Dune du Pilat

The Dune du Pilat is the tallest sand dune in Europe, on the Atlantic coast of the Gironde, about 60 km south-west of Bordeaux at the entrance to the Arcachon Basin. In 2025 it measured 101.7 m, compared with 106.6 m in 2018. It is just under 3 km long, up to 500 m wide and made up of roughly 55 to 60 million m³ of sand. Every year it moves 1 to 3 m inland, pushing into the pine forest.

From the crest you look out over the Atlantic, the Banc d’Arguin sandbank, the Landes forest and the basin. According to Lonely Planet, up to 6,000 pairs of Sandwich terns nest each spring on the Banc d’Arguin, a bird reserve. From Easter to All Saints’ Day a wooden staircase with 150 to 160 steps, depending on the year, makes the climb easier; otherwise you go up through the sand alone. Bare feet work best, but the sand is very hot in summer and cold in winter.

Allow one to two hours for the climb, the crest walk and the descent. With almost two million visitors a year it gets busy; mornings and evenings are quieter. Access is via the D218 towards Pyla-sur-Mer; at the foot there is a paid car park with shops and toilets.