Seignosse

The (not insignificant) advantage of a 6-kilometre beach is that there's plenty of room to spread out your towel. Les Casernes, Le Penon, Les Bourdaines, Les Estagnots: from the most confidential to the most family-friendly, not forgetting the beaches popular with surfers, you're bound to find something to suit you. But whatever the beach, the panorama is breathtaking: dunes as far as the eye can see, the majestic ocean breaking over the golden sands and, to the south, the imposing silhouette of the Pyrenees massif silhouetted against the horizon.

Les Estagnots

Adjacent to Hossegor and supervised in summer, the Estagnots beach is a surfer's paradise in Seignosse. Known for its superb waves, it hosts some of the world's surfing competitions. If you're not quite at the level to compete with the world champions, there's still time to learn at the ECOLE DE SURF DES ESTAGNOTS. Lessons are available from the age of 5. Cost: 35 euros for a group lesson, 80 euros for a private lesson and 150 euros for a one-week course. The Estagnots surf school also offers yoga classes on the beach for a moment of well-being and energy rebalancing facing the ocean.

Need a pick-me-up after bravely challenging the waves at Les Estagnots? Then head to La Cabane des Estagnots, a delightful beach bar where you can enjoy a drink and tapas while gazing out over the ocean. Open Monday to Sunday from 9am to 11pm.

Nearby is the excellent bistronomic restaurant Le Surfing, serving delicious Lebanese-influenced cuisine. The decor is all blue and natural materials, and the cocktails are simply stunning. Every Sunday, the restaurant offers an all-you-can-eat brunch for 28 euros. Surfing is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12pm to 2.30pm and from 7pm to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays from 12pm to 2pm and from 7pm to midnight, and Sundays from 11.30am to 3pm. Bookings on 05 58 70 98 59.

Penon Beach

This is Seignosse's central beach, and the one that attracts the most people in summer. Here you'll find showers and toilets, as well as the L'Agréou surf school, which offers beginners' lessons for 37 euros. Plage du Penon is also the starting point for the Promenade des Dunes, which runs along the coast to the magnificent wild beach of Wharf. A walk that allows you to appreciate the beauty of the Landes coastline, particularly idyllic at sunset.

The Plage des Bourdaines

Less popular than its neighbours Le Penon and Les Estagnots, the Plage des Bourdaines is a haven for locals and connoisseurs alike. Supervised in summer, it is equipped with a first-aid post, showers and toilets. What makes it special? Behind the dunes is Le Tube, the largest concert venue in the Landes. Concerts, clubbing evenings, dance and theatre shows follow one another for memorable evenings out with friends or family. Le Tube has a lovely terrace decorated with string lights, where you can enjoy a drink and tapas.

For lovers of wild beaches, head for the Plage des Casernes to the north of Seignosse. Cut off from civilisation by a large barrier of dunes stretching to infinity, and attracting fewer people because of its out-of-the-way position, it gives you the impression of being alone in the world, especially at the end of the day. And sometimes that's good. Swimming is also supervised.

If you're particularly drawn to the landscape of the Landes forests, with their endless rows of slender maritime pines, then Seignosse is the destination for you! Here, the forest is everywhere, enveloping the whole resort in its bewitching scent, the smell of the Landes par excellence. Numerous well-marked hiking trails allow you to immerse yourself in the tranquillity of these woods, disturbed only by the (rather noisy) concert of cicadas in summer.

You'll find the blue Les Tucs circuit, a very easy loop through the dunes offering great views of the forest. The orange Palombière trail is another lovely shady walk. Don't forget to look up to admire the amazing hunting huts perched high in the trees. The green route takes you deeper into the local forest and offers sublime views of the ocean through the trees from the heights of the valleys.

Finally, the red circuit takes you to the ponds of Seignosse(L'étang noir and L'Etang blanc), a rejuvenating interlude in the heart of colour-changing marshy landscapes. Stop off at the Etang Blanc for a bite to eat at the delightful Restaurant des Roseaux , where you can sample delicious local dishes in an idyllic setting. Special mention should be made of the pan-fried eel in parsley sauce.

If you'd like to find out more about the ecosystem around Seignosse, why not take part in a guided tour? Starting from the Tourist Office, there are two tours on offer (coastal dunes or coastal forests) accompanied by a forest ranger who will explain all about the richness and preservation of the Seignosse environment. Bookings on +33 5 58 43 32 15.

A different kind of holiday

Coming to Seignosse is also an opportunity to enjoy your holiday in a different way, by taking part in activities geared towards ecology and reconnecting with nature. With Inspire Nature, discover the practice of "Forest Bathing", based on the therapeutic principles of sylvotherapy. It's an opportunity to take a moment out of time, a moment of meditation and intimacy in contact with the trees. You can choose between 1h30 sessions, suitable for families, or a full-day immersion in the forest. Workshops take place every Tuesday in July and August.

👛 Price: €21/adult and €6/children over 6. Registration required at the Seignosse Tourist Office 05.58.43.32.15.