- How can I visit the Winter City?
There are several ways to discover the Ville d’Hiver: on your own, on a guided tour, with an audioguide, or in a fun way with an Escape Game-style booklet – the choice is yours!
Puzzle books are also available for children. Find out more.
The Little Train is another very pleasant alternative, but it runs from the Easter vacation to the All Saints’ vacation. Find out more about the Little Train.
Along the way, you can visit the Parc Mauresque (botanical garden) and enjoy an impressive view from the Sainte Cécile Observatory: 25 meters high, it can be reached via the Saint-Paul footbridge.
All these services are available from the Tourist Office:
– Mystery tours of the winter town (€12 + ID deposit)
– Fun booklets for children aged 6 and over (2€)
– Audio guides (7€ + ID deposit)
– Guided tours are organized throughout the year. They cost 14€. Please register in advance, and a minimum number of participants is required. Find out more about the Tourist Office’s guided tours.
- Is there a charge for the Parc Mauresque lift? Does it have opening hours?
No, the Parc Mauresque elevator is free of charge and open all day from 7am to 10pm.
- Are bivouacs and wilderness camping permitted?
The difference between wild camping and bivouac
Unlike wilderness camping, bivouacs take place under the stars, or simply in a light tent in natural surroundings. The aim is to get a night’s sleep before setting off on another adventure!
Backcountry campers tend to travel by motorized vehicle (camping car, combi, car…), settling in places closer to civilization (parking lots, roadsides, fields…) and staying several days in the same place.By law
In France, camping is regulated by the section “Camping, aménagement des parcs résidentiels de loisirs, implantation des habitations légères de loisirs et installation des résidences mobiles de loisirs et des caravanes” of ” décret n° 2015-1783 du 28 décembre 2015 relatif à la partie réglementaire du livre Ier du code de l’urbanisme et à la modernisation du contenu du plan local d’urbanisme “
According to article R111-32, camping is freely practiced, outside the right-of-way of public roads and highways, with the agreement of whoever has the use of the land, subject, where applicable, to the owner’s opposition.
According to article R111-33, camping in isolation and the creation of campsites are forbidden, except by way of derogation: on seashores and in registered sites;
in classified sites or sites awaiting classification;
in protected areas, in the field of visibility of buildings listed as historic monuments, and in parks and gardens that are listed or registered and have been the subject of a protection perimeter, as well as in areas for the enhancement of architecture and heritage or, where these still exist, in architectural, urban and landscape heritage protection zones;
within a 200-meter radius of water sources tapped for consumption.According to article R111-34, camping outside developed sites may be prohibited in certain zones:
by the local town-planning plan (PLU), or by the equivalent town-planning document ;
by mayoral decree.
These bans are only enforceable if they have been brought to the attention of the public by posting them in the town hall, and by erecting signs at the usual access points to the areas covered by the bans.Source: https: //www.lecampingsauvage.fr/legislation-et-reglementation/camping-sauvage-bivouac .
On and around the Bay of Arcachon
It is forbidden to camp or bivouac in Arcachon. The Dune du Pilat and the Teste de Buch forest are protected sites.
A decree issued by La Teste de Buch prohibits unauthorized camping in the commune during the summer season.
Unauthorized camping is also prohibited in the Forêt des Landes de Gascogne.
To be sure, it’s best to contact the local town hall.
- Apart from the Ville d'Hiver, what other walks can I do?
- Can you get from Arcachon to Biscarosse by bus?
Not all year round, it’s only possible on weekends in summer with the XLR 46 bus.
Otherwise, the rest of the year, take the XLR 14 from La Hume station.
ATTENTION: XLR 14 goes to Biscarosse Bourg.
- Where is the Médiathèque?
At MA.AT (Médiathèque Arcachon Association Tourisme), Esplanade Georges Pompidou, second floor. Contact: 05 57 52 98 88.
- How long is the Arcachon-Bordeaux journey?
The journey takes 50 minutes. You can take the train with your bike, but the ticket inspectors reserve the right not to accept you, depending on how busy it is.
- Where to park for a boat trip?
The best place to park is in one of the two underground parking lots near the Thiers jetty. In July and August, you can also park in the park-and-ride facilities and in the free streets of Arcachon. Please note that parking in pay streets and open parking lots is limited to 2 hours.
From October 1 to March 30, outdoor parking is free at weekends.
- Where to park in Arcachon
Find all the information you need about parking in Arcachon.
- Is it possible to swim whatever the tide?
Yes, whatever the tide, you can swim on Arcachon’s beaches.
- From what dates are the beaches supervised in Arcachon?
Arcachon has three supervised swimming areas:
– Plage Thiers: from late June to mid-September, 7 days a week from 12pm to 7pm
and from 15/07 to 15/08 from 10am to 7pm.– Plage Pereire: late June to late August, 7 days a week from 12 am to 7 pm.
– Plage du Moulleau: July and August, 7/7 from 12pm to 7pm.
These areas are framed by two blue flags.
- Do you have a list of markets?
- What is MA.AT?
MA.AT stands for Médiathèque Association Arcachon Tourisme.
Located in the heart of the town, the MA.AT in Arcachon is an emblematic new space for discovery, entertainment and leisure. It’s a valuable source of information.
You’ll find :
– the Media and Games Library for information, culture and entertainment
– MA.AT events
– the micro-folies auditorium: Arcachon’s digital museum.
– the Tourist Office, where you’ll find Bunker 502.
- What places are accessible to people with reduced mobility?
- Do you have contacts for nannies? Baby-sitters?
We don’t have any at the Tourist Office.
Please contact the concierge at the MA.AT, Esplanade Georges Pompidou, open all year round.
Contact: [email protected] or 07 87 03 35 77.
- How to get to Arcachon
By road
- 1 hour from Bordeaux
- 2h from the Spanish border via the A63 freeway
- Less than 3 hours from Toulouse
- 6 hours from Paris
- 6 hours from Lyon
- 6h30 from Marseille.
By train :
- 50 minutes from Bordeaux, 3h from Toulouse, 3h from Paris (LGV), 6h from Marseille and 6h from Lyon.
- Two daily round-trip TGV services between Paris and Arcachon.
- A TER Bordeaux / Arcachon every 30 minutes.
By plane :
- Bordeaux-Mérignac international airport is 45 minutes from Arcachon.
- 16 daily flights to Paris
- 45 regular destinations served
- Bili: a low-cost hub with numerous daily flights.
Find out more about how to get to Arcachon.
- How long does it take to walk between Arcachon's main districts?
Journey time from town hall:
- Port/Aiguillon: 41 min
- La Chapelle: 18 min
- Ville d’hiver: 10 min
- Pereire : 38 min
- Abatilles : 59 min
- Le Moulleau : 1h18
- When was Arcachon founded?
Arcachon, a former district of La Teste-de-Buch, was made a commune by imperial decree (Napoleon III) on May 2, 1857.
- Why the name "Ville d'Hiver"?
Faced with the success of sea bathing and the proliferation of tuberculosis, the Pereire brothers, directors of the Compagnie des chemins de fer du Midi, quickly realized the importance of the Arcachon site, renowned for its beneficial climate and air. Émile Pereire’s plan was to create a seaside and climatic resort to cater for “poitrinaires” from wealthy backgrounds, supported by local doctors (Gustave Hameau, Fernand Lalesque). In 1823, a sailor by the name of François Legallais opened a sea bathing establishment for this clientele.
Cécile Pereire’s dream was to “build a city without winter, where breasts would come to refresh their lungs”. The Company and its president, Émile Pereire, bought the heights of Arcachon and built villas and a casino in an English-style park, all designed to appeal to a wealthy European clientele. In just a few decades, the previously untouched dunes were subdivided.
First-generation villas resembled Swiss chalets, reinforcing the name “Winter Town”.
The names of the other neighborhoods were then derived from this one, so that Arcachon became known as the Ville des 4 Saisons (City of 4 Seasons).
- What is Bunker 502?
Bunker 502 is a German WW2 bunker built in 1943. The function of this bunker was to protect the telephone exchange, replacing the PTT in the event of bombing. It could accommodate around 20 people.
Ar.4101 1943 is the bunker’s identity card.
502: Corresponds to the bunker model (it takes about 8 weeks to build a model of this type).
AR: Corresponds to the Arcachon sector
41: The defense of the Arcachon Basin is part of a system of some sixty positions stretching from Vendays-Montalivet to Contis in the Landes region. Thanks to this number, we know exactly where the Bunker is located on the Atlantic Wall.
01: Corresponds to the bunker number in the position (only one bunker at Arcachon).
1943: The date of delivery. (Between 43 and 44, construction of the underground bunkers began, as requested by Hitler in 1942).
Located beneath the Tourist Office, it can be visited on your own during Tourist Office opening hours for €2 for children over 10, and as a guided tour for €10.
- What historic sites can you visit in Arcachon?
- Bunker 502: Bunker 502 is a German WW2 bunker built in 1943. The function of this bunker was to protect the telephone exchange, replacing the PTT in the event of bombing. It could accommodate around 20 people. It is located beneath the Tourist Office.
- Basilique Notre Dame and Chapelle des Marins (19th century): In 1519, Thomas Illyricus saw two ships ready to sink on the sandbanks. He made a sign of the cross in the sand and prayed for the unfortunate sailors. Suddenly, the waters calmed and the two ships were able to return to the open sea. As he stood up, thanking God, he discovered a statue of the Virgin Mary washed up on the beach. With the help of the locals, he built a wooden chapel to house and honor the statue 1.
- Saint Ferdinand Church near the Petit Port de Plaisance : The chapel was built in 1855 on the initiative of Mr. Célérier. Built in 6 months, the chapel was named Saint Ferdinand in honor of Cardinal Ferdinand Donnet. In 1900, a Romanesque church was built under the orders of Abbé de Mendivil, the parish priest, on the site of the former chapel, damaged by a cyclone in July 1897. It was built by the Plantey brothers.
- Notre Dame des Passes au Moulleau: The church is dedicated to the sailors who had to navigate the passes leading into the Arcachon Basin. Notre-Dame-des-Passes is home to the “Virgin of Advent”, one of over thirty statues of the pregnant Virgin.
- Do you have a list of accommodations?
- Do you have a list of campsites in Arcachon?
There’s only one campsite in Arcachon, Camping Huttopia.
See the list of campsites on the Bassin. - What are the motorhome parks near Arcachon?
– Municipal service area in Arcachon: free access, water, drainage, waste water (ATTENTION: right next to the waste disposal center).
– Aire des 3 coccinelles in Gujan-Mestras: 24/24 pay area, water, drainage, waste water. ATTENTION: There are no toilet blocks.
– Aire du Lac de Cazaux: 24/24 pay area, water, drainage, waste water. ATTENTION: There are no toilet blocks.