Getaway to the seaside resort of Vieux Boucau

The main attraction of the seaside resort is, of course, its superb ocean beaches, huge stretches of fine sand on which you could spend hours basking in the sun (with sun cream, of course!). The impressive waves that crash onto the coast make Vieux Boucau an ideal place for board sports. Adjacent to the town centre, the Plage Centrale (or Grand' Plage) is easily accessible from the Avenue de la Plage. Supervised in summer, it's an ideal place to spend an afternoon with the family, but it's also very busy.

If you're a loner at heart, this may not be your cup of tea. But it is also home to a friendly beach bar-restaurant, the Captain Bar, a veritable institution in Vieux Boucau (it was built in 1930). Open from 12pm to 9pm from April to November, you can enjoy mussels marinière or tasty Basque chicken while admiring the ocean stretching as far as the eye can see. You can also have a drink or treat yourself to a particularly generous glass of ice cream, with a taste of the holidays.

In the pure tradition of beach clubs on the Atlantic coast, Club Lou Mayoun welcomes your children from 10am to 1pm and from 3pm to 6pm, offering a myriad of activities. Sandcastle competitions, team games and treasure hunts are all on the programme for an unforgettable holiday.

The wilder Plage Nord des Sablères, known for its superb waves (also supervised), is shared between bathers and surfers. Surrounded by dunes, it is bordered by the Les Sablères municipal campsite, a very pleasant place to pitch your tent in the shade of the pine trees. The Vieux Boucau Surf Club is the perfect place to try your hand at surfing, offering 1.5-hour introductory lessons for 38 euros and weekly courses (5 x 1.5 hours) for 145 euros. A sporty and invigorating way to spend your stay in Vieux-Boucau. Book on 05 58 48 30 70 / 06 61 33 10 59.

Our advice: come and have a picnic on the beach in the evening from 6pm, when most holidaymakers have gone to their accommodation. You'll be able to enjoy a magnificent sunset over the ocean.

A more peaceful alternative to the sometimes stormy waves of the ocean beaches**, the Port d'Albret marine lake**, artificially created in 1966, offers a luminous and soothing landscape. In the middle of the calm waters of the lake sits a small island covered in pine trees and hemmed in fine sand. This idyllic, isolated piece of land is nicknamed 'Temptation Island' by the locals. The islet, a haven for many birds, is off-limits to the public, so you can only admire it from afar and imagine yourself landing on its lonely shores.

As a consolation, you can enjoy the beautiful walk or cycle ride around the lake, which is particularly attractive in the early hours of the morning and at the end of the day when the sun plays with the reflections on the water. At the heart of these magnificent surroundings lies the beach on the marine lake (also known as Plage de la Pergola), ideal for those seeking peace and quiet and for those afraid of swimming in the ocean. With lifeguards on duty throughout the summer and very mild water temperatures, it is particularly popular with families.

On the banks of the lake is the excellent restaurant Le Poisson Rouge. In a warm, no-fuss setting, you can enjoy excellent cuisine based on local produce with a Spanish influence. Don't miss the fish dishes, which are as hearty as they are tasty. Open daily from 12 noon to 2pm and from 7pm to 9pm.

Spending an afternoon at Lac du Port d'Albret is also an opportunity to try your hand at water sports, particularly kayaking and stand-up paddling. At the Paddle Center, you can take a paddle out on the lake under the supervision of an instructor. The price is €18 per person for a 2-hour trip. You can also hire canoes (15 euros for 1 hour) to tour the lake on your own, or take part in a yoga class on the water (28 euros for 1 hour 30 minutes).

In Vieux-Boucau, you'll love the carefree atmosphere that pervades the town during the summer months. The café terraces are brimming with life and the ice-cream parlours are full of life. As you stroll along the delightful Promenade du Mail, which leads from the town centre to the mouth of the Lac Marin, you can enjoy a host ofartistic events, concerts and street shows that bring the streets of the resort to life and invite visitors to join in the festivities. Orchestrated with brio by Vieux-Boucau's Comite d'animation, these summer highlights will ensure your stay is as entertaining as it is rejuvenating.

A visit to the markets is also a must in Vieux-Boucau. As well as the traditional market, well stocked with tasty local produce, which takes place every morning in the town centre, there is a craft market every Wednesday evening and a night market every Monday evening at the foot of the Grande Plage. So you can stock up on ankle bracelets for strutting your stuff on the beach and pretty summer clothes that are perfectly immoveable once you get home (and that's what makes them so charming).