“Would you like to register for the outing to Arcachon?”, the cruise director asked as we went through my list of trips. I was on an 8-day Bordeaux white wine cruise and had absolutely nothing prepared for the following day. I asked him about Arcachon and he summarized the top tourist attractions in just a few words: “Beaches, oysters and Belle Époque architecture”. That was ample to encourage me; “Oh yes, sign me up please!”. Little did I know then that this excursion would be one of the highlights of the cruise.
Arcachon aerial view (image by A.Czapp/ Unsplash )Arcachon is a beach town roughly 60km southwest of Bordeaux (map). Located at the edge of the huge Arcachon Bay, one of the leading oyster farming areas in France, Arcachon is surrounded by Landes Forest, the largest manufactured woodlands in Western Europe. Nearby lies Dune du Pilat, Europe’s tallest dunes. Previously a small fishing community, Arcachon was developed into a seaside resort in the late-19th/ early-20th centuries, the Belle Époque period, for the well-off in Bordeaux. The rich built extravagant vacation homes in a mix of architectural styles, from Gothic and Moorish to Swiss and Victorian, which have actually given that ended up being collectively known as the Arcachonnaise (Arcachon villas). 
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A charming café in Arcachon Arcachon: a town of four seasons The town is divided into 4 districts, one for each season. The summer season district encompasses the town centre, whilst the winter district, located in the hills neglecting the centre, is home to the most extravagant Arcachonnaise. The autumn district covers the port and the anglers’s community of l’Aiguillon, and the spring district consists of the southern beaches and Le Moulleau, a dynamic seaside neighbourhood. 
Among the numerous Arcachonnaise in the winter district We reached Arcachon in a little over an hour from Bordeaux. Prior to entering the town, we switched off the main road into the La Teste-de-Buch port. Positioned on an inlet of Arcachon Bay, the port area is popular for its oyster bars and dining establishments. The oyster producers have their farms in the bay however serve them fresh at these eateries on the banks of the inlet. 
La Teste-de-Buch inlet at low tide Arcachon oysters I enjoy oysters so I was really thrilled when the bus came to a stop at Kabane 171, a small restaurant positioned at the suggestion of the peninsula that sticks out into the inlet. The owner welcomed us with a big smile and offered us a lively discussion about the oyster farming market in Arcachon Bay. Discussion about oyster farming
We went into the oysters shortly thereafter, coupled with a beautiful white wine from the Bordeaux region. They were absolutely divine: a scrumptious, layered flavour with distinct notes of brine and balanced by a light sweet taste and mouth-watering umami.
Delicious Arcachon oysters. Arcachon town centre: the summer district Our next stop was the town centre. As we got in the town, we drove previous dubious avenues lined by beautiful villas. The vacation homes, each with a special appearance, definitely take the program! Even if you’re not a fan of oysters and you don’t care too much about beaches, a day trip to Arcachon from Bordeaux is absolutely worth the effort due to the fact that of 
these gorgeous rental properties
. Arcachon rental property The bus dropped us off at the Arcachon Gambling establishment that’s housed in the castle-like Château Deganne. From there, we checked out the town centre on foot. On the other side of the casino was the promenade and the beach. The boardwalk, loaded with dining establishments, cafés and shops, was specifically lively. The sandy beach looked extremely inviting but I had a fair bit of exploring to do. Arcachon Gambling establishment 
The boardwalk runs the length of the beach At the far end of the beach is Jetée Thiers, a historical pier, from which boats leave frequently for bay trips and to Cap Ferrat, a high end beach community on the other side 
of the bay. < img src="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3251-640x469.jpeg" alt="things to do in arcachon"width="640" height="469"/ > Jetée Thiers< img src="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3252-1-640x462.jpeg" alt="field trip from bordeaux to arcachon"width ="640"height=" 462 "/ > The beach After an excellent lunch at Grand coffee shop Victoria, I invested a long time walking around the town centre, popping into different shops and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. I especially enjoyed the colourful façades and food outlets. If you’re a foodie, do not miss out on attempting an Arcachon Dune Blanche or Cannelé, definitely tasty pastries which you’ll discover at bakeshops such as Chez Pascal Dune Blanches.
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I enjoyed this shop! Arcachon market
< img src= "// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20600%20800'%3E%3C/svg%3E" alt="dune blanches arcachon"width ="600"height=" 800"/ > Buy some tasty Dunes Blanches here. I searched around the stalls in the chique Arcachon Market(visitors can take pleasure in a reasonably-priced oyster-tasting there)before heading to the winter district. Arcachon market The winter season district Found in the hills behind the town centre, the winter season district, with its spectacular villas, is a must-see in Arcachon. To get there, I took the staircase from the town centre, however there’s likewise an elevator that takes visitors directly to Parc Mauresque, a leafy park with beautiful views.
< img src="// www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20640%20480'%3E%3C/svg%3E"alt ="arcachon villa"width="640"height="480"/ > A charming Arcachon rental property along Ave. Victor Hugo It was a pleasure to walk around this district and appreciate the villas. With their sweeping roofs, excellent turrets, ornamental brickwork and detailed lacework, they look right out of a fairytale. A few of the most gorgeous vacation homes west of Parc Mauresque consist of Vacation home Toledo, Rental Property Alexandre Dumas (where the well-known author lived for a while), Villa Margherite and Vacation Home Trocadero. It’s clear that the architects had a great time summoning whimsical designs with luxurious lace balconies, grand staircases and Victorian turrets. 
Villa Alexandre Dumas (image by Go69/Wikimedia Commons)A few of my favourites in the location east of Parc Mauresque, including Rental property Siguro and Vacation home Beatrix, can be found around Place Turenne and along Avenue Victor Hugo. 
< img src= "https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_3240.jpeg"alt="" width= "600"height="800"/ > Villa Siguro On my way back to the Gambling establishment, I discovered more lovely villas around Avenue Nelly Deganne. 
Another charming house A gorgeous Belle Epoque door Other things to do in Arcachon My visit to Arcachon was among the trips during my 8-day Bordeaux white wine cruise with Avalon Waterways. I wish I might’ve spent more time there as I absolutely loved the architecture and vibes. I also found out that there are lots of other things to do in Arcachon. These consist of taking the ferry throughout the bay to Cap Ferrat for a seaside lunch or food tour, exploring the Le Moulleau area, biking through the Landes Forest and climbing up Dune du Pilat. I’ll definitely return and spend a couple of nights in Arcachon– I would enjoy to remain in among those vacation homes! 
< img src="https://velvetescape.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/bet-osten-0mXybpiho1M-unsplash.jpg" alt ="" width="640" height="480"/ > Dune du Pilat( image by B.Osten/ Unsplash)
How to get to Arcachon
Arcachon is a simple outing from Bordeaux as there are frequent trains (from Bordeaux St. Jean station) that take less than an hour to get there. You can likewise sign up with a day trip from Bordeaux that includes Arcachon, Dune de Pilat and La Teste-de-Buch port (for oyster-tasting).