Naturist beach in the Landes: Arnaoutchot, Hossegor and our advice

With more than a hundred kilometres of sandy beaches lined with dunes and pine forest, the Landes is one of France’s historic naturism regions. Yet official naturist beaches are rare there: most stretches frequented by naturists are simply tolerated, away from the lifeguard posts.

Here are the beaches to know, from Vielle-Saint-Girons to Hossegor, the rules to follow, the precautions to take with the ocean and the large naturist estate in the department.

Naturist beaches in the Landes at a glance

Arnaoutchot, the Landes’ major naturist beach

At Vielle-Saint-Girons, between the Lac de Léon and the ocean, Arnaoutchot beach is the largest and best known of the Landes’ naturist beaches. It stretches at the foot of the dunes, in front of the naturist estate of the same name, across fine sand as far as the eye can see. In summer, part of the beach is supervised, which makes it one of the few naturist beaches in the department where you can swim under the eye of lifeguards.

Hossegor and the south of the Landes

North of Hossegor, between La Gravière beach and the wild expanses of Seignosse, one beach is traditionally dedicated to naturism. It is supervised during the summer season, for a period that varies from year to year.

Further south, the Métro beach at Tarnos is also cited as frequented by naturists. As elsewhere, check with the town hall for the boundaries currently in force.

Other areas frequented by naturists

Along the rest of the coast, naturism is most often tolerated outside supervised areas, at a good distance from lifeguard posts and family beaches. Among the areas traditionally frequented:

• the large beaches of Messanges, known for their tolerance;
• the area around the central beach and the Chênes-Lièges beach at Moliets-et-Maa;
• the Cap de l’Homy area at Lit-et-Mixe;
• the Casernes beach at Seignosse;
• the northern beaches of Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains;
• certain areas north of Mimizan.

These practices are not official authorisations: they change from one season to the next and depend on municipal orders. There is no up-to-date official list, so it is best to contact the town hall or the tourist office before settling in.

Rules to follow

• Settle away from textile areas and family beaches.
• Stay discreet and respectful: naturism has nothing exhibitionist about it.
• Never photograph other bathers.
• Get dressed again before leaving the beach to head for the car parks or shops.
• Respect the dune: use the marked access paths and do not trample the vegetation that holds it in place.

Caution with the ocean

The Landes coastline is magnificent but demanding. The baïnes, hollows dug into the sand that fill and empty with the tides, create currents capable of carrying bathers out to sea. As naturist beaches are most often far from lifeguard posts, caution is essential:

• preferably swim in a supervised area, between the flags;
• never swim alone, or in rough sea;
• if a current takes you, do not fight it: let yourself drift, then swim back to the shore parallel to the beach;
• check the flag colour and tide times before settling in.

Where to stay at a naturist campsite in the Landes?

The Arnaoutchot naturist estate at Vielle-Saint-Girons is the reference address: 45 hectares of pine forest, three direct accesses to the naturist beach without crossing a road, a water area with pools and water slides, a naturist spa and children’s clubs in high season. Also discover all our naturist campsites in the Landes and, further north, our guide to naturism in the Gironde and the Médoc.

Our verdict

The Landes offers vast, wild beaches, ideal for naturism, but only a few of them are recognised and supervised. For a relaxed swim, choose Arnaoutchot or Hossegor in summer, check the boundaries elsewhere and never underestimate the ocean. A stay at a naturist estate with direct beach access remains the simplest solution.