Arcachon cycle routes: Biking around the bay as a family

For a gentle start to your exploration of Arcachon cycle routes, your tour of the bay begins with a 30-minute boat ride! The Union des Bateliers Arcachonnais (UBA) operates daily ferries from the Jetée Thiers pier in Arcachon to the Jetée de Bélisaire on Cap Ferret. Once you get off the ferry at the cape, head to the tip of Cap Ferret on bike.

While you’re down at the southern end of Cap Ferret, it’s a great opportunity to have lunch. You’ll fall in love with the unique decor of the restaurant Chez Hortense. On the menu, you’ll find fish and other seafood. You’ll also get spectacular views of the Dune du Pilat.

From there, you can take in an exceptional panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean, Arcachon Bay, and the famous Dune du Pilat. For an even better view, rise above it all by climbing the 258 steps of the Cap Ferret lighthouse, located 2 km north of Chez Hortense.

Heading north, you’ll travel across the length of the cape and discover a number of charming oyster farms in the shade of pine trees. You won’t want to miss the hamlets of L’Herbe and Le Canon, which are the cape’s most typical communities. Introduce your children to oyster farming and have them try this very special delicacy.

After that, along the way, you can stop at Chez Pascal bakery to try the famous dune blanche (white dune), a sweet speciality of Lège-Cap-Ferret! To finish your first day on this Atlantic coast bicycle route, settle in at the Camping Brémontier, an Accueil Vélo (Cyclists Welcome) campsite.

In the morning, hop on your bike and head to Le Teich for another day on this Atlantic coast bicycle route. Make a stop for a visit on foot to the bird sanctuary, where you and your kids can birdwatch. In some years, as many as 300,000 birds pass through this site. You can visit a portion of the sanctuary on a footpath that makes a 2.5-km loop. After that, get back on the bike trail and head to Gujan-Mestras, the oyster capital. This town has no less than seven oyster ports, including the Port du Canal and Port de Larros. If you want to learn absolutely everything these is to know about oysters, visit the Maison de l’Huître oyster museum.

From here, you’ll leave the coastline of the bay and travel along the Canal des Landes until you reach La Vélodyssée, which you’ll follow to Arcachon. When you get there, have a well-earned swim after pedalling all that distance.

You can enjoy one last great meal at one of the city’s many restaurants and spend the night at Hôtel Le Dauphin, certified Accueil Vélo (Cyclists Welcome), before heading home the next morning.