Photo : Eva Bouba / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cap Ferret
Cap Ferret is the southern tip of the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, a long sand spit separating the Atlantic Ocean from Arcachon Bay. Geologically very recent, this sandy spit is barely more than 3,000 years old. Along the peninsula, several small villages follow one another, such as L'Herbe, La Vigne and Piquey.
Its lighthouse, built in 1840, was destroyed by German troops in August 1944, then rebuilt almost identically after the war. Listed as a historic monument in 2009, it is climbed by 258 steps and offers a 360° view over the bay, the Dune du Pilat and the ocean passes.
Oyster farming gained importance after 1860, under the impetus of Napoleon III, and remains at the heart of the local economy and culture. On the ocean side, beaches such as Truc Vert lend themselves to surfing; on the bay side, the waters are calmer, notably at the Plage de l'Horizon and the Plage de la Pointe. The Chapelle Sainte-Marie-du-Cap, nicknamed the Algerian chapel, is part of the village's heritage.
