Arcachon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
I. Population and Area
Total Area: 7, 56 km2 (2.92 sq mi)
Population in 2017: 11 284
Population Density: 1493 /km2 (3864 /sq mi)
II. Natural Geography (environment and resources)
Arcachon is a commune in south-western France, sub-prefecture of the Gironde department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. It was created in 1857 by detachment of part of the town of La Teste-de-Buch.
An integral part of the former province of Gascogne, it is part of the Pays de Buch, Landes de Gascogne and Landes forest.
Seaside resort and fishing port, the town is bounded to the north by the Arcachon basin, to the south by the town of La Teste-de-Buch, in which the resort of Pyla-sur-Mer is an extension of that of Arcachon.
Communications and transport:
1. The main communication channels are:
1) the railway line from Bordeaux to Arcachon (Arcachon station);
2) the regional road 1250 (former national road 250) also links Arcachon to Bordeaux (rue de Pessac);
3) the A660 motorway connects to the A63 motorway (Bordeaux-Hendaye).
2. Local means of transport are:
1) the public elevator of the Moorish Park;
2) Bus Eho (mini electric buses) within the city;
3) the Baïa bus network, which provides access to the municipalities of La Teste-de-Buch, Gujan-Mestras and Le Teich (Arcachon is served by lines 1, 2 and 3 of this network);
4) Arcachon's bicycle: since 2012, Arcachon's bicycle (“sand and gold” colors) has been distributed to all Arcachon households on request (one per tax household in main housing);
5) Since July 1, 2015, the BlueCub has been putting its Bolloré1 carsharing cars into service1.
Arcachon also benefits from the vast network of cycle paths around the basin, connecting Biscarrosse to Pyla-sur-Mer, Pyla-sur-Mer to La Teste-de-Buch, La Teste-de-Buch to Arcachon, in particular to the resort beaches . You can also follow the coast from Arcachon to Teich via La Teste-de-Buch and Gujan-Mestras. An extension between Le Teich and Biganos now makes it possible to go around the entire basin.
III. Economic Status
Employment income (%): 67.5 (2016)
Poverty rate by age group of the tax advisor(%): 12 (201)
Average employment income (€): 2 543 net per month (30 519 net per year)（2014）
IV. Industrial Characterisitics
A climatic and seaside resort, an important fishing and sailing port, a commercial center, the city is visited each summer by nearly 90,000 summer visitors, and, in the off-season on certain weekends, by nearly 15,000 people. It has one of the highest growth rates in the Gironde and the Aquitaine coast (+ 1.2% between 1999 and 2007).
Arcachon was also a ski resort from 1938 to 1970, the snow being replaced by a carpet of pine needles. The winter city track was used for slalom, downhill and even ski jumping. Each year, starting in 1947, the last competition appearing on the official calendar of the French ski federation was run on the Arcachon piste in the same way as Chamonix or Megève.
The economy of the basin is mainly organized around three poles:
1. Arcachon oyster farming, most of whose production is carried out by the city of Gujan-Mestras. Arcachon oysters are already known to Rabelais. But the industrial organization of the parks, in Île aux Oiseaux and in the bay, dates from 1849;
2. tourism and seaside activities, with yachting and its yards and workshops such as the Couach shipyard in Gujan-Mestras;
3. the paper industry, including the Smurfit paper factory, located in Facture-Biganos.
V. Attractions
1. La plage Pereire (Pereire beach)
In a calm and preserved natural environment, discover an unknown but diverse fauna! Young and old, armed with buckets and spades, take advantage of the low tide to explore the foreshore and understand the secrets of its countless hosts. Among the algae and seagrass, under the sand or in a few centimeters of water, live shells, crabs and shrimps, sea urchins and groundfish are just waiting for your visit!
This west-facing beach enjoys an exceptional view of the Arcachon basin and the Cap Ferret peninsula. Full of romanticism, the last rays of the sun are reflected with splendor on the ocean, offering a unique ephemeral spectacle.
2. Le Port d’Arcachon (the port of Arcachon)
When you appreciate the sea air and look for authenticity, the port of Arcachon is irresistibly charming. With its 2,700 rings, it is the second marina on the Atlantic coast behind that of Brest. A place that has many surprises in store for you!
Nestled between the Ville d'Automne of Arcachon and La Teste de Buch, the marina is the only deep water port in the basin and borders the fishing port and the oyster farming district of l'Aiguillon. Postcard landscapes, these authentic places are nonetheless lively places where it is good to stroll on foot or by bike.
Since the origins of the city of Arcachon, the port has perpetuated an artisanal fishing and oyster farming activity. Notice to the early risers, let yourself be tempted by the fascinating visit of the Arcachon auction to discover the riches of the basin and the Bay of Biscay.
Enjoy strolling along the Heritage quay reserved for traditional boats in the basin: pinnace, wolf, old rigging. Let yourself be lulled by the movement of the water and the swaying of the boats moored during your walk. Walk the Quai Goslar in the direction of the Maison-de-la-Mer and from the viewpoint from the “Péris en Mer” monument for a breathtaking panoramic view of the marina.
The life of the port is organized around fishing activities, but also around traders, who participate in its influence and animation. Continue your walk to the east and discover the colorful huts with red tile roofs of the former fishing district of Pointe de l'Aiguillon. This charming oyster district is one of the most picturesque and photogenic places in Arcachon.
3. Le bassin d’Arcachon (The Arcachon basin)
The Arcachon basin is the perfect place for a sailing cruise in the middle of an inland sea with the most exclusive coastal landscapes.
As a couple, with family or friends, renting a sailboat on the Arcachon basin is the promise of a completely free getaway. From the Dune du Pilat to the Banc d'Arguin, from Arcachon to Ile aux Oiseaux or from Andernos-les-Bains to Lège-Cap-Ferret, the wonders of the Arcachon basin and the Bay of Biscay welcome you for an unforgettable vacation!
For a day, a weekend or more, embark on a sailboat from the port of Arcachon and set sail on the azure waters of the basin. Hair in the winds, breathe, smell the sea air and feel the spray accompanying your sea trip through landscapes worthy of a postcard.
4. Église Notre-Dame-des-Passes(Notre-Dame-des-Passes church)
l Notre-Dame-des-Passes church is a Catholic church located in Arcachon, in the Gironde department. It depends on the Archdiocese of Bordeaux.
The church is dedicated to sailors who had to face the entry passes into the Arcachon basin. Notre-Dame-des-Passes welcomes the "Virgin of Advent", which represents one of the thirty statues of the pregnant Virgin.
The Notre-Dame-des-Passes church was built in 1863, as a chapel of a Dominican convent, by a Bordeaux architect Louis Garros. This chapel is in the Greek Orthodox style in memory of the Byzantine churches that the fathers had known during their mission. It was inaugurated on May 24, 1864 by Cardinal Donnet. In 1928, the chapel was enlarged and became the parish church of the district. The church was restored in 1993.
VI. History
Until the beginning of the 19th century, Arcachon was reduced to a few fishermen and resin huts on the edge of the Arcachon basin.
Fixing the dunes:
When Louis XVI intended to establish a military port in Arcachon bay, it was first necessary to fix the sands of the dunes. The marine engineer Charlevoix de Villiers studied the question and proposed, in 1779, the use of plantations. Victim of intrigue, he fell into disgrace. The problem was taken up nine years later by Nicolas Brémontier. Brémontier first built a dyke intended to stop the progress of the sands at the starting point. About 70 m from the line reached by the highest seas, a palisade of planks is plunged into the ground against which the sand accumulates. Raising the planks as the sand rises, we create a "coastal dune" 10 to 12 m high, forming a barrier. The sand of the surface is fixed by seedlings of gourbet, whose thick maze of roots spreads quickly. Brémontier then tackles the problem of fixing the interior dunes. Seeds of maritime pines, mixed with seeds of gorse and broom are sown under a cover of fagots of branches which temporarily maintain the sands. After four years, the broom reaches almost two meters in height. The pine, slower growing, grows protected and soon distances other plants which, by rotting, provide organic fertilizing elements.
The birth of the station then that of the town:
In 1841, a railway line linked Bordeaux and La Teste-de-Buch. In 1845, a deep-water landing was built on the bay, five kilometers north of La Teste-de-Buch; a road, traced through salt meadows, dessert. Villas are being built: Arcachon was born.
In the first part of the 19th century, the site, already appreciated for the quality of its climate, experienced very rapid growth, in particular thanks to the creation of the Bordeaux-La Teste railway line, which brought people across the region to the Basin. In 1823, a sailor by the name of François Legallais opened a sea bathing establishment aimed at wealthy customers.
Arcachon, former district of La Teste-de-Buch, was erected as a commune by imperial decree (Napoleon III) on May 2, 1857; Alphonse Lamarque de Plaisance, the first mayor, is also the father of the city's motto: Heri solitudo, hodie vicus, cras civitas ie Yesterday desert, today village, tomorrow city, completely premonitory.
Thalassotherapy, climatotherapy and even later hydrotherapy, with the discovery in 1923 of the Sainte-Anne des Abatilles spring, the fate of Arcachon was oriented from the outset towards that of a health town.
The role of the Pereire brothers:
Bankers and owners of the railway between Bordeaux and La Teste, the Pereire brothers decided to extend the line to Arcachon with the idea of making this place a commercial and port hub. Already many people came by rail to take advantage of the region and the Landes races taking place in the arenas of Arcachon (hard arenas which have been demolished) and La Teste (wooden arenas that can accommodate 5,000 people, located on the old Place du Coum, now Place Edmond-Rostand, behind the salt meadows).
The commercial project was not a great success, but the Pereire brothers developed summer and spa tourism by acquiring the land where they founded the Winter City. From that moment, the city did not cease enriching establishments inciting to the luxury and the relaxation like the famous casino of the beach built in 1853 also called Castle Deganne of the name of its constructor.
The builders of the city were also inspired by the colonial style with the Moorish Casino also called Casino de la forêt because of its location on the wooded dune of the Winter City. Its architecture was inspired by the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque of Cordoba. After having had its heyday, it was more or less neglected and ended up being destroyed by fire in 1977.
Anecdote: in the Winter City, there is at its geographical location in the Moorish park, an alley of the Moulin Rouge in tribute to the great painter Toulouse-Lautrec who spent his holidays in Arcachon. The latter had a house by the beach and loved to swim.
VII. Other information
Launched by the rise of sea bathing in the 19th century, Arcachon has managed to preserve its traditions, its authenticity and its uniqueness. Here, the sea air and the rhythm of the tides lead you by the nose.
Coming to Arcachon is an opportunity to discover a wonderful adventure field: hiking and biking trails, a lake suitable for all kinds of water sports.
In Arcachon, taking the time to live is a philosophy of life. A true corner of paradise for epicureans.
Take the time to wander on the beach, stroll around the port of Arcachon, walk the markets or listen to the gentle murmur of the chop from a boat heading to Île aux Oiseaux.
Take the time to visit the Arcachon fish market, to linger in an oyster hut and to appreciate the ancestral know-how of oyster farmers by tasting a dozen oysters accompanied by a glass of white wine such as a ritual without which the holidays would not have the same flavor.
VIII. Contact information
Arcachon town hall address :
Arcachon town hall
Place Lucien-de-Gracia
CS 90133
33311 Arcachon Cedex
Mayor: Yves Foulon (Mandat : 2014-2020)
Phone number: 05 57 52 98 98
Fax: 05 57 52 98 51
Mail: mairie@ville-arcachon.fr
Website : http://www.ville-arcachon.fr