A Week in Les Landes: Landes Coast Towns to Visit
- Maria DiCicco
- 23 hours ago
- 10 min read
Summer on the French coast harkens me back to times when I spent my summers growing up in Rhode Island - sand dunes, whispering winds blowing through the beach grass, and all the shellfish I can stand.
It's striped pastel clothing, breezy linens...it's a slow pace full of sandy toed days and cool nights in the beach village.
I love this vibe, and the Landes Coast nails it. It's the surf capital of Europe, the pinnacle of French seaside chic without the pretension, and it's the perfect spot to spend a week for your next summer or shoulder season getaway.
Below, learn about the towns that make the Landes Coast so special, including hidden gems to dine at, markets to enjoy, and some excursions to fill your days.
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Short on Time?This article focuses in on the Southwest French towns of Hossegor, Capbreton, and beyond in search of stellar seafood, coastal breezes, and the certain je ne sais quoi that makes the French Coast of Les Landes just so darn charming. You'll need a week to pack it all in: Stay: Natureo Eco Resort The campground that rivals the Adirondacks summers - pools, kids clubs, a restaurant and bar, mini golf, games and activities and more!  Play: Take surf classes or surf school Landes is called "Little California" and the Surfing Capital of Europe. Want to find out why?  Eat: Fresh farmed oysters at Hossegor Lake Don't miss out on shellfish, duck, Armagnac brandy, and other amazing gastronomic discoveries on the Landes Coast either!  Shop: Visit the weekly village markets Every summer day seems to be a market day along the Landes Coast. Pack an empty bag and stock up on cheese and produce, summer sundresses, handicrafts and more! The general Landes itinerary:
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Where is Landes France?
The Landes Coast is the area of Landes between Bordeaux and Bayonne, shouldering the edge of French Basque Country. In short - it is Southwest France.
There are a number of inland towns like Mont de Marsan, Roquefort and Saint Sever not included in this review of Landes, which focuses on the Landes Coastal towns of Hossegor, Capbreton, Seignosse, and others.
What Is The Landes Coast Known For?
Landes has many reputations, namely being the surf capital of Europe, alongside its monacre "Little California". The landscape is visually stunning - from winding forest roads to sea dunes that arch up to meet the sky at sunset. It's a remarkable place.
Gastronomy is also highly heralded in Landes, due to its fish and shellfish - learn more in Capbreton and Hossegor, below, and also for its duck and brandy, namely Armagnac.
With so much to offer from the land and sea, the nature isn't all the Landes Coast serves up. You'll also find charming villages for shopping and dining, campgrounds for relaxing, and a number of wonderful day trips to enjoy.
Start Here: Camping in Landes at Natureo Eco Resort
Without a doubt, camping in one of the bungalows or cabins at Natureo Eco Resort is the best way to start and end your trip. Book it for the whole week and settle in.
We got one of the pool front rustic cabins, which requires you to bring your own linens and cleaning supplies, but they also have more luxe cabins with apartment style furnishings.
Don't forget to pack things like soap, shampoo, toilet paper and tissues, paper towels, garbage bags, pillows, bed linens, beach/pool towels, bath towels, dish soap and sponge, coffee (we brought our own pot - they only had a proprietary brand that they sell pods for in their shop) and so on. You can also rent this stuff for a fee.
In the camp store, they had a full suite of alcohol, breakfast items and canned goods, and even a boulangerie for fresh croissants or baguettes!
Perks include onsite bike rentals, a surf school, a mini-pitch for soccer, basketball court, mini golf course, and board games.
You'll also have the full use of their gorgeous safari style pool area, perfect for slow afternoons.
Next to the pool, they have a full bar and restaurant. The food was quite delicious, and we even lucked into an opportunity to catch a France World Cup game that brought the whole campground out to celebrate in style.
It felt like those summers away in the Adirondacks - the "Dirty Dancing" style all-inclusive resorts. The perfect vibe to stay on the Landes Coast.
Book now as summer dates fill fast!
Pro Booking Tip: Summer officially kicks off the kids programs (which include crafting, games and even babysitting) in July. Their pool opens in late May.
Rough Landes Coast Itinerary: Don't Miss These Spots
In reality, you need about a week to visit the Landes Coast, but we managed to cram in the best of it in 3 nights. We wished we had carved out more time for relaxing afternoons by the pool or beach, but alas...we'll just have to return next summer!
Here's what you need to plan for a week on the French Coast:
1 day for Hossegor
1 day for Cabpreton
1 for Armagnac and shopping
1 day for Bayonne
1-3 days additional time in French Basque Country
Or more days, if you plan on attending surf classes or surf school
Hossegor
Hossegor Town and Market Days
Hossegor was my favorite town of the trip. We were headed elsewhere when we drove around the roundabout by the Les Halles market in town (operating Friday and Sunday), and the market caught my eye.
"We have to stop!" I told my husband, and we careened a second time around the roundabout to find ourselves in the center of the cutest little beachy village. The morning market brought everyone out for a stroll.
The corner souvenir shops spilled with their postcards and other wares onto the sidewalk, becoming one big sidewalk sale.
The Les Halles market was full of (rather expensive) clothing, but I did find a discounted vendor with 10 and 15 euro dresses.
Inside the permanent standing market we drooled over their cheese displays, meats and fresh pastas, and other fantastic goodies for bringing back to our cabin.
But this market display was just the start of the greatness of Hossegor.
Hossegor Oysters and Lac d'Hossegor
The saltwater marine lake called Lake Hossegor (Lac d'Hossegor) is one of the most unique places to spend time in Landes.
Sunsets are ideal, but any time of day is excellent for waterfront activities like a quiet Hossegor Lake paddle, or for foodies like myself - the oysters.
The oyster shacks steal the show at the far end of the lake, where spots like Chez Jerome, Chez Pif or La Poupe sling fresh oysters by the dozen, paired with white wine and bread. Simple. Delicious.
Then, further down the lake discover the aptly named "Lake House Restaurant". This is what it's all about right here.
Scenic, toes in sand at sundown, great cocktails and amazing Asian fusion French cuisine. It's a spectacular spot with the family, but go early to snag the best table!
The Beach at Hossegor
Of course Hossegor is also huge on surf culture, so head to the beach shack bars for a drink midday or perhaps stroll the sand (while others surf, not for me!).
The sand dunes at Plage Naturiste were rather epic, along with the last rays of daylight that we caught on our first night in the area. Go.
A Note on Beaches on the Landes Coast
While the neighboring town of Seignosse is more of a footnote in this article (we never got to visit, but were technically staying in the outskirts of Seignosse at Natureo), the list of surf-friendly and family-friendly beaches in the Seignosse region are the reason people come to this area.
So if you like beaches, here's the roundup from the Seignosse guide I snagged at the campground:
The most family-friendly beach in the area: Le Penon
The hidden gem beach: Les Bourdaines
The surf competition beach: Les Estagnots
The secret surfer spot: Les Casernes
Dining in Hossegor Village
Lastly, among the evening activities in Hossegor seek out the amazing Deoun Korean Restaurant. What a delightful find. We chatted up the owner who had spent time in Korea learning how to surf from her Korean husband in Busan. She was so sweet and passionate for the food and the culture of Korea - we swooned over the whole experience from tteokbokki (my fave) to KFC.
Get the kalbi and bulgogi, sure, but don't miss out on the opportunity to have Korean BBQ duck. It was tremendous.
After dinner, stroll around the quiet village lane (there's really only one main artery) for an after dinner ice cream or to catch a game at the open watering holes.
Capbreton
Capbreton is another great place to spend time while on the Landes Coast. Its coastal charm has a grander feel than Hossegor, spreading out further from the ocean in a sort of two-part town setup.
Away from the shore, find the weekly Saturday market.
The popular indoor market boasts all sorts of typical food stuffs, but make time to have some wine and oysters - it doesn't matter what time of day. We had ours for a second breakfast!
The outside market offers clothing, handicrafts, and other artsy items - best for browsing and strolling, but certainly a good time.
After a solid snack of oysters we made our way to the beachfront to try and catch the fish market, which goes on twice daily with a break mid day for the lunch hour. We kind of did a drive by in search of parking, but it looked worthwhile.
We noticed shops along our parking hunt, and some cute condos (Résidence Les Terrasses de l'Océan) across the waterfront for summer rentals. There were watersports, rafting trips going out, and a lovely marina, too.
The main event was the beachfront and pier, beckoning us to say hello. We walked a few moments along the beach side promenade and quickly found a seat for an epic lunch.
Choosing a restaurant is easy - pick the table that looks most suitable to you - there were dozens available.
Once we sat down, we planned on eating a light lunch, but our lack of French failed us again.
A happy mistake, I ordered a kir royale and the pedestrian seafood platter...and yet, alongside my kir royale we also received the seafood platter royale. Whoops.
It was nearly triple the price, but hey, c'e la vie. No complaints here about surprise lobster lunch.
The beach was calm and inviting, but we didn't have a lot of time to splash - we planned too much for one day and had to head inland next to Armagnac country!
Armagnac Country
As part of the Winedering affiliate program I was very eager to try one of their offerings in Armagnac country - a tour of Chateau Lacquy including quite a few tastings, for an extremely affordable $15(ish). Of course that doesn't count the 160 euros in brandy that we ended up buying to bring home...
Anyway, I'd been part of the program for several months but hadn't tried it out yet myself. It was so easy to book the tour online, and off we went to sample a new breed of liquor I really have no experience with - Armagnac brandy.
The tour was endearingly charming. We had to swap all of our commentary by using Google Translate's Live Translate feature, which made the experience wholly authentic and absolutely giggle-worthy.
About an hour and a half inland from the coast, we drove with special intent to reach this unique Chateau distillery.
Yes, this is after a day of oysters for breakfast and lobster for lunch. We fancy.
So we tasted gobs of brandy (maybe 15 types?) and my daughter gleefully laid on the floor doing a craft project throughout.
All in all - highly recommended.
And if not that particular tour, then there are many other Armagnac tours and tastings (check the widget below or this link) in the towns near Mont-de-Marsan and other known Armagnac producing villages like quaint Labastide-d'Armagnac.
Learn more about the Armagnac trade at the Ecomuseum in Labastide-d'Armagnac, too.
If you stop in Mont-de-Marsan, go for Saturday market day (the Saint Roch market), it is known as one of the most colorful open air markets in France.
We also passed a number of shopping opportunities along the route - if you like malls, we saw a good looking one at Centre Commercial Grand Moun.
Bayonne
As we near the end of this article, I would be remiss if I were to leave Bayonne and the French Basque Country out as part of a trip to Southern Landes, France.
The French Basque town that sits at the southern edge of Landes has its own article about things to do for a day in Bayonne, namely including the lively Les Halles market, an informative Bayonne ham salting tour, and a traditional Basque lunch at the Ttipia Cider House.
You can't go wrong for an afternoon enjoying the timbered buildings and ample shopping.
French Basque Country
Finally, as a week of fun in the sun draws to a close in this round up, it is certainly a good idea to spend added time wandering the French and Spanish border towns of the French Basque Country - namely Pau, Sare and Saint Jean de Luz.
Pau and Sare start heading inland towards the Pyrenees, so expect cave tours, kitschy train rides, quaint villages like at Saint Jean Pied du Port and lots of picturesque driving.
Don't forget Bordeaux to the north if you enjoy wine, along with a family favorite town - Rocamadour.
If You Go
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