Iconic by bike: the Cap-Ferret lighthouse

Located on the sandy spit that protects the Bassin d'Arcachon to the west, the Piraillan Reservoirs form a protected natural area, property of the Conservatoire du Littoral. From the gate, a feeling of calm and tranquility invades you, it's amazing. We want to breathe deeply! The site is made up of 39 hectares, including 6 hectares of reservoirs delimiting four islets. From the top of the dune, you can see Bird Island in the distance. Black kites, swans, gray herons have taken up residence in the reserve.

Located on the southern part of the peninsula, the red and white lighthouse culminates at 57 meters high, with a breathtaking view of the Dune du Pilat. Built between 1839 and 1840, it was rebuilt 3 times! Dynamized by the Germans, it was replaced by a makeshift lighthouse made of aluminum elements before being rebuilt almost identically in 1949. Its original optical system, stolen after the Second World War, could be retrieved and placed back on top. Not to be missed: the 360° panorama from the Atlantic to the Île aux Oiseaux.

In the village of l'Herbe, the chapel of the Villa Algérienne or Sainte Marie du Cap is a building of Moorish inspiration, intended for Catholic worship. Originally reserved "for Mr. Léon Lesca and his family", this chapel was part of the Villa Algérienne estate, a Moorish-style palace destroyed in the 60s. Note that its bell tower is decorated with a cross and a crescent. It is classified as a historical monument. 360° tour available on Google. Guided tours are organized, information and reservations at the Tourist Office.

Cap, pointe, peninsula, words evocative of wide open spaces and these are not lacking when you travel through the dunes of Cap Ferret. The Pointe du Cap Ferret is a piece of the world, a piece of the world between two waters... the ocean and the Bassin d'Arcachon. To experience this exceptional discovery, take the "Abécédaire des dunes" trail at the entrance to Cap Ferret. The walker gradually discovers a huge photo album that unfolds according to the alphabet from A for "Seaweed" to Z for "Zostera before arriving at the Pointe du Cap Ferret where a breathtaking landscape opens up. Guided tours possible.