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For parking:
- when arriving from Bordeaux via the Arcachon road, stay on the main road (D650) which first passes through Facture (Biganos), then Le Teich and Gujan-Mestras, before arriving at the port of La Teste-de-Buch
- when arriving by motorway, you will first see sports grounds and a sailing boat bearing the inscription Le Teste-de-Buch on your right. Continue straight ahead at the roundabout at this point, and at the next roundabout, turn right and follow the signs for La Teste-de-Buch - Port ostréicole (oyster port), then follow the signs for Gare SNCF (railway station). When you reach the station, which will be on your right, continue straight ahead to reach the port opposite.
Park at an angle on the side road off the avenue, on the harbour side.
(S/E) Walk along the basin towards Arcachon and immediately turn right onto the street that runs straight north, between the huts on the left and the basin on the right. Continue to the end of the huts, then between the salt meadows on the left and the channel on the right. The now sandy track turns left and crosses a bridge over the channel leading out of the marshes.
NOTE 1: The following paragraph is the result of a change made following feedback from two hikers who had difficulty walking along the shore after the marshes and advised me to change the route.
Continue along this sandy track.
(1) You will come to a fork in the road where there is a series of very stylish public benches. Turn right, then keep right at the next junction until you leave the marsh area and arrive at the roundabout on Avenue du Maréchal Leclerc. Cross over to take the cycle path on the left side of the avenue, heading towards the port of Arcachon on the right. Just after another roundabout, turn right onto Impasse du Lapin Blanc, until you reach the huts lining a path along the shore. Turn left towards the port of Arcachon.
NOTE 2: End of modification.
After that, staying as close to the shore as possible, you will generally find residential buildings or villas on the left and huts on the shore side.
This will take you to Pointe de l'Aiguillon, marked by an imposing group of 6- or 7-storey buildings with large balconies. Walk along a wide sandy beach, with the white building of the Pôle Nautisme in Arcachon harbour in the background.
(2) At the end of the beach, a staircase along a white wall on the left leads up to the end of Rue Coste. Continue along the shore on Quai du Capitaine Allègre and, when you reach the end of the fishing cooperative building, turn right towards the quays, here Quai Jean-Philippe Dubour. Then continue along the quay, along the port, then on the boardwalk, covered with planks.
First pass by the Jetée d'Eyrac, then reach the Jetée Thiers, which is well worth a return trip to its end.
After the Jetée Thiers, continue along the promenade, following Boulevard Gounouilhou, which ends at a square jutting out towards the sea.
(3) At the end of the promenade, turn left onto Rue du Commandant Sensevin, then quickly left onto Boulevard de la Plage, which is actually a fairly narrow, one-way street and very pleasant.
Then take thefirst right, Rue de Lattre de Tassigny, which is a pedestrian street, and continue straight on towards Parc Mauresque, the entrance to which can be seen at the end.
(4) At the end of Rue de Lattre de Tassigny, cross Cours Desbiey and you will arrive at a square at the end of which is the entrance to the lift providing access to Parc Mauresque. Take one of the access ramps, for example on the right, and you will find yourself in front of the pedestrian entrance to the park after two turns.
Turn right onto Allée du Moulin Rouge, which runs along the park's perimeter wall. You will arrive at another entrance to the park.
(5) Leave it on your left to find the entrance to the passageway on your right, leading to the Passerelle Saint-Paul and then the Sainte-Cécile observatory. Climb up to the observatory's viewpoint to enjoy the panoramic view of Arcachon, the bay, the winter town and the park.
Then continue along the footbridge which leads to Allée Alexandre Dumas.
(6) Pass in front of the Villa Alexandre Dumas and continue along this alley until you reach the crossroads of four streets, then take Allée Brémontier.
(7) Pass in front of Villa Brémontier, then turn left onto Allée Velpeau and continue until you reach Allée du Moulin Rouge at a building with two-tone walls and horizontal bands of red brick. Turn left and walk along the park until you reach the entrance you passed earlier.
(5) Enter the park on the right and explore its paths until you exit at the opposite entrance.
(8) Exit the park at Place Turenne and turn right onto Allée Turenne, which runs alongside the park to another entrance on Avenue Victor Hugo. Continue straight ahead to take Allée Bouillaud. Follow this lane to its end. This lane ends at a turning area where there is access to the forest.
(9) Take this access to reach the cycle path. Turn left onto it and continue to the end of Rue Pierre Frondaie.
(10) At the end of Rue Pierre Frondaie, you will reach the old ski slope on pine needles. Go up this slope on the right until you reach the top. At the top of the slope, you will arrive at the cul-de-sac of Allée de la Galaxie and the edge of the Arcachon campsite. Here you will find a sign announcing the Camicas Protected Natural Site.
(11) Turn left and continue along Allée de la Galaxie, passing the water tower on your left, and continue straight ahead along the track through the woods until you reach the cycle path. Take the cycle path and follow it until you reach Chemin de Camicas. Turn left, cross the roundabout and continue along the D1251 road until you reach the next roundabout, Avenue du Général Leclerc.
(12) Go straight ahead to enter the salt marshes via the cycle path, at the large Tourist Office sign. Follow the cycle path and, at the first junction, turn right onto the sheet pile walkway that crosses the wetlands and marshes.
The wooden walkway joins a track coming from the left as you arrive in the salt marshes. Continue straight ahead, leaving a track on your right before crossing a wooden footbridge between two ponds, and continue until you reach the oyster farm huts. Pass the row of huts, arrive at the harbour basin and return to the car park on the side road (S/E).
Visorando member
Difficult 
Easy 
Association / Club / Walk leader
