ceramics and other
rare artefacts.
Nature
A great spot for nature lovers.
The water meadows and reeds are home
to numerous species of migratory and non-migratory
birds, the woods are home to birds, deer,
roebuck, and other animals.
Inland at Sanguinet, Au Paradis du Papillon is a huge tropical
greenhouse containing hundreds of butterflies from
around the world.
Bottlenose dolphins and porpoises
can often be seen frolicking in the sea to the north, near
Dune de Pilat.
An
hour from Biscarrosse, on
the eastern
rim of the Bassin d’Arcachon, Le Teich is a river
delta for the Leyre river. This provides ideal marshland
for migratory birds stopping on their long
journeys between Scandinavia and Africa. This rare environment
of salt-water and fresh-water has been designated a Parc
Ornithologique, and is the nesting ground for several species:
grey herons, black cormorants, white storks, oystercatchers,
egrets, kingfishers, spoon-billed shovellers and many more.
In
Biscarrosse itself is a centuries-old elm tree under which
the town’s unfaithful wives used to be sent. On one
occasion the tree formed a crown of white leaves over an
innocent’s head and, lo-and-behold, the tree has sprouted
this white crown every year since!
Excursions
Biscarrosse is a wonderful base for exploring this
part of France: as well as the dunes, forests and lakes
of the Landes, there is the outstanding natural beauty of
the Bassin d'Arcachon or the vineyards and heritage of the
Bordeaux region. It's all in easy reach:
Arcachon,
a popular French resort and with plenty of options for visitors,
is within a half-an-hour's drive. Stroll along the seafront
or through the delightful Ville d’Hiver (Winter Town)
and explore its fabulous collection of eclectic villas.
There is also a lovely park to cool off in the shade and
watch the locals play petanques. The Arcachon Basin is packed
full of oyster farms and you will have no difficulty finding
these slimy crustaceans to dine on in one of the town’s
many seafood restaurants.
Ferries
run from Arcachon to a host of destinations including Cap
Ferret, a stylish resort on the other side of the Bassin
at the point of the peninsula of the Presqu'Ile de Cap Ferret.
Why not have dinner there and return on the late evening
ferry? Sailing boats can be hired at Le Moulleau and at
the marina in Arcachon.
You could spend all day on Cap Ferret -
heading down to the Pointe (the Southern tip of the peninsula),
stopping to climb to the top of the famous Cap Ferret lighthouse
on the way. The views across the basin to the sandy wild-life
reserve of the Banc d'Arguin and over to the Dune de Pyla
(Europe's highest sand dune) are breathtaking from the lighthouse.
At La Pointe, a tram runs to the Atlantic and is a very
enjoyable ride, especially for children.
As you leave Arcachon for Biscarrosse, the
Dune du Pilat is the largest sand dune in Europe, standing
at over 100 metres tall. A journey to the summit is a must,
sunrise and sunset are the best times.
If you’re feeling ‘beached out’
why not take the opportunity to explore some of the region’s
vineyards. Within an hour or two you can reach the many world-class
vineyards of Bordeaux, such as Sauternes, Médoc and
Graves.
The city of Bordeaux is an hour away and is a good option
for a day-trip, whether it’s boutique shopping, sight-seeing
or culture. Walking around the 18th century old town centre
(Quartier St. Pierre), you can begin to imagine the city’s
commercial and maritime past.
Medieval
gems of the Gironde east of Bordeaux are also wonderful
days out; St Emilion, with its 11th century basilica, is
the best known but can be busy; St Macaire and La Réole are also enjoyable. Obviously there are more chateaux over
here but an altogether different wine experience can be
had at Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa, in the middle of the Château
Smith Haut Lafitte, vineyards, just south of Bordeaux. The
spa offers unique beauty treatments derived from grand cru
grapes of the Graves appellation renowned for their anti-ageing
and micro-circulation improving properties - in short, visitors
apparently come out feeling good!
Further
south, Biarritz and Bayonne are worth visiting. Both are
very different but provide a good introduction to the Pays
Basque culture and the Pyrénéan landscape
bordering Spain.
For
further tourist information about the local areas beyond
Biscarrosse, please browse these region guides:
»
Bassin d'Arcachon
» La
Côte Landaise
»
Pays
des Vins
Travel
Advice
The main advice we can offer is as follows:
1. If you plan to go to the beach, get there early. Biscarrosse Plage is not so bad to park as some resorts, but you can make it easier on yourself if you plan to go early.
2. Biscarrosse is very seasonal and some amenities, restaurants, etc will be closed outside July and August.
