Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park

Binoculars are a must! The Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park is a veritable paradise for amateur and professional birdwatchers alike. Thousands of migratory birds, most of them from Scandinavia, find refuge here during the winter season, and the most famous species include the grey crane, whose long silhouette stands out against the marshes. If you're visiting the Landes in winter, you can spend an afternoon watching this elegant bird. Migratory birds are best seen in the Arjuzanx nature reserve and in the Le Teich ornithological reserve on the Leyre Delta, where the scintillating marsh landscapes dotted with small oyster-farming ports and colourful huts are truly enchanting.

Throughout the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park, works of contemporary art are taking over the countryside. The concept of La Forêt d'Art Contemporain, which was launched in 2009 to promote the arts in rural areas, has enabled around twenty visual artists to populate the park with monumental works that interact with the landscape to create surprising images that are as unusual as they are poetic. You can leave it to chance and hope to stumble across an immaculate statue of Apollo languishing in a pond or a strange wooden organ in the middle of a clearing, or you can consult the map of the works and embark on a thrilling artistic treasure hunt. Some of the works can be accessed directly from a road or village, while others can be found in the middle of the forest, always clearly indicated by orange signs.

At the heart of the Nature Park, the Leyre river, with its countless branches, winds through the forest to finish its course in the Bay of Arcachon. Bordered by sandy beaches and nestling beneath a canopy of trees forming a veritable gallery of greenery, the Leyre is one of the Landes region's most magical places to discover, and the ideal way to do so is by water. The exploration begins at the Mexico Aventure leisure centre, near the small village of Commensacq, where you can hire canoes and kayaks to paddle down the river. There are several routes to choose from, ranging from 1 hour 30 minutes (15 euros per person) to 6 hours (25 euros per person). For those who prefer to stay on land, archery and mini-golf are also available. The leisure centre has a fast-food service where you can grab a sandwich, salad or bruschetta before setting off on your adventure.

Another not-to-be-missed attraction in the Regional Nature Park is a recreation of life in the Landes region in bygone days, right in the heart of the forest. The journey back in time begins in the small village of Sabres, where you can climb aboarda locomotive dating from the early 20th century and listed as a historic monument. With a permanent exhibition tracing the history of regional development in the Landes de Gascogne from the 19th century to the present day, and temporary exhibitions on a variety of social issues, the Marquèze Ecomuseum is a real source of discovery about the Landes heritage. You can admire a fine collection of 1,600 old objects, an old bread oven and houses furnished as they were in days gone by, true witnesses to the past. There are also treasure hunts and workshops for younger visitors. A visit that's as instructive as it is fun for the whole family. Prices: €14 full price, €11 concessions and €8.50 for children.

A former mining site now restored as a protected area, the Arjuzanx nature reserve, located near the village of Mourenx in the south of the Regional Nature Park, offers an exceptional setting for nature lovers who want to take advantage of their holidays to get off the beaten track. At the heart of this 2,600-hectare green setting is the Lac d'Arjuzanx. It may be less well-known than its cousins in Hossegor and Biscarrosse, but it's still a magical place that's a must-see. Surrounded by trees, this beautiful pond with its surprisingly blue water shelters a superb beach of fine sand, the whiteness of which has nothing to envy the Caribbean beaches.

The pond's blue colour, reminiscent of a mountain lake, is due to its great depth and the continual renewal of the water thanks to groundwater and numerous springs in the surrounding area. Supervised every day from 11am to 7pm from 01 July to 31 August, and with a picnic area, it's the ideal place for a relaxing swim in the peace and quiet of the forest. To paddle, pedal-boat or canoe on the cobalt waters of the lake, visit Arjuzanx Loisirs Nautiques, open in June from 11am to 7pm, in July and August from 11am to 8pm and at weekends in September, October, April and May.

You'll also find the fantastic Hakuna ice cream and food truck serving delicious homemade poke bowls and, of course, great ice creams on its pretty temporary terrace. Concerts are often held here, making for a great end to your afternoon swim at the lake.

Starting from the beach, the round-the-lake walking trail takes you on a 7km loop around the lake. The trail is very easy and can also be explored by mountain bike or even on horseback with the Balades à cheval d'Arjuzanx. For more information, call 06 87 56 11 91.