Cradled by the waves of the Atlantic, the Landes region awakens in our imagination wide beaches and seaside towns, paradise for bathers and surfers: Hossegor, Biscarosse and the family-owned Mimizan. But beyond the beaches, the Landes is also home to pine forests as far as the eye can see, which offer shade on hot summer days, as well as large water lakes such as that of Aureilhan, where long-haired cows live and feed in peace. From its natural assets to its still well rooted traditions, the Landes remains a small preserved jewel offering multiple activities to travelers. Outdoor sports, cultural visits, parties and good meals from a gourmet and tasty gastronomy, a program of Landes to wish!

Hikes and bike rides in the Landes forest

Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and its sandy coastline of 106 kilometers called "Côte d'Argent", the Landes department is the second largest in France. The majestic Landes de Gascogne forest is the largest forest in Europe: it covers 600 000 hectares. The magnificent undergrowth of heather, ferns and gorse, whose colors vary with the seasons, offer the Landes forest an impressive variety of landscapes. On foot, by bike or on horseback, you can take the 4,100 kilometers of marked hiking trails. About 200 kilometers of bicycle paths link the Landes from north to south, passing through villages. The forest does not cover the whole department: vineyards, green hills of the Chalosse in spring, rivers, fields and ponds also draw a superb palette of colors

The beauties of the Landes coast

The Landes coast is the longest sandy beach in Europe and owes its fame to surfing. Fifteen seaside resorts are spread out from the north to the south of the Landes and are a surfer's paradise. About sixty bathing areas are also available from June to September. The Atlantic Ocean is magnificent and enchanting but you have to beware of the currents, even if the lifeguards are watching over the holidaymakers.

A charming escapade should be offered in Biscarosse (Biscarrosse-ville, Biscarrosse-plage and Biscarrosse-lac, communes which benefit from an ideal situation with various types of lodgings and many activities. On the coast, Capbreton is also a nice stopover; its port is the only one in the Landes. In the Middle Ages, the Capbretonnais harpooned whales in the Bay of Biscay and pursued them to Newfoundland. Capbreton is one of the few towns where the fish goes directly from the fisherman to the consumer. Everything here is authentic. As you stroll along the quay, you will see the return of the gillnetters who sell fish all year round when the boats arrive. Not to be missed!

Landes gastronomy, flavors and traditions

The Landes department has the largest number of agricultural products with a quality label: the Landes farm duck, the Landes farm chicken of Saint-Sever, the Chalosse beef, the Landes sand asparagus, the Adour kiwis, the Tursan and Landes wines, the Armagnac and the Floc de Gascogne. It is mainly from these regional products that are prepared the dishes that make the reputation and the gastronomic richness of the Landes cuisine. The duck is the "king" animal of this region with which we make cooked, semi-cooked or fresh foie gras, duck breast, legs and sleeves, gizzards, rillettes and graisserons

In addition to these quality products, there are other regional specialties: pibals, salmon, eels, shad, lampreys, trout and seafood, but also larks, pigeons and migratory pigeons that are hunted with nets or from pigeon houses. Beef, chicken and duck are usually accompanied by potatoes cooked in duck fat or porcini mushrooms. The must-try dish of the department is obviously the well-named "assiette landaise": of an incomparable flavor, it is composed of corn, asparagus, pine nuts, Bayonne ham, slices of smoked or dried duck breast, candied gizzards and foie gras. The garbure landaise is a delicious soup made of cabbage, potatoes, white beans and confit; it was the daily food of the Gascon farmers. As far as pastries are concerned, you should not miss the famous pastis landais. Don't be mistaken, this is not an aperitif: pastis is a brioche flavored with anisette, orange blossom or rum. The plain tourtière, with prunes or apples, and the Landes marvels are also part of these small sweet pleasures and culinary traditions of the region.

Festivals and bullring

After a good meal, it's time to celebrate! Festivities are an integral part of the life of the Landais. As soon as summer arrives, towns and villages come alive, and the festivities begin: they last five days and five nights, sometimes six. In the streets of Aire-sur-l'Adour, Soustons, Hagetmau, Saint-Sever, Dax and Mont-de-Marsan, the instruments of the bandas resound as they crisscross the city playing traditional or contemporary music. During the day, multiple activities are proposed for the whole family: exhibitions, folklore parades, a funfair, meals in the bodegas. As night approaches, the "festayres" are dressed in red and white or blue and white depending on the city. Dances, songs and animated discussions then come to give rhythm to these wild evenings

Strongly rooted in the traditions of the region, the high point of the festivities takes place during the day with the organization of bullfights, novilladas and Landes races: shows around which men confront bulls on foot or on horseback, they consist either in fights at the end of which the bull is put to death, or in sports or burlesque games. Mentioned since the Middle Ages, these games took place in the street or in the village square; since the 18th century, the races have taken place in the bullring, testifying to an ancestral culture

The bullfighting season called "temporada" begins in February in Samadet and ends in November in Rion-des-Landes. Present in 92 communes of the Landes, the bullrings constitute an exceptional heritage in the department. The Plumaçon bullring in Mont-de-Marsan was built in 1889 and can hold up to 7000 people. Those of Dax, located in the Théodore-Denis park, were built in 1913: called "little Seville" because of their Andalusian architecture, they can accommodate 8,000 people. Like those of Mont-de-Marsan, these arenas are classified among the first category French arenas.

Quality and choice of accommodation

In the department, the range of accommodation is wide: from gites and guest houses in traditional half-timbered houses to cottages or wooden chalets, from hotels and campsites with views of the ocean, lakes or forest to accommodation in town, the welcome is varied and of high quality. Ecotourism is developing more and more, a choice of "different" vacations becoming the priority of many people: staying in a mansion, a mill, old restored stables, this is now possible thanks to the development of heritage. A heritage to discover urgently! Whether you are a sportsman, a night owl or a lover of nature and traditions, the Landes has a thousand and one facets

Useful information

When to visit? From spring to summer when the good weather allows you to enjoy the natural areas.

How to get there. By plane, the three airports are about an hour's drive from the Landes: Bordeaux-Mérignac, Biarritz-Parme and Pau-Pyrénées. By train, direct arrival in Dax station. The journey from Paris to Dax takes about 4 hours and 15 minutes (5 TGV trains per day)

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