Discover Capbreton, a charming Landes village

The one and only port on the Landes coast, Capbreton has been carrying on the fishing tradition for several hundred years. As you stroll along the quays, you can admire the flotilla of 19 colourful boats that sell their catch every day in the harbour. A real must-see in Capbreton, the fish market will delight seafood lovers. Open every day of the year from 8am to 1pm at the foot of the Harbour Master's Office, it offers an incomparable variety of local, seasonal fish. The special feature of this friendly market is that Capbreton's fishermen sell directly from their catch of the day. You'll be able to feast on soles, hake and other sea bream of unrivalled freshness at very affordable prices.

If this tour of Capbreton harbour has whetted your appetite for the open sea, there are several shipping companies that organise sailing trips. Skipcool, for example, offers 2-hour discovery trips on a sailboat with a skipper. There are several options to choose from, depending on your preferences: a swim in the open sea, an aperitif watching the sun go down with a tasting of local produce, a night out to observe the stars... A magical moment in store!

Without doubt one of the prettiest walks in the area. A true emblem of Capbreton, the Estacade is a 190-metre-long wooden pontoon built at the entrance to the harbour. At its end, watching over the ocean, stands a lighthouse with a green and white top. In days gone by, the Estacade was used to guide boats as they manoeuvred, but today it's a great place to take a stroll and admire the beauty of the ocean and the passing boats. It's also the ideal place to watch some particularly magical sunsets. On a clear day, you can even see the outline of the Pyrenees mountain range.

As on the whole of the Landes coast, spending time on the beach remains the number one activity in Capbreton. Whether you're an inveterate surfer or more of a farniente enthusiast, the 8 fine sandy beaches surrounding Capbreton will all offer you a dream setting for guaranteed moments of disconnection in front of the ocean. Located to the north of Capbreton, the peaceful Plage Notre Dame is home to several surf schools for beginners, including the Spirit surf school, open all year round from 9am to 7pm. There's also the friendly Les P'tits bouchons beach hut, which hosts sunset concerts where you can listen to music, enjoy a cocktail and watch the sun set.

Popular with the locals, Santocha beach is a favourite playground for surfers. Both sporty and family-friendly, it also boasts the Terramar, a delightful beach bar with a bohemian guinguette atmosphere, offering live music sessions every Wednesday evening. For lovers of tranquillity, the Plage de la Piste, frequented mainly by regulars, is a little haven of peace. What makes it special? The massive blockhouses washed up on the sand, giving the place a grandiose atmosphere. Be careful, though, as the waves here are often powerful and tumultuous.

Plage de la Centrale is the family beach par excellence, where the water is calmer than at its neighbours, although this has to be put into perspective - it's still the Landes!

Note that all the beaches in Capbreton are supervised, with the exception of the nudist beach at La Pointe. For your own safety, please respect the authorised swimming areas.

Have you always wondered about the origin of the impressive waves for which the Landes coast is famous, particularly around Capbreton? Then look no further. This phenomenon is due to the Gouf de Capbreton, an underwater canyon comparable to the famous Grand Canyon in Colorado, a curiosity that fascinates geologists the world over. The word "Gouf" comes from "gouffre" in local dialect, but is now used as a scientific term.

1,200 metres wide, 300 kilometres long and descending to a depth of 3,000 metres, it is the extension of an earth fault that appeared millions of years ago and plunges into the abyssal plain of Gascony. The Gouf opens up a few hundred metres from the Estacade and is difficult to see with the naked eye. However, its effects on the ocean can be seen on windy and stormy days. While the surrounding ocean is raging, a small area visible from the Escarpment remains calm and unaffected by the tumult. For hundreds of years, the opening of the Gouf has been a refuge for ships caught in the storm.

The Gouf, like all marine canyons, has an extraordinary biodiversity and serves as a habitat for many species, from crustaceans and octopus to dolphins, sharks, whales and even sunfish. Even crazier, it is said that the mythical giant squid has taken up residence in the abysses of the Gouf and occasionally comes up to frighten the sailors!

To see the rich marine fauna of Capbreton's waters for yourself (and hope you don't catch a glimpse of the giant squid's monstrous tentacles), why not try your hand at scuba diving? The Aquanautes club, open all year round, offers first dives from the age of 7 at the beautiful Pont de Notre-Dame site and expeditions to the Gouf for experienced divers. The club also offers shallow water snorkelling, an ideal activity for all the family. Information on 06 02 36 87 96. Open from 10am to 6pm.

If you'd like to find out more about the Gouf of Capbreton and the myths associated with it, visit La Maison de l'oralité et du patrimoine, which features a fantastic 3D reconstruction of the geological phenomenon. A visit to the MOP is an opportunity to discover Capbreton's historical and geographical secrets, all in a well-designed interactive scenography. There's also plenty of room for legends (particularly marine ones), told with passion by local residents. A great outing for children.

If you've already made the most of the beach and are looking for a change of pace, you're in luck: there are plenty of easily accessible walks from Capbreton that will help you discover the surrounding countryside. From dunes scented with immortelle flowers to pine forests, discover this fragile ecosystem of spellbinding beauty. The sentier de la Dune, which runs along the seafront, is a particularly pleasant walk.

Capbreton has a number of good restaurants where you can discover the rich gastronomy of the Landes region. La Cachette is a small bistro restaurant with a cosy atmosphere, serving delicious dishes concocted with local, seasonal produce (open daily from 12 noon to 2.30pm and from 7pm to 11pm). For a taste of Capbreton's fish and seafood in an atmosphere as warm as it is elegant, head to Ma Cabane on the harbour opposite La Pêcherie. From pollack tartare with black sesame to hake pavé with sage, you're in for a treat! Open Wednesday to Saturday from 12:15 to 13:30 and from 19:15 to 21:30, and on Sunday from 12:15 to 13:30. If you'd like to take home a gourmet souvenir from Capbreton, drop into one of the many Landes grocery shops in the pedestrianised street.