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Mimizan

Visit Mimizan (Aquitaine, France)

The town of Mimizan and the associated seaside resort of Mimizan Plage are situated on the Atlantic coast (known as the 'Cote d'Argent') of France to the south of Arcachon and Biscarrosse.

If you have ever visited the long Atlantic coast you will know what to expect - the 19th century resort of Mimizan Plage has a long fine sandy beach ideal for surfing and sunbathing and basic resort facilities, while inland is the more traditional town of Mimizan itself, the large Aureilhan Lake and several smaller lakes.

Exploring Mimizan

Most visits will focus around the beaches! There are several beaches here stretching a total of ten kilometres, with a popular family beach in the heart of Mimizan Plage and longer beaches backed by sand dunes lie just to the north and south of the resort. The north and south of Mimizan are separated by the 'river' that carries water from the lake to the sea.

Mimizan town

Mimizan town is now a few kilometres inland from the coast - but for many centuries was an active port town before the encroaching sand dunes blocked access. The main monument of note is the church - and in particular the belltower which now forms part of the UNESCO Heritage Sites list, because of the town's previous role as a stopping point on the pilgrimage route to Santaigo di Compostella.

The church, in part dating from the 11th century, was once part of a more substantial priory complex, but the other buildings no longer exist except for a 16th century house in Mimizan which was once the sleeping quarters for the monks. Look in particular at the intricate stone carving of the 'clocher-porch'.

The town also has a small museum looking at the traditions and heritage of the region, if you can keep yourself away from the beach for a while.

Activities

Aureilhan Lake is especially popular with visitors because of its nature trails and picnics in a picturesque setting - much of the lake is now a protected natural environment. Hiring a boat to explore the lake is a lovely way to enjoy the peaceful environment.

Mimizan beach and town are also backed by the large forests of the Landes, which offer many outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and horse riding.

There are several small villages hidden away in the region, and a chance to see traditional Landais houses and churches. Among these we recommend are Aureilhan (on the edge of the lake), Pontenx les Forges and Saint-Paul-en-Born.

Photos taken within 10 km

Tourist classifications for Mimizan

Mimizan is classified as a village in bloom (ville fleurie) 4*

Address: Mimizan, Mont-de-Marsan, Landes, Aquitaine, 40200 || GPS: latitude 44.2019, longitude -1.22722

Map of Mimizan & places nearby



 

Highlights close by

See lots more places to visit nearby and a more detailed map at places near Mimizan.
See Aquitaine and Landes (the region and department for Mimizan) for more travel ideas...

Suggested tourist attractions to visit near Mimizan, France

• Mimizan clocher-porche (monuments on French pilgrim routes) - heritage site
• Courant de Contis - site of natural beauty (14km)
• Etang de Biscarrosse et Parentis - site of natural beauty (17km)
• Biscarrosse - ville fleurie 4* (22km)
• Etang de Cazaux et Sanguinet - site of natural beauty (32km)
• Courant de Huchet - site of natural beauty (36km)

Market days in Mimizan: Regular market(s) are held in Mimizan each Thursday & Friday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)

The French version of this page is at Mimizan (Francais)