To celebrate 10 weeks away from Australia, I decided to take myself on a little adventure to la plage. Given that I hadn't seen coastal water in nearly 2 months, I thought, where better to go than one of Aquitaine's most celebrated seaside spots, the Arcachon Basin, with an added jaunt to Cap Ferret. (Pleeeease read in a French accent, instead of conjuring up a wriggling furry worm mammal, it will make this experience much more enjoyable. Practise with me, Cap Fe-ray. Bon!)
I decided to take the train from Bordeaux to the town of Arcachon, which only took 50 minutes, and cost the bargain basement price of €5.60 each way. Thanks SNCF and my amazing Carte Jeune! Enjoyed a compulsory train nap on the way, and arrived in a decidedly cooler Atlantic climate around 10am. I followed the swarms of crowds off the train to venture into the town from the station, and see what this place had to offer. Freezing winds and closed shops by the looks of things! I noticed a group of girls with backpacks and hiking boots (Serious day trippers! Not like casual Sarah with her handbag and sandals!) waiting for a bus to take them to the Dune du Pilat. Ooh! A Dune! Yep, it's the tallest sand dune in Europe and apparently boasts a spectacular view of the Atlantic and the surrounding area, according to Lonely Planet. However I imagine it requires some degree of physical exertion getting to the peak, so I opted for the "pretend you're meeting your fabulous french friends on the cape" adventure and trundled off to find the bateau to take me to Cap Ferret.
After walking in the direction of the water and through the town (or the Ville d'Été to be specific) I found the Jetée Thiers from which the transfer boat left. €13 will get you a return trip from Arcy to The Cape, and I waited nervously to board the vessel. A slight oversight meant that I had left my seasickness bands at home, and given that I've been known to turn green in a dinghy, I was concerned that I might throw up over the poor Madame and her dog seated infront of me. However, not to fear! I survived the journey with my breakfast remaining inside my belly! The boat trip took us along the basin, and provided a view of the dune, so I didn't feel like I missed out.
Once on dry land again, I trekked inland, and after consulting a map and believing I had it committed to memory, I headed in the direction of la marché. And what a marché it was! Thank god for french holiday makers! Much like any beach town markets, there was a selection of beach fashion, fresh nibbly foods, decorator items and accessories, but because it's in France, it has that certain "je ne sais quoi" to it. Fell in love with these markets and wanted to stay forever. But I had places to be! I couldn't just meander through the stalls for hours chatting away with the lovely folk and spending all my money on obscure items! I jest! Of course I could! And I did! But then, the way all fairy tales end, I needed to find a toilet, and so began the quest. "WC Publique!" Yes! And free! Could this day get any better?! It can, and it would, mes amis.
Next up, le phare! The lighthouse on Cap Ferret is the closest thing to a tourist attraction, with a cute little "history of lighthouses" exhibition and lighthouse themed gift shop. Plus you can climb the 258 stairs to reach the top of the lighthouse to gain a view of the area. I'm always keen for a monument stair climb, so I was in! The view from the summit was pretty great- in one direction was the dune and Arcachon, and the other, the Atlantic coast. Wild! Plus the winds offered the chance for my sweat to dry before I made the decent.
Lunch time! I was in the oyster capital of France, an opportunity that I couldn't just throw away. Boeuf bourguignon, non merci! There's a little community of oyster farmers who have restaurants offering oyster and seafood degustations, so it was in their direction that I was headed. After making sure that I wasn't too late for lunch (it was after 2pm, the usual game over time) I was assured that of course I could eat- winner! I sat overlooking the water and watched holiday-ers paddling and boating as I ate oysters and prawns in the sun. Parfait! Not even the umbrella flying at my table and spilling wine everywhere could ruin my lunch! I was just the laughing girl in the corner while everyone rushed around to make sure I was okay. "Oh there's that Australian girl who's always just walking around on her own, laughing..." Following a lovely little chat with the owner of the restaurant, I wandered back into the town centre for an icecream and sit by the water.
After soaking up some sun and salt, I ventured back to Arcachon, and onto the train to Bordeaux following what was one of my happiest days since arriving in France. Nothing like a bit of sea air to lift the spirits! I give Arcachon and Cap Ferret 5 stars.
I decided to take the train from Bordeaux to the town of Arcachon, which only took 50 minutes, and cost the bargain basement price of €5.60 each way. Thanks SNCF and my amazing Carte Jeune! Enjoyed a compulsory train nap on the way, and arrived in a decidedly cooler Atlantic climate around 10am. I followed the swarms of crowds off the train to venture into the town from the station, and see what this place had to offer. Freezing winds and closed shops by the looks of things! I noticed a group of girls with backpacks and hiking boots (Serious day trippers! Not like casual Sarah with her handbag and sandals!) waiting for a bus to take them to the Dune du Pilat. Ooh! A Dune! Yep, it's the tallest sand dune in Europe and apparently boasts a spectacular view of the Atlantic and the surrounding area, according to Lonely Planet. However I imagine it requires some degree of physical exertion getting to the peak, so I opted for the "pretend you're meeting your fabulous french friends on the cape" adventure and trundled off to find the bateau to take me to Cap Ferret.
After walking in the direction of the water and through the town (or the Ville d'Été to be specific) I found the Jetée Thiers from which the transfer boat left. €13 will get you a return trip from Arcy to The Cape, and I waited nervously to board the vessel. A slight oversight meant that I had left my seasickness bands at home, and given that I've been known to turn green in a dinghy, I was concerned that I might throw up over the poor Madame and her dog seated infront of me. However, not to fear! I survived the journey with my breakfast remaining inside my belly! The boat trip took us along the basin, and provided a view of the dune, so I didn't feel like I missed out.
Next up, le phare! The lighthouse on Cap Ferret is the closest thing to a tourist attraction, with a cute little "history of lighthouses" exhibition and lighthouse themed gift shop. Plus you can climb the 258 stairs to reach the top of the lighthouse to gain a view of the area. I'm always keen for a monument stair climb, so I was in! The view from the summit was pretty great- in one direction was the dune and Arcachon, and the other, the Atlantic coast. Wild! Plus the winds offered the chance for my sweat to dry before I made the decent.
Lunch time! I was in the oyster capital of France, an opportunity that I couldn't just throw away. Boeuf bourguignon, non merci! There's a little community of oyster farmers who have restaurants offering oyster and seafood degustations, so it was in their direction that I was headed. After making sure that I wasn't too late for lunch (it was after 2pm, the usual game over time) I was assured that of course I could eat- winner! I sat overlooking the water and watched holiday-ers paddling and boating as I ate oysters and prawns in the sun. Parfait! Not even the umbrella flying at my table and spilling wine everywhere could ruin my lunch! I was just the laughing girl in the corner while everyone rushed around to make sure I was okay. "Oh there's that Australian girl who's always just walking around on her own, laughing..." Following a lovely little chat with the owner of the restaurant, I wandered back into the town centre for an icecream and sit by the water.
After soaking up some sun and salt, I ventured back to Arcachon, and onto the train to Bordeaux following what was one of my happiest days since arriving in France. Nothing like a bit of sea air to lift the spirits! I give Arcachon and Cap Ferret 5 stars.
