Thiers Beach

You are now on Thiers Beach, in the heart of Arcachon, a stretch of 800 metres of fine sand framed by two of the town’s most emblematic piers. This central beach offers a prime setting, with modern facilities and lifeguard supervision in season. In front of you stands the famous Thiers Pier, nicknamed “the queen of Arcachon’s piers.” Built between 1901 and 1903, it was originally called the “New Pier” before being renamed in 1907 in honour of Adolphe Thiers, the first president of the French Third Republic, who had once stayed in the resort. Fully restored in 2003 for its centenary, it remains Arcachon’s main embarkation point, with most boat trips around the Bassin departing from here. Stroll to its far end and you’ll find a unique curiosity: the footprints of some of the greatest contemporary sailors embedded in the deck. Since its construction, the pier has been a prime witness to all of Arcachon’s major festivities, from sea festivals and sailing regattas to the 15 August fireworks and open-air concerts. To your right lies the Pierre Lataillade Pier, formerly known as the Eyrac Pier, renamed in 2020 after a former mayor. This is the oldest of Arcachon’s piers, built around 1845, and was the historic landing point for the first visitors to Arcachon, back when the train still stopped in La Teste. It was also at the heart of the sardine fishing industry that made Arcachon the leading fishing port in France in 1910. These piers, true bridges between land and sea, still embody the maritime soul of Arcachon, inviting you to pause and take in the beauty of the Bassin and its natural treasures.