Landes: Hossegor, Surfing and the Landes Forest

The Landes is a département of striking contrasts. On one side, the Atlantic Ocean and its powerful waves have made Hossegor the European capital of surfing. On the other, the largest planted forest in western Europe stretches endlessly, an ocean of maritime pines as far as the eye can see. Between the two lie freshwater lakes edged with sandy beaches, half-timbered Landaise villages, course landaise arenas and thermal springs known since antiquity. This Nouvelle-Aquitaine département offers a complete change of scenery for those seeking raw nature, thrills and unspoiled authenticity.

Hossegor and the Landes Coast

The Mecca of European Surfing

Hossegor (officially Soorts-Hossegor) is a name that resonates worldwide among surfing enthusiasts. The beach breaks at La Gravière, La Nord and La Sud produce world-class barrel waves, drawing the planet's best surfers each autumn for the Quiksilver Pro France, a stop on the world surfing tour. The atmosphere on the beach during the competition is electric, and spectator access is free.

For beginners, dozens of surf schools offer group lessons (about 35 to 45 euros for a 90-minute session, equipment provided) on more sheltered stretches of sand. Progress is rapid thanks to consistent conditions and safe sandy bottoms. Board and wetsuit rental costs approximately 15 to 25 euros per half-day.

Hossegor Lake

A few hundred meters from the ocean, the tidal lake of Hossegor, fed by the sea, presents an entirely different face. Its calm, temperate waters are ideal for stand-up paddle, kayaking and family swimming. The lakeshore is lined with Basque-Landaise villas from the 1920s and 1930s, testaments to the resort's golden age. A walk around the lake (about 6 km) lets you admire them while enjoying a serene atmosphere. The lake oysters, raised in oyster beds directly on the lake, can be tasted in waterside cabins for about 8 to 12 euros a dozen.

Capbreton and the Gouf

Capbreton, the resort next to Hossegor, has the only harbor on the Landes coast. Its geological peculiarity is the Gouf de Capbreton, a submarine canyon more than 3,000 meters deep that begins just 300 meters from shore. This exceptional natural phenomenon influences local currents and marine biodiversity. Boat trips to spot dolphins and seabirds depart from the harbor (about 25 to 35 euros, lasting 2.5 hours).

Dax: Thermal Capital of France

The Spas and the Mud

Dax is the leading spa town in France by number of patients. Since antiquity, people have come here for the therapeutic properties of its hot springs (64 degrees Celsius at source) and its unique thermal mud — the péloïde de Dax, composed of Adour river silt enriched with thermophilic algae. The thermal establishments offer three-week medical cures reimbursed by the French health system, as well as short wellness packages accessible to everyone (from 40 to 80 euros for a 2-hour circuit).

The Fontaine Chaude, the city's most emblematic monument, sends steaming water gushing in the middle of the town center. The spectacle of this bubbling spring surrounded by nineteenth-century facades is mesmerizing. Access is free.

The Fêtes de Dax

Every August, Dax transforms for five days during its famous Fêtes de Dax, the second-largest bullfighting festival in France after Bayonne. Brass bands, flower-float parades, cow-running through the streets and corridas in the arenas punctuate these festive days. The atmosphere is welcoming and street entertainment is free. Tickets for corridas and course landaise events range from 10 to 50 euros depending on seating.

The Landes Forest

An Ocean of Pines

The Landes de Gascogne forest covers more than one million hectares, making it the largest planted forest in western Europe. Extensively planted in the nineteenth century on the orders of Napoleon III to drain unhealthy marshland, it profoundly transformed the landscape and the local economy. The Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne protects the wildest part of this forest.

The Écomusée de Marquèze (admission about 12 euros, including the train journey), accessible only by a small heritage train from Sabres, recreates a nineteenth-century Landaise hamlet with its half-timbered houses, sharecroppers, stilt-walking shepherds and resin-tapping techniques. It is a fascinating immersion in a vanished world.

Forest Activities

The Landes forest is a vast playground for outdoor activities. Secure cycle paths thread through the pine groves for hundreds of kilometers, notably the famous Vélodyssée which follows the Atlantic coast. Hiking, mountain biking and horse riding are also popular. In summer, the lakes of Aureilhan, Parentis and Sanguinet, nestled between pines and dunes, provide peaceful freshwater beaches ideal for families. Swimming is free and lifeguards are on duty in season.

Biscarrosse and the Lakes

City of the Seaplanes

Biscarrosse is inseparable from the history of aviation. It was from its lake that the Aéropostale seaplanes departed to cross the Atlantic in the 1930s. The Musée de l'Hydraviation (admission about 7 euros) tells the story of that epic era with models, vintage engines and reconstructions. Every two years, an international seaplane rally is held on the lake.

Beaches and Dunes

Biscarrosse-Plage offers a wild coastline of fine sand, framed by immense forested dunes. The Dune de Biscarrosse, less famous than the Dune du Pilat (located just to the north, in Gironde), nevertheless provides spectacular panoramas over the ocean and the forest. The beaches are lifeguard-patrolled in summer and the surfing is excellent.

Mont-de-Marsan: Landaise Prefecture

Mont-de-Marsan, prefecture of the Landes, is an agreeable town built at the confluence of the Midou and the Douze, which together form the Midouze. Known as the "city of three rivers," it is a pleasant place to explore on foot. The Musée Despiau-Wlérick (free admission), housed in a medieval keep, holds the largest collection of twentieth-century French figurative sculpture.

The town is also a stronghold of the course landaise, a traditional sport in which écarteurs dodge the charges of Landaise cows with breathtaking agility. Events take place in the arènes du Plumaçon from March to October (admission about 8 to 15 euros). The Fêtes de la Madeleine in July bring five days of intense festivities combining course landaise, corridas and brass bands.

Landaise Gastronomy

Landaise cuisine is among the most generous in the southwest. Duck foie gras, the flagship product of the département, comes as terrine, mi-cuit or pan-seared. Magret de canard, grilled and served rare, is found on every menu. Asparagus from the Sables des Landes, harvested in spring, holds an IGP label and is remarkably delicate. Pastis landais, a brioche flavored with orange blossom and rum, brings meals to a gentle close.

Adour kiwi, Chalosse beef and Landes free-range chicken round out an exceptional food heritage. A meal in a Landaise inn costs between 16 and 28 euros for a full menu. The markets at Dax (Saturday), Mont-de-Marsan (Tuesday and Saturday) and Peyrehorade (Wednesday) are among the liveliest.

Practical Tips

When to go: June and September for surfing and beaches without the crowds, August for the Fêtes de Dax and Mont-de-Marsan, year-round for thermal spas
Getting around: Dax is 3 hours 50 minutes from Paris by TGV. A car is essential for reaching beaches, lakes and the forest. Cycling is ideal along the coast and through the forest thanks to numerous cycle paths
Accommodation budget: Expect 60 to 130 euros per night, more at Hossegor in summer. Campsites, plentiful and well-equipped, offer pitches from 20 euros
How long: 5 to 7 days for a complete tour. 2 days for Hossegor and the coast, 1 day for Dax, 1 to 2 days for the forest and the lakes, 1 day for Mont-de-Marsan
Do not miss: A surf lesson at Hossegor, a thermal spa session in Dax, the Écomusée de Marquèze by heritage train, and a foie gras tasting at a Landaise market