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ZOOM: « L’Île aux Oiseaux »

The beautiful seaside resort of the Arcachon Basin is full of cultural nuggets and breathtaking landscapes. One of the must-see sites to visit by sea or land is of course the Île aux Oiseaux with its famous huts. The island is part of the great fame of the Basin and has been able to establish itself among the other successful places of Arcachon alongside the Dune du Pilat.  

Bird Island: Iconic silhouette of the Arcachon Basin

There is a small islet with postcard landscapes in the middle of the Arcachon Basin. The island is a good name because it alone brings together more than a hundred different species of birds. 

Each season makes its goodbyes to the migrants and welcomes new birds. Beautiful colours intersect in the sky that you will not find anywhere else but on this little island. 

The flora of the site is not left out either. Indeed, the island is composed of wetlands where many plants take root. In addition, l’Île aux Oiseaux has the only salty meadows on the Atlantic side that the human hand has not yet touched.

A trip to the sea

The natural treasures of Bird Island can be enjoyed on land and at sea. You are offered an original experience by visiting the island by sea. 

Privatize a boat or go on a kayak expedition, for the more adventurous, to contemplate the landscapes that the island offers in a new way! 

Consider favouring high tide to enjoy the view of the shacks as close as possible.

The low tide, on the other hand, shows the foundations of the huts. It is then an opportunity to roll up these bottoms of pants and dip your feet in the mud to venture to the steps of these famous wooden huts. 

The unmissable shacks

Visiting l’Île aux Oiseaux is above all about the authenticity and beauty of its shacks. 

Originally, these huts were created by oyster farmers to monitor their oyster parks. They were then a mere refuge. 

The majority were destroyed by a violent storm and only a few wooden pillars escaped. Struggled by their losses, new shacks were rebuilt in the mid-1900s. 

Today, they have become real curiosities of the Arcachon Basin. Unfortunately, they cannot be visited from the inside, but visitors do not hesitate to take out the large sail to approach them and contemplate their details more closely. 

Full of history and culture, these wooden huts are now closely linked to the hearts of the Arcachonnais and even visitors!

L’Île aux Oiseaux and its sleehouses are a real treasure for the Arcachon Basin. It is a timeless place that the imprint of Man has not yet destroyed. Nature is authentic. This is one of the many reasons why the island has become the nest of hundreds of thousands of birds and countless visitors!

Sources

www.arcachon.com/tourisme/je-decouvre/lieux-dexception/lile-aux-oiseaux/