# Cap Ferret, Bordeaux > Cap Ferret is a long sand peninsula separating the Atlantic Ocean from Arcachon Bay. On one side lie endless wild ocean beaches with big waves, on the other a calm bay of oyster-farming villages where you can eat oysters right by the water. At its tip stands a 52-metre lighthouse looking across to the Dune du Pilat and Arcachon. It's easy to reach by boat from Arcachon and to get around on a little tram. Allow half a day or a day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux/cap-ferret - City: [Bordeaux](https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux), France - YesGo score: 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 4 h - Opening hours: Peninsula always open; lighthouse by day, longer in season - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; lighthouse ticket - Boat: From Arcachon, ≈ 30 minutes - Lighthouse: 52 m, views of the bay and dune - Beaches: Ocean with waves, bay calm - Duration: ≈ half a day to a day - Location: Between the Atlantic and Arcachon Bay - Coordinates: 44.62194, -1.24972 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **52.1 m** — height of the lighthouse (source: French Wikipedia) - **1840** — the first lighthouse lit (source: French Wikipedia) - **2009** — the lighthouse listed as a monument (source: French Wikipedia) - **1877** — the first Bélisaire jetty built (source: French Wikipedia) ## About Cap Ferret Cap Ferret is the southern part of the commune of Lège-Cap-Ferret: a narrow sand spit tens of kilometres long that separates the **Atlantic** from **Arcachon Bay**. The pine forests of the Landes run right down to the sand, and small oyster villages line the bay side. The peninsula is an upmarket yet very natural resort: no big hotels, but plenty of wooden cabins, villas among the pines, cycle paths and empty beaches. Jean Cocteau, Le Corbusier and the painter Foujita all spent time here. One theory says the name comes from Gascon for 'iron head', after the rust-coloured streaks of iron-rich water on the beaches. ## What to see - **Cap Ferret lighthouse** — 52 metres, with views of the bay and the Dune du Pilat. - **Oyster villages** — L'Herbe, Le Canon and Piquey with huts by the water. - **Ocean beaches** — Grand Crohot, Truc Vert and L'Horizon. - **The little tram** — from the Bélisaire jetty to the ocean. - **The tip of the cape** — a sand spit and the Mimbeau lagoon. - **The boat from Arcachon** — a crossing over the bay. ## The lighthouse The peninsula's emblem is the **Cap Ferret lighthouse**: a white cylindrical tower with a red top and a green copper dome among the pines. The first lighthouse was lit here in 1840; the present one, **52.1 metres** high, was rebuilt in 1947 almost to the old plans and became a historic monument in 2009. Around 250 steps lead to the top, where one of the finest views on the Atlantic coast unfolds: Arcachon Bay and its sandbanks, the **Banc d'Arguin**, the giant **Dune du Pilat** across the water and the endless ocean. > **Oysters by the water** Cap Ferret's great pleasure is **oysters** in the villages along the bay, such as L'Herbe or Le Canon. Oyster farmers open the fresh catch themselves at wooden tables by the water, serving it with bread, butter and white wine. The best time is towards sunset, as the sun goes down over the bay and the Dune du Pilat. ## Two sides of the peninsula **The ocean side** has long wild beaches, Grand Crohot, Truc Vert and L'Horizon, with big waves loved by surfers. Lifeguards watch the main beaches in summer; only swim in the marked zones, as the currents are strong. **The bay side** has calm water, sandbanks, moored boats and fishing hamlets of narrow lanes and oyster huts. It's good for swimming with children and kayaking. Near the very tip is the **Mimbeau** lagoon, cut off by a sand spit. ## The little tram and the boat Passenger boats from **Arcachon** (from the Thiers pier) take half an hour to the **Bélisaire** jetty on Cap Ferret. The first wooden jetty here was built back in 1877. From the jetty a little **narrow-gauge tram** runs through the pines to the ocean-side beaches. Bikes are a great way to get around too, with hire by the jetty and paths along the bay and through the forest. ## How to get there 1. By boat from Arcachon to the Bélisaire jetty, about 30 minutes. 2. By car from Bordeaux, 1–1.5 hours round the bay; traffic jams in summer. 3. From the jetty, the little tram to the ocean or a bike. 4. To Arcachon from Bordeaux, by TER train in 50–60 minutes. ## Tips for your visit Allow half a day for Cap Ferret, a full day with the beach and oysters. It's easiest without a car: the train from Bordeaux to Arcachon, the boat across the bay, then a bike or the tram on the peninsula. Cap Ferret pairs naturally with [Arcachon](https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux/arcachon) and the [Dune du Pilat](https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux/dune-du-pilat), on the opposite shore of the bay and clearly visible from the lighthouse. Summer weekends get crowded and the road round the bay jams, so come on a weekday. Check the time of the last boat back to Arcachon. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Check the boat times - [ ] Climb the lighthouse - [ ] Try oysters in a village - [ ] Walk to an ocean beach - [ ] Hire a bike ## Places in Bordeaux: compare and choose Places in Bordeaux rated by YesGo. - [Cap Ferret](https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux/cap-ferret) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free - [Arcachon](https://yesgo.io/france/bordeaux/arcachon) — YesGo score 21/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Free ## Don't mix it up Cap Ferret on the Atlantic near Bordeaux and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat on the Riviera near Nice are different places. ## Tips - Boat from Arcachon. - Oysters at sunset. - Swim where lifeguards are. - Bikes are best. ## Questions ### How do I get to Cap Ferret? By boat from Arcachon in 30 minutes, or by car round the bay. ### What is there to see on Cap Ferret? The lighthouse, the oyster villages and the ocean beaches. ### Can you climb Cap Ferret lighthouse? Yes, by the stairs, with a ticket. ### Where can I eat oysters on Cap Ferret? In the bay villages of L'Herbe, Le Canon and Piquey. ### Can you swim at Cap Ferret? Yes, calmly in the bay; on the ocean, only where lifeguards are. ## How we checked Facts from English and French Wikipedia. Lighthouse prices and boat times weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Cap Ferret - French Wikipedia: Cap Ferret and Phare du Cap-Ferret --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.