Things to do in Le Moulleau, Arcachon

Le Moulleau is Arcachon’s village. A main street lined with boutiques and ice-cream shops, a church perched on a dune, a jetty where the boats leave from, and a beach that looks out to the Dune du Pilat. It is quieter than the town centre and everything is on foot, which makes it an ideal base for a holiday without a car.

Le Moulleau beach

The beach stretches either side of the jetty, at the mouth of the bay. The sand is fine, the slope gentle and the water sheltered from the ocean swell, so families love it. At low tide the water goes out a long way and uncovers large sandbanks. At high tide the beach shrinks. Check the tide times before you settle in.

From the sand you can see the Dune du Pilat to the south and the Cap Ferret peninsula across the water. In the evening, the sunset over the mouth of the bay is one of the finest in the area.

The jetty and boats to Cap Ferret

Le Moulleau jetty is the meeting point of the neighbourhood. In season, Union des Bateliers Arcachonnais shuttles leave from here for the Bélisaire jetty in Cap Ferret. The crossing is short and saves you the long drive around the bay. Timetables change with the season: check them on the Bateliers Arcachonnais website before you go, and book your return.

In Cap Ferret you can climb the lighthouse, cross the peninsula to the ocean beach or wander through the oyster villages.

Notre-Dame-des-Passes church

Perched on a dune above the main street, Notre-Dame-des-Passes church overlooks the neighbourhood and can be seen from the beach. It is dedicated to the sailors who crossed the “passes”, the notoriously dangerous mouth of the bay. A flight of steps leads from the street to the forecourt, where the view opens onto the water.

Avenue Notre-Dame-des-Passes

This is Le Moulleau’s main street. Restaurants, bars, ice-cream shops, bakeries and clothes and homeware boutiques line it all the way to the jetty. It comes alive in the late afternoon, when people walk up from the beach for an ice cream or a drink on a terrace. The neighbourhood carousel is a hit with children.

In summer, terraces fill up around 8 pm: if you want dinner by the water, book during the day.

By bike, to Pyla or central Arcachon

Le Moulleau is a good starting point for cycling, and the terrain is almost flat. Heading south, the cycle path runs to Pyla-sur-Mer and on to the Dune du Pilat: our guide to getting to the Dune du Pilat covers the route. Heading north, past Les Abatilles and Pereire, you reach central Arcachon, about 5 km away.

In the centre, climb up to the Ville d’Hiver and its 19th-century villas, then walk back down to the Thiers jetty. That is where boat trips leave for the Île aux Oiseaux and its cabanes tchanquées, the oyster farmers’ huts on stilts.

Pereire beach

Between Le Moulleau and the town centre, Pereire beach is Arcachon’s longest. It is backed by Pereire park and its pine forest, a shady spot for a picnic. It is a good alternative when Le Moulleau beach is busy.

Tasting the bay’s oysters

The Arcachon Bay is a major oyster-farming area. To eat oysters straight from the producers, head to the oyster ports of La Teste-de-Buch and Gujan-Mestras, about twenty minutes away by car. The huts there serve oysters with bread and white wine, looking out over the oyster beds.

Good to know

• In July and August, parking in Le Moulleau is hard: come on foot, by bike or by bus.
• Tides in the bay are strong. The times change every day and are easy to find online.
• Boats and buses run different summer and winter timetables: check them the day before.

Where to stay in Le Moulleau

Cœur Moulleau, our flat for 4, is 50 m from the beach, next to the jetty. It has a terrace, a parking space in the residence and two bikes included, so you can enjoy everything in this guide without the car.