Its early summer, the French schools have yet to break up, its quiet and we are on holiday with our London based family near the small town of Lacanau, about an hours drive west from Bordeaux. Stretching southwards along the Atlantic Coast this area is maritime pine & oak forest predominately, with wetlands and coastline that become the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park. This then runs between the Ocean and the Garonne River and southwards towards the Spanish border. The area has also become quite a holiday destination for the French, other Europeans and us as we find out a little of what it means to holiday here.
Its 2024, so we travel by RyanAir from London Stansted to Bordeaux Merignac Airport and onwards to Lacanau by rental car.
Had we arrived in 1924, we would have taken the Train from Bordeaux’s Gare de Medoc to Lacanau and even on to Lacanau Ocean at the coast. The train line network (see pic below), built circa 1885, across the Medoc was originally to ferry maritime pinewood within the Bordeaux region. But this then developed with tourist passenger traffic and the 60km train ride would have taken us 3 hours from the Gare de Medoc to Lacanau. The line was extended to Lacanau Ocean in 1905.
Back in 1924 we would have had our choice of 1st, 2nd or 3rd class carriages – but of course we would have been in 1st class as we would have taken our family’s horses with us in the attached cattle trucks. Intriguingly by mid 20th century the Diesel engine towing the train had the ability at the terminus to rise up on its hydraulics and swivel around so that the driver and engine were facing the return direction of travel. History and technology, how wonderful.
Today at Lacanau Ocean we are still greeted by a style of architecture from the turn of the 20th century, Pierre Orval’s – “Architecture Baleade”, came in about 1903, and the villa below was one of many examples we found. But more of Lacanau Ocean today reminds us of Portuguese Atlantic Ocean coastal tourist destinations,shops, cafes and modern apartments. The town is quiet at the moment, but its getting ready for the impending arrival of many holiday makers.
This area endeavours to provide for a wide range of tourist activities. If you want the big surf, or a big beach then this is for you. The constant pounding of Atlantic Ocean surf, Lifeguards and their piercing whistles to keep the surfers away from colliding with swimmers/boogie boarders braving the Atlantic. No car parks, quite a challenge in high season but places to lock your obligatory Mountain Bike ( + surf board carrier) up to. Lots of bikes on show all around the are, networks of bike trails and clearly the way to get about. We had a bit of a dip/drenching in the sea it was not as cold as I had feared, rather refreshing but not a family swimming beach. Great sand for sand castle building though!
if you seek a more family safe beach/ swimming and water sports environment then the Etangs, Estuaries and Lakes are for you and us. Le Moutchic at the north end of the Etang de Lacanau was perfect for us. A short drive from our accomodation in the Marina de Talaris forested hamlet ( hameau) communities. Le Moutchic has a soft sandy beach, clean lake water, windsurfing, yachting, fishing, bouncy water castle slide combination and ice creams-perfect!!
Back to history and 1917, the US Airforce used Le Moutchic and the Etang de Lacanau as its Seaplane Base. Not many Americans in evidence when we visited, plenty of French, some Germans and a few Kiwis.
We have been coming on holidays to France for many years, and there are some accepted compulsory ingredients to every one. So supermarket shopping always means buying too much cheese, pate, terrine and wine than we can consume. But it is fun – such a great overpowering selection of cheese, coffees, fresh fish – the list goes on. However the “breakfast boulangerie run” for fresh croissants, pain au raisin et chocolat, also a must do . A highlight this year being to go with granddaughter Amelie to choose, and perhaps a coffee and “baby chino” at the cafe by the excellent childrens playground – why not, we are on our holidays, after all.
However we must not forget the compulsory visit to the Weekly Market, where bargains are on display and if not quite a bargain the offers of free samples of brioche, cheese, salamis etc, mean that more excellent cheese and cake is acquired.
In fact we now have way too much cheese and need to invest in plastic containers and ice packs to enable said oversupply cheese to travel onwards with us!! We did contemplate the Oyster sales chap and his inviting variety of oysters, but it was a hot day, mid morning and passed on the opportunity.
And that was Lacanau and France for us this year, back to the UK c/o a delayed RyanAir flight – note to self – next time remove one’s water bottle from the bag in the overhead locker before takeoff. After takeoff air pressure increases pushing water out of the bottle nozzle and dripping onto an unsuspecting passenger- oops Pardon Monsieur !!!
Next stop Cornwall, England!!
Travels with My Wife 