Tour of the Arcachon basin, from Bélisaire to Arès

Departure from the Bélisaire pier, Avenue de l'Océan Cap Ferret.

(S) Take Avenue de l'Océan Cap Ferret, which extends from the pier, then turn right onto Avenue des Lauriers and continue to No. 20. Leave the road and follow the track on the right. Continue along the path that extends from it and you will arrive at the forest cycle path.

(1) Turn right onto this path and follow it for about 3 km until you reach the crossroads near a cemetery.

(2) Cross the road, continue on the cycle path northwards for about 4 km until you reach the Truc Vert car park. Turn left and head for the beach.

(3) At Truc Vert beach, you can reach the coast. Depending on the tide, it will be more or less easy to walk on the sand. Turn right and then take the second alley on the right to reach the cycle path at the picnic tables and benches.

(4) Continue left on the cycle path for about 2 km until you reach Carrefour de Piquey.

(5) Turn left and continue along the cycle path until you reach a crossroads with a semi-underground firefighting water tank.

(6) Turn right towards the east and continue to the Carrefour de Piclaouey.

(7) Keep left towards the north-east, follow the cycle path and you will reach a campsite. Continue to the right, pass the entrance and follow Avenue Édouard Branly. Just before the roundabout, turn left onto the cycle path and take the second street on the right. You will reach the edge of the Jane de Boy Basin.

(8) Continue along the marked trail that crosses the foreshore. If the GR® trail is too flooded (as was the case when I passed through), follow the D106 and rejoin the trail about 800 m further on (as shown on the map). The trail climbs slightly up the bank to reach a viewpoint.

(9) Continue along the path that runs along the riverbank until you reach another marsh, then continue straight on to the oyster huts. Similarly, if the ground is very wet, go around the marsh on the right-hand side (as shown on the map).

(10) Follow the road to the left, heading east towards the centre of Arès, walk past the cemetery and arrive at the church (E).

To get to Bélisaire, take the shuttle bus from the Thiers jetty in Arcachon (Bateliers Arcachonnais).

The entire route is marked with two yellow and red lines (GRP®).

The areas bordering the basin between Jane de Boy and Les Réservoirs can be crossed via paths within the Arès Salt Meadows Nature Reserve. However, except in summer, they are very wet, which makes them impassable.

From the Bélisaire pier, it is possible to go to Cap Ferret via the Sentier de l'Abécédaire trail.