Sainte-Cécile Belvedere

If you head down the street to your right, you’ll come to the entrance of one of the Winter Town’s hidden gems: the Sainte-Cécile Belvedere, also known as the Sainte-Cécile Observatory. This 25-metre-high metal tower was built in 1863 by Paul Régnauld, the architect behind the Winter Town, working with a young, up-and-coming engineer you might have heard of… Gustave Eiffel. The result of their collaboration is a remarkable architectural feat. To reach it, you’ll cross the famous Saint-Paul Footbridge, a 32-metre-long suspended walkway that spans a 15-metre-deep ravine above what is now Allée Pasteur. This metal bridge links two hills once known as Saint-Paul and Sainte-Cécile. Climbing the spiral staircase can feel a bit daunting, the structure sways ever so slightly under visitors’ feet, but rest assured, its clever design, with a maximum of eight people allowed at a time, has withstood the fiercest storms for more than 160 years. And once you reach the top, you’re rewarded with a spectacular view over the entire Arcachon Bay: the Winter Town’s villas below, the Île aux Oiseaux and its cabanes tchanquées in the distance, and, on a clear day, a sweeping vista all the way to Cap Ferret. A detour well worth the climb!