Montalivet & Soulac-Sur-Mer

23.05.24

Today we start from Carcans Plage to Montalivet, also a town on the Atlantic.

We pass the Lac d' Hourtin, a huge inland lake.

We find a sunny parking spot right next to the dunes.

This place is also pretty empty, but at least a few shops and bars are open.

Reason enough for a rosé by the sea.

The weather today is perfect for a long walk on the beach, the first barbecue and a sunset by the sea without freezing🫶

24./25.5.24

There is a market in Montalivet this morning and we stock up on fresh baguette and croissant 🥐 for breakfast.

After being overcast in the morning, it gets warmer towards midday. Today I'm going to take the plunge (naked) into the Atlantic.

It's not really cold 🥶 but unfortunately there are a lot of jellyfish around.

The beach to the left, the beach to the right, stop for a rosé 🍷

In the evening we grill again but it's already getting cold again.

26.05.24

We set off early this morning and actually want to go to the Ile de Oleron. But we only get about 16 km because we find a mega parking space in Soulac-Sur-Mer, with a view of the sea, right on the beach for €5.60 for 24 hours. (If you outsmart the machine at the barrier 😜)

So we'll stay here for another day.

It is a 2 km walk to Sulac-Sur-Mer. A cute little village with pretty houses, a market hall and a small cathedral.

The place was once completely buried by a shifting dune and was dug out again after the shifting dune moved further.

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame-de-la-fin-des-Terres is a pilgrimage church dating back to the 12th century.

Soulac-sur-Mer is affected by coastal erosion, which is accelerated by climate change . Houses have already had to be demolished due to the risk of collapse.

From the beach you can see the Cordouan lighthouse.

Also called Versailles of The Seat, it was built in 1611 and is the oldest lighthouse in France.

The Cordouan lighthouse has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as a “cultural asset”.

The parking spot here is really unbelievably beautiful. Sea to the right, sea to the left, the waves rushing and we can see the beach and the sea from all of Rudy's windows.