To the north of Mimizan, in the shape of a triangle, the natural lake of Biscarrosse is one of the jewels of the famous seaside resort. Situated in the Landes department, it extends over 10 km and covers an area of 3,500 hectares. A small canal connects it to the lake of Cazaux-Sanguinet, where mysterious sunken villages are hidden.
Fishing, boating and swimming
The shores of Lake Biscarrosse are quite varied, with marshes, a large wooded area and equipped beaches where you can swim in calm, warm and transparent water. The town of Biscarrosse is situated to the north of the lake, while its seaside resort is 8 km to the north-west on the edge of the ocean. The waters full of fish are rich in carp of beautiful sizes. On the south side, the charming Courant de Sainte-Eulalie, popular with eels, winds 7 km through thick vegetation towards the Aureilhan pond.
To sail on the lake of Biscarrosse, let yourself be tempted by the rental of a paddle, a canoe, a pedal boat or a sailing boat. There are two large harbours for boats, while in Gastes there are typical boat sheds on stilts.
The temple of aviation and black gold
A museum recounts the fascinating epic of seaplanes, born on Lake Biscarrosse in 1930. Genuine giant ocean liners from the air were taking passengers to New York or Martinique. In addition to the exhibition of venerable aircraft, you can enjoy a first flight by taking off from the water.
More surprisingly, oil was discovered on the shores of Parentis-en-Born in 1954. On land or on lake platforms, gigantic pumps are still extracting large quantities of very good quality black gold.
Walks between forest and ocean
On the other side of the state-owned forest, enjoy the immensity of the dunes and sandy beaches, which is only 5 km away. It is also a surfing paradise, thanks to the regular swell of the ocean. No less than 145 km of easy and very pleasant cycle paths serve all the surroundings of Biscarrosse. You can also escape on foot or on horseback with a wide choice of walks between the forests and the three large lakes in the area.
Beautiful escape routes nearby
An ideal place to stay, the lake of Biscarrosse also allows you to radiate in the immensity of the forest to the large neighbouring areas of the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park and the Grande Lande ecomuseum in Marquèze, which reconstructs the life of the inhabitants in the 19th century. The ancestral custom of harvesting pine resin is still alive today. You can also head north to the basin of Arcachon and climb the dune of Pilat, or go down to the green hills of the Basque country in the south.
Traditions and delicacies
In the land of stilts, attend the Landes races and take part in the férias, where you can dance to the rhythm of the bandas' music.
In a typical bodega or inn, the flavours of the Landes are attractive with garbure, duck breasts, foie gras, Landes salad, Chalosse beef, asparagus from the sands, farmhouse poultry, fish and seafood, Pastis landais cake, local wines.
Campsites of the lake of Biscarrosse
Among the many possibilities for a camping holiday near Lake Biscarosse or in the surrounding area, we recommend three beautiful addresses. In Biscarrosse with a very high level of comfort, the Resort La Rive campsite ***** has more than a thousand accommodations and Le camping Mayotte Vacances ***** offers nearly 1,400 rentals and accommodations. Les Prés Verts *** campsite in Gastes offers more than 160 pitches, two-thirds of which are rented.