What to see in Arcachon ?

Arcachon draws its character from the coexistence of the Dune du Pilat, the oyster cabins of Cap Ferret opposite, and nineteenth-century seaside architecture that few resorts have preserved. The town divides into four seasonal quarters—winter, spring, summer, autumn—designed by the Pereire brothers, an urban curiosity that visitors pass through without always knowing what they're looking at. It's not a town bustling year-round, and that's precisely what gives it its rhythm.

September remains the best month: the basin is calm, the oysters are at their best and prices drop. Budget two to three days to avoid cramming everything in. The train from Bordeaux is direct and quick; a car becomes a problem from July onwards. Avoid restaurants displaying photos of shellfish in their windows: the best platter is ordered in the cabins on Rue du Maréchal-de-Lattre-de-Tassigny, not in the seafront brasseries.