Cap Ferret (English: ''Cape Ferret'') is a
headland
A headland, also known as a head, is a coastal landform, a point of land usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends into a body of water. It is a type of promontory. A headland of considerable size often is called a cape.Whittow, Joh ...
, situated at the south end of the ''commune'' of
Lège-Cap-Ferret
Lège-Cap-Ferret ( Gascon: ''Lèja e lo Horet'') is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The commune stretches along the length of the Cap Ferret peninsula, from the village of Lège in the north to t ...
in the
French ''department'' of
Gironde
Gironde ( US usually, , ; oc, Gironda, ) is the largest department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of Southwestern France. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1, ...
and ''region'' of
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...
. The headland takes the form of a
spit, which separates the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...
from
Arcachon Bay
Arcachon Basin or alternatively Arcachon Bay (French: ''Bassin d'Arcachon'') is a bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest coast of France, situated in Pays de Buch between the Côte d'Argent and the Côte des Landes, in the region of Aquit ...
. At the same time, the entrance to Arcachon Bay separates Cap Ferret from the resort town of
Arcachon
Arcachon ( ; ) is a commune in the southwestern French department of Gironde. It is a popular seaside resort on the Atlantic coast southwest of Bordeaux, in the Landes forest. It has a sandy beach and a mild climate said to be favourable for ...
.
Cap Ferret is famous for its
lighthouse and as an up-market resort that has retained its natural feel at the heart of the
Landes of Gascony
The Landes de Gascogne (in Gascon language, Gascon, classic spelling ''las Lanas de Gasconha'', Fébusienne spelling ''leus Lanes de Gascougne''), or Gascony Moors, is a natural region of France of nearly .
It extends over three departments: Giro ...
and the
Pays de Buch. It is also famous for its ostreicole (oyster-farming) activity and numerous tasting sites.
Cap Ferret is accessible by road from the north, and by passenger
ferry from Arcachon. The
Tramway du Cap-Ferret, a diesel operated narrow-gauge railway, links the ferry landing at Bélisaire on the shores of Arcachon Bay with the beaches on the Atlantic coast.
Gallery
File:CapFerret.JPG, Cap Ferret looking north
File:Cap-ferret fme 135a.jpg, The lighthouse at Cap Ferret
File:Tramway Cap-Ferret.JPG, The Tramway du Cap-Ferret
References
External links
*
Panoramas of Cap Ferret*
Official web site of Cap Ferret*
Discover Cap Ferret in catamaran *
Ferret
The ferret (''Mustela furo'') is a small, domesticated species belonging to the family Mustelidae. The ferret is most likely a domesticated form of the wild European polecat (''Mustela putorius''), evidenced by their interfertility. Other mu ...
Surfing locations in France
Tourist attractions in Gironde
Landforms of Gironde
Sports venues in Gironde
{{Gironde-geo-stub