Port de Biganos visitor guide

Visit Port de Biganos, France

The Port de Biganos is a small, traditional fishing port on the southern side of the Bassin d'Arcachon, about 20 kilometres east of Arcachon.

Visiting the Port de Biganos

France This Way review: the charm of a visit to the Port de Biganos comes from the wooden cabins around the port, of various sizes and with many painted in bright colourful stripes: it is very picturesque and quite unusual.

The Port de Biganos is a small port with perhaps 50 small fishing boats. The port is connected to the bassin of Arcachon by a river, so you can't actually see the bassin from the port.

The port would be quite unremarkable for tourists, except that around two of the sides of the port there are rows of charming cabins. Because these vary in size, and because some are traditional wooden cabins and others are beautifully restored and painted, they form a very lovely backdrop for the port.

You should be aware that the port is tidal, so if possible you should check local tide tables before visiting and visit at or near high tide: as with the small oyster villages around the Bassin d'Arcachon, it is more attractive to see the boats when they are floating in the water rather than sitting in the mud!

The area around the port at Biganos is nicely maintained with grass and several picnic benches. There is also a restaurant where you can sample the oysters of the region with a glass of wine.

After exploring the main port area (which on its own will not take long) you can follow a footpath downstream through the woods to better appreciate the area. There is also a canoe rental station where you can rent a canoe to explore the river below the port and see more wildlife of the region. The canoe rental base also has a snack bar.

Attractions nearby

Lots of other ports around the Bassin d'Arcachon, mostly oyster ports, include several small ports in the direction of Arcachon as well as the very popular small villages at Canon and l'Herbe on Cap Ferret around the bassin to the north-west.

The town of Arcachon is one of our favourite seaside resorts in France and has a great deal to see and do.

Explore elsewhere in the Bassin d'Arcachon. You can find more travel ideas in the Gironde guide and the Aquitaine guide.