Soulac-sur-Mer

Visit Soulac-sur-Mer, Aquitaine

Soulac-sur-Mer is a long-established beach resort town at the northernmost part of the Medoc peninsula north of Bordeaux, and hence the most northern of the extensive string of beaches that run along much of the Aquitaine coast and all the way south to the border with Spain, the so-called Cote d'Argent (see Atlantic beaches).

It is not surprisingly the sea and related activities that is the big attraction for visitors, and there are no less than four sandy beaches to enjoy in Soulac, extending over several kilometres and backed by the large sand dunes that are typical of the region.

Venture away from the extensive beaches and there is an unashamed focus on tourism here in Soulac, with numerous bars, clubs, restaurants and shops focussed on the visitors to the town. Many of these are based along the principal street through Soulac-sur-Mer, the 'Rue de la Plage'.

There are also lots of small 19th century villas in the town (the style of villas stands in contrast to the villas at Arcachon further south, where the villas built at the same time are much grander), built in the years after the trains arrived here in 1874, bringing vistors from Bordeaux. (Note: many of the smaller resorts along the Cote d'Argent are newer and miss the sense of history that you get in the longer standing resorts such as Soulac, Arcachon and Lacanau-Ocean.

Away from the beach there are a few notable monuments to discover in the immediate area: the pilgrim destination at the Notre Dame Basilica de la fin des Terres, dating originally from the 12th century and rescued from being buried in sand in the 17th century is the most important and an attractive example of roman style architecture (just passed the top end of the Rue de la Plage), important enough to now be a UNESCO listed world heritage site.

The Soulac-sur-Mer Museum of Art and Archaeology has numerous exhibits tracing and explaining the long history of the region.

Around the town there are also numerous cycle routes (suitable for families, there are no significant hills here) and paths to better discover Soulac, the forests and landscapes of the Medoc peninsula,a lovely way to discover the area with an attractive mix of coastal and inland scenery to enjoy. soulac is also the start of the 130 km cycle route that leads all the way south to Cap Ferret.

Perhaps also enjoy a wine-tasting tour of the many well known wine chateaux of the Medoc region to the south-east of Soulac - visit the tourist office in the town on your arrival for more details.

See Aquitaine and Gironde (the region and department for Soulac-sur-Mer) for more travel ideas...

Photos of Soulac-sur-Mer

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Suggested places to visit near Soulac-sur-Mer, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Talmont 17km; Montalivet 18km; La Palmyre 23km; Mornac-sur-Seudre 23km; Lesparre-Medoc 27km; La Tremblade 29km; Ronce-les-Bains 32km; Hourtin 36km; Vertheuil 37km; Brouage 38km; Pauillac 45km;

Soulac-sur-Mer tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Parcs et jardins du château de Beaulon - remarkable garden (34km) : La Roche Courbon - remarkable garden (43km) : Upper Church et lower Church de Saint Eutrope (Saintes) - religious monument (46km) : Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes (Saintes) - religious monument (47km) :

See more places and a map at places near Soulac-sur-Mer