It was to describe the Landes, and more specifically Mimizan, that the
expression “Côte d’Argent” (Silver Coast) was coined by Maurice Martin, a
chronicler and adventurer, on 20 March 1905. He had recently led an
“exploratory caravan” along the coast, including 17 poets, musicians and
painters.
Little by little, the fishing villages and their peaceful lakes
became seaside resorts renowned for their mild climate and the beauty of their
beaches. Well known in artistic circles for its “school” formed around the
writers Justin Boex, aka Rosny Jeune, and Maurice Martin, Hossegor developed
from 1923 onwards with the construction of hotels, a golf
course, a casino and many villas.
The decorators and architects of the time not only gave the town
remarkable unity, but also started up a regional style known as
"Basque-Landes", which became famous all over the world.
With 106 kilometres of beaches and powerful waves, the Landes part of
the Atlantic coast has forged a reputation as one of the prime choices of
surfers. Biscarrosse, Moliets, Seignosse, Capbreton, Ondres… A stage in the world
championship is held each August in Hossegor, where the headquarters of
the Fédération Française de Surf
has been based since 1984.
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