French seaside: Capbreton

Driving back from Spain to France we discovered, almost by accident, a little seaside resort called Capbreton. We were looking for a night stop to rest after crossing the Spanish-French frontier but Biarritz, the nearest city, was out of the question as it is too big and during high season it is difficult, if not impossible to find accommodation on the same day. So we just kept driving on the motorway and took the next exit pointing us towards Capbreton.

Capbreton is a seaside resort on the French Atlantic coast.

Less glamorous than its southern neighbours -Biarritz and St. Jean de Luz- Capbreton is a charming and quiet retreat. The town faces the Landes forest in the east and the sea in the west, and best of all, it is easily accessible from the main motorway.

The coast is distinguished by its many sand dunes and its long beaches of white sand where at some points the pine forest of the Landes joins the sea making it an ideal place for nudist sunbathing and water sports.

We had never been there or even heard about Capbreton, so it was a very pleasant surprise to find a small town with all the facilities such as restaurants, hotels, surfing schools, a big harbour, casinos, plenty of shops, even a tiny heliport by the beach, and of course lovely sandy beaches.

France is always surprising us. We seem to find idyllic spots even when we are not looking for them! We were only looking for a place to sleep; instead we found a new holiday retreat where we spent a couple of days and where we would like to go back. We loved the "underdeveloped" side of the coast. The hotels and houses were all low rise and there was a nostalgic feeling about the place. Ideal if you just want to enjoy the sea without the buzz of major touristic places. But if you happen to get bored of so much quietness, and feel like facing some "bling-bling"- Biarritz is just a short drive away.

Why go to Capbreton?

For its beautiful beaches and delicious seafood.

When to go?

Although a summer resort, the beaches are visited all year round by surfers.

GETTING THERE:

By Road:

The major Motorways (autoroute) and roads are: •

• Autoroute A63 (A10 Paris - Bordeaux, A63 down to Frontier with Spain).

• Autoroute A64 (Bayonne - Toulouse)

• RN 10 (Paris - Frontier with Spain) • RN 117 (Bayonne - Toulouse)

By Train :

Majot train stations with a regular bus service to Capbreton are Bayonne or Dax (TGV Atlantique) For more information on trains you can check: www.sncf.fr

By Air:

• Biarritz airport, 20 minutes from Capbreton.

• Bordeaux airport- 186 kms (115 Miles) North: ( 2 Hours drive by car on the Autoroute 63)

You can also fly to Spain and reach Capbreton in 1hour and a half from Bilbao airport (152 km. take autoroute 63). Even better, you can use San Sebastian's airport which is only 3 km. from the frontier Spain-France. It will take you about 35 minutes driving from San Sebastian's airport in Spain to Capbreton.

By Sea:

You can arrive directly to Capbreton pleasure boating harbour (1000 places)

Getting Around

There is a free bus service from the beach to the town centre from June to September. The rest of the year during low season, the free bus is only available on Saturday mornings. If you are driving you can count on plenty of free parking right on the beach if you arrive early or otherwise there are several underground car parks.

Best Major Attraction:

Plenty of surfing spots for all levels.

BEST SHOPPING:

Look for foie gras and wine.

Gastronomy:

The specialities are asparagus and kiwis which are among the best in Europe. They are excellent examples of the top quality produce grown in the Landes department. Also of excellent quality are the free range poultry, the beef (Chalosse cattle), and the foie gras served with grapes or apples.

Of course, do not forget to try the wine from the Landes region and the Armagnac

Surfing Spots :

The best place to learn how to be a surfer girl!

Capbreton is an ideal place for learners and beginners as its beaches do not have very strong currents. This part of the French South West coast extends under the "Gulf of Gascony" which acts to provide a security area in the sea, which means that because of its depth, waves don't break so they develop without an undertow.

There are many surfing spots to visit for all tastes and levels, some of which are:

• Notre Dame Beach: A good surfing spot with waves ranging from 0,5m. to 2m. Best surfed during middle tide.
• Santocha beach

• La piste: Here you will find big tubes, strong, hollow and quick waves. Best for experienced surfers.

Curiosities of the area:

The Landes area was marshy land for hundreds of years, due to flooding from time to time when a high Atlantic tide swept across the flat plains or due to the Adour river bursting its banks with heavy rain or a fast snow melt down in the Pyrenees mountains. For these reasons the shepherds in the area grew accustomed to watching over their flocks on stilts (around 1.40m) called "Echasses".