The Médoc

The Médoc is a peninsula, a triangle of land stretching north and west of Bordeaux. You probably know the Médoc for its world-renowned wines - Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe… The vineyards of these famous areas stand alongside the banks of the Gironde Estuary.

But the Médoc also includes 90 kilometres of Atlantic coastline and ten towns on the shores of the ocean, from Le Verdon to Le Porge, the nearest beach to Bordeaux. These ten resorts were founded at various times but are all bathed in the same gentle climate. Unsurprisingly, heliotherapy and naturism are popular here.

Soulac-sur-Mer is the most typical of the Médoc resorts, with architecture dating from 1849 to 1936. People from Bordeaux came to bathe here as early as 1860, but it was not until 1874 that the town really took off when the railway opened between Bordeaux and Le Verdon.

Architectural variety is to be found in both public (Moorish-style casino, 1911) and private buildings. The villas with names (Giroflée, Beethoven, Marie-Thérèse…) that are as diverse as their appearance (pinnacles, enamel, chiselled woodwork…) are not to be missed! 

In the surrounding area, two other constructions are worth a visit. Cordouan Lighthouse, a 66-metre giant built on a rock, is one of the very few lighthouses to be listed as a historic monument. Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres Basilica, a stopping-place for pilgrims on their way to Compostella, was founded in 1080, then buried – like the village of Soulac-le-Vieux – under the dune in 1757, before being freed from the sand between 1859 and 1860.

To find out the quality of the water in all swimming areas (ocean and freshwater) in this département, visit the website of the Ministry of Health:
http://baignades.sante.gouv.fr

 

Â

Â