Don't miss this incredible, huge sand dune surrounded by water on one side and lush forest on the other. Go around sunset for a memorable moment. It is worth the steep hike up!
Stopped off here while driving down south for a friends birthday, decided we'd give climbing it a go. Really good fun and a great sense of achievement getting to the top, rewarded with beautiful views, definitely give it a go!
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When my in-laws told us that we will pass by the Grande Dune du Pilat after our trip to Arcachon, it didn't really occur to me that it would be as astonishing as the one that greeted us when we arrived at the site. First of all (and pardon me for my ignorance), I didn't really think that there could be a sand dune in Europe and one as tall as this one in Pilat. My husband and I have been to the Red Dune in Dubai, and though Le Grande Dune du Pilat is nowhere near it in terms of size and the fine quality of the sand, it more than made up for its lack with the fantastic view of the Atlantic Ocean and Arcachon Bay from the top and the verdant forest in surrounding areas. They say that the dune is about 118m above sea level and stretches up to nearly 3kms, making it the highest sand dune in Europe.The climb up can be a little challenging but like I said, totally worth the spectacular view from the top. It was very cold the afternoon that we visited with the wind occasionally blowing in freezing gusts, making the climb all the more fun. I can only imagine how even more beautiful it can be up there during summer! There is no fee charged on visitors and there are one or two snack shops at the base of the dune if you ever feel the need to snack or hydrate before and after the climb. There are toilets and souvenir shops as well. This is definitely a great place to visit when in the region.
I love this spot! Whether you like nature or not, you will not be left indifferent by the dune.It is the highest in Europe and saying it's worth a trip is an understatement.The views from the top are absolutely magnificent. You can see the whole of the Bassin d'Arcachon, great views of the ocean as well as the surrounding forest. You can use stairs to climb in the summer but they remove it in the winter. So in case you visit then, be prepared for some arduous exercise. Well worth it when you get to the top though!If it's a nice day, it's the perfect spot for a picnic. :-)
Had a great couple of hours walking up Dune de Pilat and taking some great photos. The walk up is fairly easy, soft sand so proper walking shoes are a must. We went in December so it was brisk but you soon warm up. As we had a car we could park close by and simply walk up one of the paths. The views of the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the rich hues of the forest on the other are truly amazing. It was a memorable experience and one I would recommend.
Have visited Arcachon many times and enjoy climbing the Dune du Pilat. Obviously in peak season (August time) it is really busy. Difficult to find parking, although there is plenty of it, so it might be an option to walk in from further away. Failing that, leave it a little later and go then, whilst still relatively busy it is easier to find a space. There are a few car park payment stations, but after queuing to pay several of us found we could not use our card to pay - perhaps as we were all foreign. The one closest to the shops / stalls did accept our card though. No payment to go to the dune itself, but need to pay parking as mentioned.My 4yr old daughter loved running up and down the sand and didn't want to leave. I love France for it's more common sense approach to health and safety, so anywhere you wish to run up / down you can. It is not really fenced off or restricted so go for it - even if you wish to run into the tree stumps. Loads of fun for adults and children and great views. It will require some energy - a good walk from the parking area and then the climb up the dune. Everyone really friendly and exchanging knowing / sympathetic looks! People helped others and I saw some running to retrieve strangers hats or give them back belongings they had dropped on the way up. Really fun day out - but will require most of the day. A bit of a struggle to take large amounts of food / drink but there are some good restaurants nearby to eat at before visiting the dune and the stalls sell ice-cream!
Ok, now you start thinking that I'm a dune walker. After my first two experiences, in Kalinegrad and in Lençóis do Maranhão, for the third time I climb up a hill of sand. This time I conquered the Dune du Pilat, the tallest in Europe. Let me clarify: this is no fetish. It just happened, as I was driving through the area. This dune in France, near Arcachon, is in fact very beautiful, and even more so because I visited it very early in the morning, in a cold day in December. There are at least two advantages of doing it before 10 am: a) not many people walking around yet; and b) the morning sunlight hits the dune with an angle such that allows beautiful patterns of yellow and red to colour the whole scene. And talking about colours, this is perhaps one of the greatest attractions on the place: on one side, you'll be inundated by the green tonalities of the surrounding trees, while on the other side the various blue shades of the Atlantic Ocean waters fill the horizon as far as your eye can reach. I don't know if Van Gogh ever walked this dune; I guess he never went there. But if had been there, he'd for sure have been impressed by such views. So, being on top of the dune it's altogether good fun, but do not forget to pay attention to all the colours around you.Final comment: the dune is relatively easy to walk up, and you get warm very quickly. But the dune is even more fun to walk down, or should I propose: to roll down! If you roll down it, you'll definitely go back a few years in life!
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We liked that it was no over commercial and the nice steps up to the dune were well maintained. WE went to watch the sun go down as it was too hot in the daytime. Many people sitting quietly watching the wonderful sunset, magical