From St. Emilion we drove back across Bordeaux and out into the region, 40 or so miles west, known as Les Landes. Historically, it has been low land, relatively unsettled, but the last century has seen much reclamation, turning the marshes into vast pine forests on the dunes, all about the size of Connecticut. Driving through it, you'd think you were in the US Gulf Coast area. There are signs of logging here and there, but not really all that much. Just miles and miles of pine forest. At the coast is the town of Arcachon (and several others), seaside resorts that are making a come-back economically. As it turned out, we spent three nights in or near Arcachon, and at the Grand Dune Pilat.
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Arcachon beach
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Ditto
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Broad beach; low tide
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Looking up at the Grand Dune Pilat, south of Arcachon
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Climbing the dune; it's between 300 and 400 feet high, and goes on for a couple miles
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Vicki near the top
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Looking out into the Atlantic, gigantic sandbars, more
dunes in the making
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And the big dune itself goes on some miles
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