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Things to do in Arcachon and the Dune of Pilat

5 activity ideas, with how long they take, an indicative price and the best time of day. Best time to visit: from May to September.

Things to do

  1. The Dune of Pilat

    A hundred and two meters of sand above the ocean, and the sunset over the Banc d’Arguin. On Wikipedia (in French)

    Nature and sceneryNature3 hr≈ €8best in the evening

  2. Bird Island and the stilt cabins

    Two cabins on stilts in the middle of the bay, by boat at high tide. On Wikipedia (in French)

    Nature and sceneryViewpoint2 hr≈ €20best in the afternoon

  3. The Ville d’Hiver

    Second Empire villas built for tuberculosis patients, in the pines above the beach. On Wikipedia (in French)

    Culture and historyMonument1 hr 30 minFreebest in the morning

  4. Cap Ferret and its oysters

    The boat crossing, the lighthouse, and oysters from the bay in an oyster farmer’s hut. On Wikipedia (in French)

    FoodBeach5 hr≈ €20takes the whole day

  5. The Landes forest by bike

    Cycle paths in the shade of the pines, from one oyster village to the next. On Wikipedia (in French)

    RelaxationSport3 hr≈ €12best in the morning

When to go

The most pleasant months in Arcachon and the Dune of Pilat: from May to September, taking weather and crowds into account.

More ideas for those months: where to go in May, where to go in June, where to go in July, where to go in August, where to go in September.

Averages measured over recent years: mean temperatures and number of rainy days, month by month.

The climate in Arcachon and the Dune of Pilat, month by month
MonthHighLowRainy days
January11 °C / 52 °F6 °C / 43 °F14
February13 °C / 55 °F6 °C / 43 °F10
March15 °C / 59 °F8 °C / 46 °F16
April17 °C / 63 °F10 °C / 50 °F15
May ideal19 °C / 66 °F13 °C / 55 °F15
June ideal24 °C / 75 °F17 °C / 63 °F13
July ideal24 °C / 75 °F18 °C / 64 °F11
August ideal26 °C / 79 °F18 °C / 64 °F10
September ideal23 °C / 73 °F15 °C / 59 °F12
October21 °C / 70 °F13 °C / 55 °F13
November16 °C / 61 °F9 °C / 48 °F13
December12 °C / 54 °F7 °C / 45 °F13

What budget on the ground?

Per person and per day, including accommodation, meals, local transport and visits — excluding the round trip. An estimate calculated the same way as in the app, from the local cost of living.

Budget
€65
Mid-range
€125
Comfort
€230

Getting there from Paris: the carbon footprint

Per person, round trip, in kilograms of CO₂ equivalent — manufacturing, energy and, for flights, contrails included.

Train
4 kg
Bus
51 kg
Plane
240 kg

By train rather than by plane: 240 kg less CO₂e per person (60 times less).

Factors from ADEME (Impact CO₂); outside France, rail uses the European average published by the European Environment Agency.

Book on the ground

Tours and tickets

Internet on site (eSIM)

From the airport

Rent a car

Partner links: if you book through them, Tripora may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you and without changing the order of these lists, which is alphabetical.

Good to know: France

Plugs
Type C, E, 230 V
Emergencies
112, 15 (ambulance), 17 (police), 18 (fire)
Driving
On the right

Near Arcachon and the Dune of Pilat

Elsewhere in France