Arcachon Bay: Nature at its Finest

Facing the Cap Ferret peninsula is the Dune of Pilat. It is the largest sand dune in Europe, standing 360 foot tall, and measuring 1,640 foot wide by 8,860 foot long.

This mountain of sand is formed by the combined action of the wind, the waves, and the tides, which constantly brings sand up from the base to the top on the western side.
Under the force of its own weight, the sand falls back on the eastern side of the dune, in a slow, rolling movement.

As such, each year, the dune advances between 3 and 16 feet in the direction of the forested area.
This continual movement can be seen by observing the World War II blockhouses, which were originally built on the top of the dune but are now in the water.

The western side of the dune has therefore become an incredible piece of living history.

The traces of black are the remains of vegetation and ancient soils, dating back 8,000 years.

The remains of settlements from the first Iron Age have also been discovered and studied by archaeologists.

To the east of the dune, the Landes de Gascogne forest stretches as far as the eye can see, covering almost 2.5 million acres. It is the largest forested area in Europe, and part of it is protected by the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park.

The Dune of Pilat owes its name to the Gascon word, "Pilot", which means heap or mound. Its spelling should not be confused with that of the nearby seaside resort of Pyla-sur-Mer. In the 1920s, its founder thought that adding the "y" made it seem more exotic.

The dune and its unique environment are classified as a Grand Site de France, and therefore benefit from protection and maintenance under French law.

From the top of the Dune of Pilat, you can admire the entrance to Arcachon Bay, marked out by the northern and southern channels, which are situated on both sides of the Banc d'Arguin sandbank. These channels allow boats to make their way between the bay and the ocean.

Just like the dune, the Banc d'Arguin sandbank moves constantly thanks to the wind, the waves, and the tides. Maps are published each year to advise boaters of the safest route to take.

Since the reserve was created, more than 320 different species of bird have been observed. This is equal to half of all bird species that exist in Europe.
Arcachon Bay is located on one of the continent's largest migration routes.
Several dozen species also nest or spend the winter in the reserve each year and tens of thousands of individual birds can be seen there.

Here is a white stilt, one of the typical species found at the reserve.

During the winter, the Ornithological Reserve of Teich is home to a large population of spoonbills—a wading species whose flattened beak allows them to scrape through the mud in search of food.

When it's high tide, the birds can be seen in the Teich Reserve. At low tide, they leave to feed in the almost completely empty bay.
The aptly named Île aux Oiseaux, meaning bird island, is home to a large number of birds, like this gray heron which can be seen at ebb tide.

At the behest of Emperor Napoleon III, oyster-breeding was developed in the bay. The first hut on stilts was built in 1883 for watching over the oyster beds to protect them from potential thieves.
It was swept away by a storm in 1943.

Two local figures who loved the bay and all its history decided to rebuild not just one but two huts on stilts!
The huts were opened in 1946 and 1948, respectively. They ended up becoming exclusive holiday spots, losing their original purpose as surveillance outposts.

The hut on stilts known as number 53 was abandoned in the 1970s following the death of its owners. Very dilapidated and dangerous for passing boaters, it was acquired by the town of La Teste-de-Buch, and in 2007, they decided to demolish it.

It was immediately rebuilt exactly as it used to be with support from the Fondation du Patrimoine (Cultural Heritage Foundation).
The central chimney in today's rebuilt hut is the original one that had been previously dismantled.
Managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral, the French organization for coastal protection, its purpose is to enhance both the natural and the man-made heritage of Île aux Oiseaux.

Île aux Oiseaux, with a surface area that varies from 470 to 4,200 acres depending on the tides, is largely public property under the management of the Conservatoire du Littoral.
Its 42 huts are allocated for a period of 7 years, to occupants who are selected based on their proposed improvement plans.

The 315 oyster farmers, spread out over 23 ports in the bay, now use these flat-bottomed barges.
However, oyster production is currently in decline, owing to a lack of food in the water, which is necessary for the oysters' development.

Maël Fontenay is one of the oyster farmers facing this decline in oyster numbers.
Like many other local producers who are determined to overcome this issue, he starts his oysters off in Arcachon Bay, but then sends them away to grow for several years in the colder waters of Normandy.
The oysters are then returned to their beds in the bay for a few weeks before being sold.

In order to get closer to his customer base and promote his activities, Maël had to turn his hand to other things.

After working on the oyster beds, he goes to the local market in La Teste-de-Buch. He has a stall there with his partner, where they sell shellfish and local dishes that can be eaten on the spot or taken away.

As with many other oyster farmers in the bay, Maël also sells some of his oysters directly to customers from a little cabin on his boat.
These cabins, with their colored shutters, are part of the charm of the oyster harbors in Arcachon Bay.