Top Things to do in Cap-Ferret
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Top 10 Things to do in Cap-Ferret, France
Discover the best top things to do in Cap-Ferret, France including La Chapelle de la Villa Algerienne, Dune du Pilat, Great Dune of Pilat, Stephane Boucher, Pyla Parapente, La Pointe du Cap Ferret, Waggas School, Le Phare du Cap Ferret, Observatoire Sainte-Cecile, Ile aux Oiseaux.
Restaurants in Cap-Ferret
1. La Chapelle de la Villa Algerienne
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 127 reviews
Reviewed By Cole G
I love to explore the old churches. The fantastic architecture just doesn't exist in modern structures. This one is simple and tidy with not a lot of embellishment. It has beautiful creamy stone and a short bit of history available to read. It's tucked away on the basin side of the cape at the end of a road. You can sit on the benches outside and watch the oyster farmers and the water, or walk a short way further to rent a boat, or visit some vendors.
2. Dune du Pilat
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
The highest dune in Europe, a unique landscape with an incredible panoramic view over the ocean, forest and Arcachon Bay but also and more importantly, a living, natural space that needs to be looked after and protected. Since December 2007, the Syndicat Mixte de la Grande Dune du Pilat has been working to protect and preserve this national piece of heritage that belongs to us all.From the top of this giant (109 meters high, 2,7 kilometers long, 500 meters wide), you can see many remarkable sites of the region.
Reviewed By Emma&Kieran - Ireland
You have to see it to appreciate the beauty. We were lucky to be there on a beautiful October evening and watched the sunset..... amazing.
3. Great Dune of Pilat
Overall Ratings
5 based on 201 reviews
Reviewed By IanandGilly - Christchurch, United Kingdom
An amazing spectacle. Climb to the top to enjoy the view (your legs will feel it). The views are spectacular and even the WW2 German fortifications that have fallen down the dune add atmosphere.
4. Stephane Boucher
Overall Ratings
5 based on 60 reviews
Discover my oyster farm in the Arcachon bay, 20 miles south from Bordeaux. You come with me in my boat to see how the oysters grow, pick up some oysters by yourself, walk around the "Birds Island" with its old fishermen houses and then enjoy fresh oysters with a glass of white Bordeaux wine.
Reviewed By CRayeC - Homburg, Germany
My husband and I chanced upon a brochure for a "authentique" visit with an oysterman, and we jumped at the opportunity. We called to make a reservation and were lucky to have got anything-- Stephane was booked up until our last day in Andernos. He gave us good instructions for what food and clothes to bring, and we even had a chance to meet during a summer evening fete at the Port Ostreicole.
The tour itself was unlike anything we were expecting. A small group of us, only 4 tourists, and we felt like we were out with a friend on his own boat. It was a absolutely beautiful day-- we sampled fresh oysters both wild and from the "farming areas" operated by Stephane, we learned so much about the geography and history of the Basin, and we especially enjoyed learning about the techniques to grow oysters naturally. It is so incredible to be out in the center of the Arcachon Bay on a small dune during a period of low tide, eating oysters fresh from the sea! We even visited Bird Island and looked at the traditional houses there.
We knew we would be a burden to our guide because we speak very little French, but Stephane was more than happy to oblige, and he thoughtfully shifted between French and English to accommodate all. Stephane is a joy to be around, good-humored and energetic, and we felt as if we were in the company of an old friend. Here we thought we were veteran oyster eaters, and he taught us so very much-- it really makes you appreciate your food more, and enjoy this area in a way most other tourists simply never see.
Thanks for everything, Stephane! We appreciate you showing us the muscle of the lemons, and ensuring we have a unique souvenir from our trip! :)
5. Pyla Parapente
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 104 reviews
Let's come to visit us to have one of the best experiance in you're life, flying over the Pyla Dune, Front off the Arcachon Bay, feilling like a bird in Tandem fly Paraglide, with a Professional Instructor Official State diplomate.We wait for you. Regards.
6. La Pointe du Cap Ferret
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 487 reviews
Reviewed By MadDocNI - Belfast, United Kingdom
The Pointe is at the end of the Cap Ferret peninsula, and there is not a very wide entrance past it into the Bassin d'Arcachon. On the far side are huge sand dunes, apparently the largest in Europe, just south-west of Arcachon.
The waves at the Pointe are sometimes enormous, even in modest wind, as the Atlantic rollers meet the draining Bassin.
Large sand dunes at the Pointe too, and quite a walk to get to them, the ones at the very end being closed to the public.
A large cafe and parking close by.
Worth a visit.
7. Waggas School
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By jacsma - Soisy-sur-Ecole, France
je note ici les sensations de mon fils et de ma femme car moi , j'aime le plancher des vaches !!!!
ils ont été ravi de leur vol en double et mon fils a même pu prendre les commandes un instant avec des explications vraiment très professionnelle.
bref in pur moment de bonheur à refaire , en tout cas pour eux.
8. Le Phare du Cap Ferret
Overall Ratings
4 based on 803 reviews
Reviewed By DragonChowhound - Southlake, Texas
This is certainly a must-visit if you're in Cap Ferret on a day trip. Lots of great history to absorb, and spectacular views all around the top of the lighthouse. The admission should probably be less, but that's a minor complaint. It's still worth the walk.
9. Observatoire Sainte-Cecile
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 348 reviews
Reviewed By Wola - Nice, France
We climbed to the top of the tower and were delighted with the amazing view of Arcachon and the Ville d'Hiver houses all around. The circular four story climb is easy and the top of the tower is limited to 8 visitors so you can readily see who is ascending and descending. The neighborhood around the tower (Ville d'hived) is also filled with the stunning Beaux Arts homes of the 19th century and well worth a walk through the streets behind the tower.
10. Ile aux Oiseaux
Overall Ratings
4 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By NotMolly - Canberra, Australia
PROS: An interesting trip especially once we sailed past the small villages. Many houses had been closed up for the coming winter...Wealthy people's holiday houses/mansions with boats moored nearby etc. The landscapes changed along the way & we enjoyed that too. Glad we saw the dunes from the sea as I don't think an organised bus trip or similar would have been all that interesting? (See CONS)
It was good to be on the sea after a long (approx 1.5 hr) bus trip from Bordeaux. We gather that the train is available on the weekends only? Anyway, it was a Monday & there were trains available for the return journey.
CONS:
Our trip was delayed by 10 min so after being out on the wharf/boat for almost 2 hours it would have been good to have been offered a glass of water - preferably free but even just the option of buying a bottle. When we bought the ticket there was no mention of the commentary being only in French. In most places in the world if the person doing the commentary isn't able to speak English they at least offer an English guidebook/photocopied info with photos etc. It was frustrating as half way through the trip I noticed another passenger (from Spain) Reading a guidebook so I asked for a turn to look at it. It would have been good to know that from the start.
THE DUNES: not all that exciting...as a child we had similar (maybe larger) dunes on our doorstep in Sydney - Kurnell...with added interest of it being where Captain Cook first landed in 1770 + Aboriginal history for tens of thousands of years before that...some of which is available on tours not dissimilar to this one. Back to this one...there were only a couple of sentences about the sand dunes in the guidebook which I finally glimpsed when sharing with another non-French speaker on the boat.
Hopefully the French are caring for their sand dunes better than our Government...ours are being destroyed by greed - property development, mining etc.
TO SUM UP:
We loved our day to the picturesque seaside village of Archachon (via bus/train mid wk). The boat trip was very enjoyable but could be better as mentioned. There are a few lunch places but take your French/English guide book to help read the menu if necessary although we were able to work out a baguette with jamon, fromage & ...there's v little English in the shops & restaurants + on the boat (ok at ticket office) but with a few v basic French words & greetings it all went very well and we saved ourselves a huge amount of money as the organised tours from Bordeaux are expensive. A fun day!
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