Visiting beautiful villages in Gironde and Les Landes (with kids)

Dear Travelers,

We’re a family with young kids (6 years old, 3 years old, and a newborn) and we’d like to spend about ten days in Aquitaine (in Gironde or Les Landes). We’d love to be near pretty villages to visit and, if possible, close to the sea. We’re planning to stay at a campsite with a pool so the kids can play. Could you recommend any places/villages/campsites for us? We don’t know the region at all.

Thanks so much!

Camille

Hi Camille,

The first two names that come to mind are, in completely different styles, Saint-Émilion and Soulac-sur-Mer. But while the first is far from the sea, the second has its feet in the water!

The photo above just to show the location of Soulac.

Soulac could fit what you're looking for. Personally, I go there about ten times a year and never get tired of it, even though you can explore it pretty quickly. With the pine forest on one side and the beaches, dunes, and ocean on the other, this little town (3,000 inhabitants) has a charming old quarter with its beautiful "Soulacaises" (the typical local houses). The beaches seem endless, and the sunsets are stunning.

Photo: the Soulacaises.

However, if you're planning to go in the summer, be aware: the population multiplies by 10, and it becomes all about the "beach vacation" vibe.

If you're based in Soulac, you can explore the surrounding area, the Médoc, where small villages live mainly from wine. Among them, Cussac-Fort-Médoc and its famous Vauban fortifications, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

And don’t forget to visit the Cordouan Lighthouse. It’s interesting, and kids might enjoy going to the top. If they get bored, they can play on the sandbank surrounding the lighthouse. Of course, there’s no elevator ;) so be prepared to climb the steps with the baby...

For campsites in Soulac, you’ll be spoiled for choice: by the sea or a little further back but closer to town...

Happy planning...

Hi Lhorizon,

Thank you so much for your detailed reply!! It’ll really help us get organized and gives us some great leads.

See you soon,

Camille

Hi there,

For my part, I’d also added Soulac to my list :) On our side, we really love Lacanau—it’s lively and great for nice walks. Here’s a little preview: http://lesgonesenbalade.over-blog.com/2017/07/aout-2016-lacanau-et-ses-environs.html

Further south, we also love Seignosse—it’s very family-friendly. http://lesgonesenbalade.over-blog.com/2016/06/vacances-d-ete-dans-les-landes.html

As someone from Bordeaux, I find the choice along the coast pretty limited. Lacanau, for example, is REALLY touristy—just restaurants and post-war apartment buildings. I’m not sure Soulac qualifies as a "village." If you want something more authentic, Île de Ré or Île d'Oléron are good options. Beyond that, for preserved villages by the Atlantic, you’d need to head to Brittany or Normandy. In Aquitaine, it’s mostly seaside resorts. That doesn’t mean they’re ugly—the Arcachon Basin is really pretty, for example—but they’re not "quaint villages to visit," so I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. Île de Ré, on the other hand, *is* made up of villages because there are strict laws on what can be built. Everything has to be white, no apartment buildings, nothing tall, no oversized celebrity villas. Just a heads-up: all the places people recommend get packed in the summer. For some, that might take away from the experience.

Hi there,

You didn’t specify when you’re planning to go. Just a heads-up—it gets crowded in the summer.

A great base camp is to stay at a campsite at the foot of the Dune of Pyla, just south of it. I can recommend one via PM where I regularly stay when I do a weekend bike trip in the area. It has a good restaurant and a water play area that the kids will love.

Right nearby: the Dune itself, swimming in the Ocean on the Banc d’Arguin side, and the spectacle of paragliders. About 10 minutes by car: the Bassin d’Arcachon and the little town of Arcachon. There are trans-bassin shuttles to reach the Cap-Ferret peninsula. Lots of great bike rides if you have bikes. Still around the bassin: Gujan-Mestras, an oyster-farming village. Further south in Les Landes: Biscarrosse-Plage, and especially Lake Biscarrosse and the Port Maguide site. The little town of Biscarrosse and its seaplane museum (kids love it).

Yes, it's true that Lacanau gets pretty crowded, and it's definitely not as pretty as the small villages on Île de Ré or even Île d'Oléron, but there's still a certain tranquility when you decide to park the car and go for a family bike ride :) And there are way fewer people than on the Mediterranean coast. I liked Biscarrosse-Plage a lot less, though. Méline

Hi, I only know this region by name, but I think Jemaflor might have some great ideas since he knows it really well. Anyway, he introduced me to it in this little "photo report": https://voyageforum.com/discussion/balade-autour-bassin-arcachon-cap-ferret-dune-pilat-d7412796-1/

Hello everyone,

Thanks for your replies. We chose the northern lake of Biscarrosse (really nice), a trip to Cap Ferret, Arcachon, and the Dune of Pilat. The "small villages" we love are actually more in the Lot or Dordogne regions, but we really enjoyed Les Landes. It was perfect with the kids. We’ll keep your suggestions (Soulac, Seignosse) for our next trip! Thanks and have a great summer.

Awesome! It's great to hear from you! Yes, the lake is really nice with kids

For an unforgettable holiday in Lacanau, check this out: https://www.bemyguest-lacanau.com/

Hi everyone,

A nice "throwback" to a topic, seven years later... but it might still be useful to many other visitors!

- For those drawn to Les Landes, I recommend visiting the "Ecomusée des Landes de Gascogne" starting from SABRES. You can find a personal photo tour here and on the following pages: https://forum.image-nature.com/viewtopic.php?f=162&t=65201&start=240

Using the same link as above, but starting from page 9, I’ll take you to discover the "Parc ornithologique du TEICH" by the Arcachon Basin. I visit it every time I return to my native Les Landes.

In both cases, plan to spend several hours on these visits.

Cheers,

Puma2A