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City guide

Arcachon

Arcachon is a subprefecture in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast 55 kilometres (34 mi) southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest.

Type City

Why go

  • Subprefecture and commune in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
  • Served by Aérodrome d'Andernos.

History

Arcachon is a subprefecture in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast 55 kilometres (34 mi) southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate, said to be favourable for people suffering from pulmonary complaints.

Restaurants & places to go

Mediterranean, Restaurant · Restaurant de cuisine méditerranéenne. Opening hours: Mo-Su 08:00-23:00 · 17 Rue des Goélands · rocseven.com
Indoor
Seafood, Fast Food · Baraque à huîtres, en direct du producteur. · labaraqueahuitres.com
Indoor
Ice Cream, Italian, Restaurant · Glacier italien Features: takeaway · 226 Boulevard de la Côte d'Argent, Arcachon, 33120 · maxigelati2.artisteer.net
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:00-22:00 Features: takeaway · burgerking.fr
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-01:00; Su 11:00-24:00 Features: takeaway · mcdonalds.fr
Indoor
Seafood, Restaurant · Opening hours: Su-Th 12:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating · 2 Rue des Palmiers · chezboulan.fr
Indoor
Seafood, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo,We-Fr 12:00-14:00,19:00-21:00; Sa,Su 12:00-14:15,19:00-21:15 · 19 Avenue du Commandant David Allègre · chezeliette.com
Indoor
Seafood, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo,Tu,Sa 12:00-14:30,19:30-21:30; Fr 12:00-14:30,18:30-22:00; Su 12:00-15:00 Features: outdoor seating · 3 Avenue du… · restaurantchezhuguette.fr
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (BOD) 40 km to the centre
Bordeaux, NAQ, FR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 20 airlines (easyJet, VOLOTEA Airways, Ryanair, Air France…) · direct flights to 49 destinations incl. Amsterdam, Palma de Mallorca, Rome, Barcelona, Geneva… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 20 airlines, 49 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Aérodrome d'Arcachon-La Teste-de-Buch 7.3 km to the centre
Arcachon/La Teste-de-Buch, NAQ, FR — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Aérodrome d'Andernos 13 km to the centre
Andernos-les-Bains, NAQ, FR
Outdoor
Biscarrosse Parentis Airfield 32 km to the centre
Biscarrosse, Landes, NAQ, FR
Outdoor
Aérodrome de Mimizan 57 km to the centre
Mimizan, NAQ, FR
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Jetée d'Eyrac
Ferry terminal · 1.5 km from the centre
Outdoor
Jetée Thiers
Ferry terminal · 1.8 km from the centre
Outdoor
Jetée du Moulleau
Ferry terminal · 4.4 km from the centre
Outdoor
Jetée Bélisaire
Ferry terminal · 6.8 km from the centre
Outdoor
Jetée du Canon
Ferry terminal · 7.7 km from the centre
Outdoor
Plage Robinson
Ferry terminal · 9.3 km from the centre
Outdoor
Banc d'Arguin (Arcachon) - Jetée d'Eyrac (Arcachon)
Ferry route
Outdoor
Jetée Bélisaire (Cap-Ferret) - Jetée Thiers (Arcachon)
Ferry route · UBA
Outdoor
Jetée du Canon (Le Canon) - Jetée Thiers (Arcachon)
Ferry route · UBA
Outdoor
Banc d'Arguin - Jetée d'Eyrac (Arcachon)
Ferry route · UBA
Outdoor
Jetée Thiers (Arcachon) - Jetée d'Andernos (Andernos les Bains)
Ferry route · UBA
Outdoor
jetée Bélisaire (Cap-Ferret) - jetée du Moulleau (Arcachon)
Ferry route
Outdoor
Trajet N1 : Andernos ↔ Arcachon
Ferry route · Passe Marée
Outdoor
Jetée Bélisaire (Cap-Ferret) - Plage Robinson (Dune du Pilat)
Ferry route · UBA
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Aérodrome d'Andernos; 4 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Jetée d'Eyrac, 1.5 km); routes include Banc d'Arguin (Arcachon) - Jetée d'Eyrac (Arcachon), Jetée Bélisaire (Cap-Ferret) - Jetée Thiers (Arcachon), Jetée du Canon (Le Canon) - Jetée Thiers (Arcachon).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Arcachon. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.