Arcachon and the Landes

On the Atlantic coast not far from Bordeaux lies the beautiful seaside town of Arcachon, well-known for its oyster culture, its fishing harbor, and its bathing resort where sea winds mix with the fresh scent of pine trees from the nearby forest of the Landes.

Situated at the base of the Arcachon basin, and originally a vast desert, the city of Arcachon was the brainchild of the barons of power in the 19^th century who saw a unique opportunity to create an elite spa-town in this wild and beautiful area. François Legallais decided to create the first hotel in 1823, extolling the virtues of the sea air and the forest pines. His gamble paid off: the city quickly built its reputation as a place to cure tuberculosis and lymphatic disease, becoming a four-star destination for the wealthy Bordeaux residents who created enormous mansions as their second homes in what became known as the “Ville d’hiver”, the winter town. Other areas soon built up, giving the names of the four seasons to the different areas, hence one can also find the summer town, the spring town and the autumn town.

Known for its wild dunes, the nearly 15,000 square kilometers of the area are covered with a thick sand, which, carried by winds, create dunes of varying heights. The inland dunes do not usually exceed 15 meters high and are fixed from moving too much by vegetation.

The coastal dunes, however, are still “active,” and can reach much greater heights due to their constant movement. The Dune du Pyla (or Pilat), near Arcachon, is Europe’s largest sand dune at over 100 meters high. It’s quite a feat to climb it, but the view from the top of the Atlantic Ocean and the city itself is breathtaking.

French teachers, join us this summer as we travel to Arcachon from Bordeaux for a lively day’s outing during our workshop for French teachers to be held July 15-26, 2012. Click here for further details.

Alain Juppé, former prime minister of France and long-time mayor of Bordeaux, initiated massive renovations of the city in the 1990’s, bringing the formerly dark and closed city into the 21st century. An efficient and wide-reaching tramway spread over the city, huge restructuring of the quays along the Garonne River, an opening of the Vieille Ville and the cleaning up of many of the medieval buildings have totally transformed Bordeaux into a modern, elegant and bright city. Take a short tour of the new city and enjoy the beautiful Bordeaux architecture.

Start at the Place Quinconces, the largest public square in France. Formerly the home of a medieval fortress demolished in 1820, the Quinconques Square today boasts a 43-metre monument to the victims of the Terror who were guillotined during the French Revolution. Adorned with several dramatic statues of horses representing the Garonne River, the Dordogne River, and the city of Bordeaux, the motto “Liberty Breaking Free from her Chains” expresses the spirit of this proud city today.

From the Quinconces Square, make your way to the Grand Theatre, currently the Bordeaux Opera House, surrounded by arcades and a portico with giant columns, it hosts a lively restaurant and is general meeting place for the Bordelais residents.

Take Tram B a few stops along the Quai des Chartrons to witness the incredible upheaval in this former portuary area, all cleaned up. Several new shops, restaurants, covered markets and chic boutiques nest in the old warehouses where wine barrels once stood. Always the busy center of town as the main center of the wine trade, the Chartrons boardwalk, a few kilometers long, has been remade as a public garden and follows the banks of Garonne and ends up a the Public Gardens, passing in front of the beautiful buildings of the Bourse and the remarkable “mirror of water”.

Innovative design can be found throughout Bordeaux today, expressing its renewal and dynamism while remaining true to its former glory as the center of the French wine trade.

If you plan on visiting, take this Bordeaux Architecture walking tour and enjoy the sites!

Part of the enchantment of the city of Bordeaux is its fascinating history. In addition to its excellent location on the Garonne River at the mouth of the Gironde estuary, its turbulent but compelling past may be summed up in three stages:

• Known as Burdigala in Roman times, the city owed its fortune to the creation of the first vineyard along the Atlantic coast during the first century. This gallo-roman city called “little Rome” cultivated an Antique civilization which lasted until the invasion of the Francs and the Normans, beginning in the third century, when the city fell into a period of obscurity.

• During the Middle Ages, the long-lasting political union between the duchy of Aquitaine and the British Royalty (1154-1443) brought about great prosperity due to the export of Bordeaux wines to the British Iles. By the 14^th century the city’s population had grown to nearly thirty thousand, very high for a medieval town.

• The third period of Bordeaux’s prosperity came during the 18^th century, again due to its thriving wine culture, especially in the Médoc region. By this time Bordeaux had become annexed to France and was an important port for colonial commerce, trading sugar, coffee and slaves from the West Indies. With its aristocratic parliament and its intellectual elite (including Montesquieu), the 18^th century is known as Bordeaux’s “golden age.” French author Victor Hugo found the town so beautiful he once claimed, “Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux”. In 1856, Baron Haussmann, a long-time prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux’s 18th century big-scale rebuilding as a model when asked by Emperor Napoleon III to modernize a then still medieval Paris. Visitors can see evidence of Bordeaux’s classical architecture in such splendeurs as the Place Royale, the buildings along the quays, and the Grand-Theatre.

Take a guided tour and see how Bordeaux’s glorious past is reflected in the modern city of today. Bonne visite!