GOING TO ARCACHON

I have a long list of places I want to visit and most of them are in the south of France and the north of Spain, I daren't broaden my horizons much further as I don't think I'll get through the current batch within say five years and I have to allow some time for the OH's plans too ('Great rail journeys' and a trip to Japan).
I got 2 places struck off the 'bucket list', (where did that phrase come from? must look that up), last month. The dune de Pilat and the neighbouring town of Arcachon, one exceeded my expectation and the other didn't.


Firstly en route we stopped in Auch for a quick look around and lunch, there's not a lot too Auch so we didn't have to be too quick. One side of the river is 'new town' with a fair amount of shopping and what looked like quite a good market winding down, the other side of the river is the historic quarter. It's a fine river, with a riverside path, and the cathedral on the hill above gives us an imposing view - lovely colours; languid green river, a sometimes threatening charcoal sky, setting off the pale cream stone of the city and finally we found a deep blue favoured for many doorways. The Cathedral was quite impressive, a large newly paved place in front made it more so - so new, so bright! that pale stone again. The cafes in this area had more interesting menus than I seem of late and prices for menus were pretty good. More empty shops on this side of town in the old quarter but that could maybe just be a seasonal thing, and I've a feeling this area is on its way up. This will be helped no doubt when the Musee dès Jacobins reopens, currently under going a generous refurbishment by the look of things. Pardon my ignorance, I know about Jacobites, but Jacobins? When it reopens next year we will have to return and be educated.
Further along our route we called in to Mont de Marsan - don't bother, not great.

 
Cathedral, Auch, with brand new place in front, paving so shiny, bright and new it hurt the eyes!

 
From across the river - impressive

 
Entrance beside Musee Jacobins


So the dune! Happily we arrived from the south end, saw a little sign for it by the road where 5 other cars were parked on the verge. Off we walked along a track through the pines and by the edge of a camp site and there we were, at the start of a big, big sand dune, way above the beach and the sea. Initially you have no idea of the overall size and I was still prepared to be underwhelmed, once you are on the dune you can see the initial stretch which this day was being used as a paragliders playground. (I pretty sure paraglider is not the correct term) We just sat and watched for ages the frustrating palaver of trying to get up in the air, what a tremendous amount of faffing about, waiting, walking a bit, hopping a bit and still going nowhere - then up - and a second later down, and start all over again, so frustrating. When they did succeed, the 'flight' was still far too brief to warrant such effort and time, but then I have no patience. It was a gloriously beautiful day and I think matybe the wind was just too light for anything 'spectacular' to happen. I could have stayed for hours.

 
I think we sat next to beginners corner.

 
 And the more experienced ones went further up the dune to take off.
 
 
More often than not they just stood there.
 
Unfortunately the picnic was back in the car, so we returned and drove to the other end of the dune to find a spot to eat. What a difference! this is the 'commercial' end of the dune, big paid carpark, shops, cafes, toilets, and masses of people. Although that is strange because it's quite a slog to get up the dune here, I'm thinking a lot of people don't make it and only see the shops. Granted when you do get to the top at this end you can see the full extent of the length of the dune, but somehow it wasn't as magical as our first view.
 
 
Looking out to sea

 
Looking inland

 
And a bit of both
 
Onwards to Arcachon. It didn't live up to my expectations. It is a lovely place, nice seafront, nice shopping area, clean and it does have the architecture which was the reason I wanted to go there. But not as much as I had expected, and certainly in the centre and on the seafront it is quite modern, or fake turn of the century. For the buildings it is noted for you need to do a bit of exploring - up the hill.
 
 
And then you catch a little glimpse here.....

 
……. and a little bit there, always tucked away behind foliage

 
It became quite comical as we criss crossed streets, went round in circles, back tracked etc, etc as at nearly every junction you would see some other couple studying their map and pointing in various directions. We didn't have a map, once we'd got up to the Jardin d'hiver area I cursed not finding the tourist office first, but by the looks of these lost souls having a guide wasn't that much help. We gave up as the glimpses got smaller and smaller, tantalising beautiful houses are set in gardens that have matured and now provide privacy and an oasis of calm from these darn tourists nosing about. I'm sure we could have found more, but there was a glass of chilled white wine waiting for me on a seafront terrace...….

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