the marine lake

An essential heritage asset for the commune. Subjected to the play of the tides, it is in perpetual movement, it breathes to the rhythm of the Ocean, the seasons and fashions... and it shelters a generous and varied life. A protected area, simple and authentic, which leaves a fragrant imprint on the soul... The site offers numerous leisure activities such as sailing, fishing and hiking. In summer, it comes alive and attracts bathers with its four beaches: the Chênes-Lièges, the Plage Blanche, the Plage du Rey and the Plage du Parc. All are supervised and have holiday clubs, playgrounds and water sports clubs. Restaurants, hotels, bars, benches and a sandy path scented with the scent of honeysuckle make this pearl of the ocean a place for eternal holidays.

When the Adour is finally channelled into its final bed, the river leaves a string of coastal lakes. The largest is that of Hossegor. We are in 1578 and, at the time, only a few fishermen and hunters come to disturb the silence of this pond lined with gorse and invaded by water lilies.

In the middle of the 19th century, Napoleon III, during a trip to the Landes coast, decided to connect it to the ocean to make it "the hunting pond of the port of Capbreton" in order to avoid silting up the latter. As soon as it was opened up to the sea, the basin expanded and its ecosystem became incredibly rich: Marine plants, shellfish, sea bass, plaice, sea bream, mullet, gobies and sand eels... An abundant food source that attracts numerous species of birds such as the grey heron, the great cormorant, the woodcock, the egret, the seagull and the gull... This natural reserve also allows small craftsmen to make a living from its benefits thanks to oyster farming, seaweed and shellfish. As early as 1878, a first concession was granted, and very quickly, oyster beds flourished around the lake, an additional tourist attraction on this remarkable site.

Sumptuous villas were built on the shores. Each one with its pine trees, its hundred-year-old cork oaks, its hedges, its arbutus trees and its mimosas. The architectural unity only underlines the magic of the place.