Cap Ferret, the Île aux Oiseaux and the Banc d’Arguin by boat

The Arcachon Bay really makes sense from the water. From Arcachon and Le Moulleau, boats cross to the Cap Ferret peninsula, circle the Île aux Oiseaux and its huts on stilts, or drop walkers and swimmers on the Banc d’Arguin at the mouth of the bay. The main operator is the Union des Bateliers Arcachonnais (UBA), which runs the shuttles and most of the boat trips.

Where the boats leave from

There are three departure jetties in Arcachon:

• The Thiers jetty, in the town centre, is the main one. It is open all year, and almost all shuttles and boat trips leave from here.
• The Pierre Lataillade jetty, formerly the Eyrac jetty, is five minutes’ walk away, behind the casino. It is only used in high season.
• Le Moulleau jetty is only served in season, from mid-June to the end of September. You board by a flight of steps.

Crossing to Cap Ferret

The shuttle between the Thiers jetty and the Bélisaire jetty in Cap Ferret runs all year, and the crossing takes about 30 minutes. From mid-June to the end of September, another shuttle goes straight from Le Moulleau jetty to Cap Ferret in about 20 minutes.

When you book, you choose both your outbound and your return time. Bikes are accepted on conditions that vary from line to line: electric bikes, for example, are not allowed on the Le Moulleau shuttle. Check the rules on the Bateliers Arcachonnais website.

Touring the Île aux Oiseaux and the cabanes tchanquées

In the middle of the bay, the Île aux Oiseaux is a protected island of salt meadows where around 150 bird species are seen over the year. Some fifty wooden huts are scattered across it. The best known are the two cabanes tchanquées, perched on stilts: their name comes from the Gascon for “on stilts”. They once housed the guards who watched over the oyster beds. They are not open to visitors, and boat trips circle the island without landing.

The UBA runs two tours:

• The short tour, from central Arcachon, takes just over an hour. The boat follows the Mapouchet channel, passes the island and the cabanes tchanquées, then runs along Arcachon’s seafront.
• The full tour, about two hours, adds the Cap Ferret peninsula and its oyster villages, the Dune du Pilat and the seafront villas. In season it also leaves from Le Moulleau jetty, in the early afternoon.

If you can, go around low tide, when the oyster beds are uncovered. Private skippers also offer trips in a pinasse, the bay’s traditional boat, or on a sailing boat.

The Banc d’Arguin nature reserve

At the mouth of the bay, opposite the Dune du Pilat, the Banc d’Arguin is a group of sandbanks protected as a national nature reserve and managed since 1972 by SEPANSO Aquitaine. It is a major nesting site for birds.

From mid-June to the end of September, a shuttle leaves Le Moulleau jetty for the sandbank and takes about 30 minutes. You get on and off straight from the beach, by ladder. Return tickets are only valid for the same day, and departures can change with the tide and the weather. Bring a picnic, water and sunscreen, and take all your rubbish home.

The rules are strict and enforced by sworn wardens. Forbidden all year round are, among other things:

• entering the full-protection zones, which are marked on land and at sea;
• disturbing wildlife or trampling the plants;
• landing a dog, on the sand or in the water;
• staying overnight, camping or bivouacking;
• setting up tents, chairs, tables or volleyball nets;
• taking shells, driftwood or sand;
• flying anything over the sandbank below 300 m, drones and kites included.

In summer, SEPANSO also runs free nature talks on the sandbank.

Once you are in Cap Ferret

The shuttles dock at the Bélisaire jetty, on the bay side, in Cap Ferret village.

The lighthouse. The 57 m Cap Ferret lighthouse is open to visitors: 258 steps lead to a 360° view over the Banc d’Arguin, the Île aux Oiseaux, the Dune du Pilat and the ocean. The climb is closed in extreme weather; check opening hours on the lighthouse’s website.

The ocean side and the point. In summer, a little train runs from the Bélisaire jetty to the Horizon ocean beach: two kilometres in about twelve minutes. Only swim at lifeguarded beaches, such as the Horizon in season, and watch out for baïnes, hollows where the water looks calm because the waves don’t break there. Further south, the tip of Cap Ferret faces the Dune du Pilat, the Banc d’Arguin and the mouth of the bay: the finest way to reach it is the path along the beach.

Le Mimbeau. On the bay side, Le Mimbeau is a narrow spit of sand about 800 m long, running parallel to the shore, which shelters the peninsula’s oldest oyster villages from the swell. At low tide you can walk out along it: check the tide times before you go.

L’Herbe and Le Canon. Heading north, the cycle path leads to the oyster villages of L’Herbe and Le Canon. In L’Herbe, colourful lanes, some so narrow that two bikes can’t pass, wind between the oyster huts and open onto the bay. Don’t miss the chapel of the Villa Algérienne, built in 1885 in an Oriental-inspired style. Le Canon has small, calm beaches facing the Dune du Pilat, and in summer a shuttle takes you from its jetty back to Arcachon in about 40 minutes.

The peninsula has some 60 km of cycle paths, and there are plenty of bike hire shops.

Tides, weather and booking

• Tides in the bay are strong. They change the landscape and can alter some departures, especially to the Banc d’Arguin.
• Weather: in bad weather, crossings may be changed or cancelled. A windproof jacket is useful on the water, even in summer.
• In July and August, book online ahead and arrive early: crowds sometimes delay late-morning and late-afternoon departures. Your exact boarding point is shown on your booking confirmation.
• Out of season, departures are concentrated at the Thiers jetty. Our guide to Arcachon off season has more ideas for autumn and winter.

Setting off from Le Moulleau

Cœur Moulleau, our flat for 4, is under 100 m from Le Moulleau jetty: in season, you can walk to the boat for Cap Ferret or the Banc d’Arguin without getting back in the car. For the rest of your stay, see our guide to things to do in Le Moulleau and, if you are coming without a car, Arcachon without a car.