Regulars of the peninsula are familiar with the Hôtel des Dunes, this discreet little establishment, opened in 1969, next to the wild beach of the same name. Karine Tiphagne Hecquet, a retro decoration enthusiast, bought it in early 2022, after having lived abroad for fifteen years, notably in Hawaii.
With her husband, a good surfer, and their children, they often stayed in motels not far from famous surf spots, such as Montauk or Malibu. The atmosphere of these mythical places inspired her a lot to refresh the Ferret-Capienne institution, which reopened in the spring. The entrance is via an alley of dracaena trees leading into a small sand garden, where wooden slatted Scandinavian chairs and a hammock have been arranged under an umbrella pine and an olive tree. The building is covered with lath, this wooden cladding typical of the cabins in the area.
Inside, the white walls are awakened by notes of petrol blue, light blue and butter yellow. In the rooms, sixties-inspired objects, such as push-button telephones, have been placed on contemporary furniture in light wood. Suite 14 has a large bedroom, a living room equipped with a sofa and club chairs, as well as a green and shaded terrace. When you get back from the beach, you can dry your bathing suits and towels there, taking advantage of the coolness. Breakfast is presented using the Australian technique of grating food, kind of artistic composition with food.
300 meters away: watch the sunset
In this district located at the tip of Cap-Ferret, you can access the beaches of the Arcachon basin as quickly as those of the ocean. From the hotel, a small sandy path in the middle of the pines leads to the wild Dunes beach, where it is good to walk along the water’s edge, have a picnic or have an aperitif while admiring the sunset. . Swimming is not recommended there, because there is no surveillance and the Atlantic is home to baïnes, these natural pools whose outflow currents at high tide are responsible for many drownings.
450 meters away: feast on smoked fish
In 2019, Bénédicte Baggio and Julien Marcotte inaugurated Fumette, the first artisanal smokehouse on the peninsula. Their trout, black mullet, white tuna, sea bream and bass, from sustainable local fishing and cold-smoked with beech wood, have become classics of the festive tables of the region. The duo has just opened a second shop, of about twenty square meters, where it is also possible to order fish platters to take away.
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