The Landes is a department of Nouvelle Aquitaine located in South West France between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees mountains. 

Geography

Landes is bordered in the south by the foothills of the Pyrenees and opens to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. It is considered the central department of the Aquitaine region. Landes is the second largest department in France by area and is home to Europe’s largest maritime pine forest, covering 600,000 hectares, as well as 106 kilometres of fine sand ocean beaches and dune ridges.

The Landes coast stretches from Biscarrosse in the north to the mouth of the Adour in the south—a gigantic window on the Atlantic and a paradise for beach lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. The principal towns include Mont de Marson, Dax, and Hossegor.

Climate

The weather in Landes is much milder than in England. The region enjoys the Girondine climate, which prevails from the Loire to the Pyrenees. It is warm from mid-April until the end of October—and even into November. Snow is almost unknown, while spring is rainy and summer is warm and stormy. Most of the rainfall occurs in December and March.

Towns

Dax is a major thermal spa town where hot springs bubble at a constant 64°C and the river Adour’s mud is used as a soothing palliative. It is a quiet, warm, and peaceful town with a lovely riverside promenade, nestled in the Landes pine forest and close to both Atlantic beaches and the Pyrenees for skiing.

In Marqueze there is an eco-museum with a forest clearing that recreates the agricultural lifestyle of the Landes before the marshes were drained, showcasing traditional houses and the unique way shepherds traversed the marshy ground on stilts.

Mont de Marson, the administrative capital, is known as the centre of the “course landaise,” a unique form of bullfighting where the objective is to vault over the charging animal’s horns and back. Once an important commercial centre for grain and Armagnac wine, Mont de Marson is also renowned for its poultry and foie-gras production.

Hossegor opens onto an emerald green forest, a glittering salt-water lake, and an endless beach of fine sand. As Europe’s Surfing Capital and a golfer’s paradise, Hossegor exemplifies traditional coastal charm with street markets (every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday in season), numerous restaurants, cafes, a casino, a bridge club, cinema, and year-round festivals.

Activities

Life in the Landes is punctuated by festivals—many lasting up to five days and nights—giving you ample opportunity to experience the true Landes celebration. Popular events include “Chantons sous les Pins,” “Festival Cine Fete in Contis,” “Festival des Abbayes,” the European Festival of Circus in autumn, “Festival rue des Etoiles,” and “Rencontres Internationales de Contrebasses.”

Cultural life is enlivened by specialized festivals ranging from Flamenco and ceramics to dance, classical music, and cinema. The region is also famous for cow-baiting and bullfights, with well-known bullrings in Mont-de-Marsan, Dax, St Vincent-de-Tyrosse, and St Sever. For sports enthusiasts, Landes offers exceptional conditions for surfing, sand-yachting, surf-casting, swimming, and sandcastle building, all under the watchful eyes of lifeguards. It is France’s leading department for registered surfers per inhabitant and also excels in spa treatments—with popular centres in Dax, Eugenie-Les-Bains, Saubusse, Prechacq-Les-Bains, and Saint-Pal-Les-Dax (especially busy from March to November).

Other activities include golfing (with 10 courses available), canoeing, hiking, boating, trekking, fishing, and biking.

Gastronomy

Local cuisine is a vital part of the Landes lifestyle. The region is known for its quality products that are superbly showcased in its culinary traditions. Duck can be prepared in countless ways—magrets, aiguillettes, confits, foie gras, and rillons. Landes free-range chicken, raised on maize and outdoors, produces succulent, naturally flavored meat identifiable by its yellow hue.

Traditional desserts include Pastis and tourtiere. Winegrowers in Landes produce some of the best wines in Tursan and Chalosse, along with Bas-Armagnac—a delightful accompaniment to regional specialties. Top-quality produce, such as kiwis and asparagus, is also cultivated and recognized as among the best in Europe.

Useful Information

Travel from the UK:
Landes is served by the airports of Biarritz, Pau, and Bordeaux. Budget airlines such as Ryanair fly daily to Biarritz and Pau.

Looking for a Property in Landes?

Our team of sale advisers at Sextant Properties is ready to help you find a property in Landes. We maintain a large network of estate agents in Landes—including experienced english speaking estate agents in Landes—all of whom are registered French professionals fluent in both French and English. Whether you’re seeking a farmhouse, longere, barn, gite, B&B, country house, mill, castle, or chateau, we will do our best to find a property that meets your requirements.

To learn more about our properties for sale in Landes, please do not hesitate to contact us.