Carcans

Visit Carcans, Aquitaine

Carcans is the name given to a group of places at the southern end of the large lake (the 'Lac d'Hourtin et de Carcans') a few kilometres north of Lacanau Ocean on the Medoc peninsula.

These places include Carcans Plage (the sea resort), Carcans itself (the traditional town a few kilometres inland from the coast) and Maubuisson, the small town / resort at the southern edge of the lake.

Exploring Carcans

It is of course the Atlantic beach, sandy and several kilometres long, that attracts visitors here to Carcans. It is a very high quality, backed by substantial sand dunes and popular with surfers. Carcans is one of our favourite beaches along this stretch of coast.

Carcans Plage resort, clustered just behind the beach, is a typical 'holiday resort', pleasant for a break from the beach and with cafes and shops all geared to tourism (it is much quieter here than at Lacanau Ocean, especially outside high season).

Maubuisson, just a short distance inland from the coast, is also worth passing through. There is a road that follows along the coast of the lake for a couple of kilometres and has nice views out across the lake, and in the 'town' itself there is a small sandy lake beach, popular with children who find the Atlantic waves overpowering.

The town of Carcans itself, slightly further east of the lake, has a church and basic facilities.

Be careful where you walk...

Note: a sign at Carcans explains that the forests and dunes were created 150 years ago to 'reclaim' the coast from the wind and insects, and that the dunes were then planted to ensure their stability. Bear this in mind as you look around the Atlantic coast in these parts - both the forest and the dunes are very substantial in size and creating them in the 19th century must have been an exceptional challenge!

As a result of the need to protect the fragile environment visitors are not permitted access to parts of the dunes.

See Aquitaine and Gironde (the region and department for Carcans) for more travel ideas...

Photos of Carcans

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Suggested places to visit near Carcans, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Lesparre-Medoc 27km; Margaux 29km; Blaye 30km; Montalivet 31km; Cap Ferret 33km; Saint-Vivien-de-Medoc 39km; Bordeaux Waterfront 45km; Bordeaux 46km; Arcachon 48km; Soulac-sur-Mer 48km;

Carcans tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Parc du château Lanessan - remarkable garden (25km) : Cave Pair-non-Pair - national monument (43km) : Domaine de Certes - site of natural beauty (44km) : Bassin d'Arcachon - site of natural beauty (45km) : Pey-Berland Tower - national monument (46km) : Parcs et jardins du château de Beaulon - remarkable garden (47km) :

See more places and a map at places near Carcans