Living in Arcachon's Ville d'Automne: the harbour district
Fishing port and marina, fish auction, the Aiguillon oyster hut: the Ville d'Automne is the sailors' Arcachon, a district lived in all year round.
Ville d'Automne, the sailors' Arcachon
If the Ville d’Été is the town of sea bathing, the Ville d’Automne is the town of sailors. It stretches east of the Eyrac jetty, as far as l’Aiguillon, around the harbour. It is the least touristy district of Arcachon, and that is often what appeals to those who want to live here: you meet more Arcachon locals than holidaymakers.
Its history is tied to fishing. In 1836, six fishing boats from La Teste were lost at sea with seventy-eight men. Captain Allègre then campaigned for steam-powered boats and had the Turbot built, one of the first. The district also bears the mark of Adalbert Deganne, a partner of Émile Pereire, who built the railway line to Arcachon and gave his name to the boulevard that runs through the Ville d’Automne.
The harbour, the heart of the district
Arcachon harbour is one of the great marinas of the Atlantic coast, with around 2,600 berths over some twenty hectares. It is also a fishing port that is still very much active. Since 2004, the fishermen have had a hall where they repair and dry their nets.
The fish auction takes place at dawn, three days a week. It can be discovered on guided tours organised by the tourist office, early in the morning. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand what keeps the Bassin alive.
Along the quays, the Quai du Patrimoine displays traditional boats, pinasses and sailing barges, which are part of the history of the Bassin. The Quai Goslar recalls Arcachon’s twinning with this German town listed by Unesco. Just behind the harbour walls, sailing schools teach children to sail.
Understated heritage
At the end of the harbour wall, the Monument des Péris en Mer, sculpted in 1909 by Claude Bouscau, pays tribute to sailors lost at sea. Depending on the angle, it looks like an anchor or a cross. The view over the Bassin from there is one of the finest in the district.
On the hill overlooking the harbour, the Saint-Ferdinand church replaced a chapel built in 1855. A four metre statue of the Sacred Heart was added in 1927, and its bell tower can be seen from the sea. It was renovated in 2016.
Boulevard Deganne is also worth a stroll. It takes you past Place de Verdun and its pacifist war memorial sculpted by Alexandre Maspoli in 1924, Villa Kervan, built in 1907 for an opera singer, and the Lycée Saint-Elme, founded in 1864, where a merchant navy school was created in 1872.
L'Aiguillon, oysters at the edge of town
At the eastern end, the beach of l’Aiguillon shows another side of Arcachon. The oyster beds appear at low tide, marked by wooden stakes, the pignots, which guide the boats.
This is where you will find the Cabane de l’Aiguillon, the only oyster hut in Arcachon, where oysters have been served facing the Bassin since 1967. Having this at the end of your street, without taking the car or the boat, is one of the small luxuries of the district.
A district lived in all year round
The Ville d’Automne is above all residential. The streets are quiet, houses and villas mix with more recent buildings, and life does not stop after the summer.
The town centre, its covered market and its shops are close by, on the other side of the Eyrac jetty. The town’s free shuttles link l’Aiguillon to the centre. Boulevard de la Plage, along the harbour, has some good restaurants. And Bordeaux is less than an hour away by TER regional train from Arcachon station.
Who is it for?
The Ville d’Automne appeals first to those who love the sea in the broadest sense: boat owners, for whom living close to the harbour changes everything, sailing enthusiasts, and anyone who prefers the bustle of a working harbour to that of a tourist seafront.
It also suits those looking for a quiet main home, a few minutes’ walk from the centre. As a second home, it offers another way of living Arcachon, more authentic and closer to the rhythm of the Bassin.
Here, I pay particular attention to the view over the harbour or the Bassin, the orientation, the calm of the street and the walking distance to the quays. These are the details that make the value of a property in this district.
If you are thinking of settling in Arcachon, or of selling a property there, I would be delighted to talk it over with you.
Your questions about Arcachon Ville d'Automne
Where is the Ville d'Automne in Arcachon?
The Ville d'Automne is the eastern part of Arcachon, east of the Eyrac jetty, around the harbour and as far as the Aiguillon district. It borders the Ville d'Été, the town centre.
What is there to see in the Ville d'Automne?
The fishing port and marina, the fish auction, the Quai du Patrimoine and its traditional boats, the Monument des Péris en Mer, the Saint-Ferdinand church and the beach of l'Aiguillon with its oyster beds.
Can you visit the Arcachon fish auction?
Yes. The tourist office organises guided tours of the fish auction early in the morning, on reservation. Sales take place at dawn, three days a week.
Is the Ville d'Automne a pleasant place to live all year round?
Yes. It is a quiet residential district, within walking distance of the town centre and its shops, linked by free shuttles, and kept lively all year by the life of the harbour.
Where can you taste oysters in Arcachon itself?
At the Cabane de l'Aiguillon, the only oyster hut in Arcachon, which has been serving oysters facing the Bassin since 1967.
A project in Arcachon Ville d'Automne?
A free, confidential valuation, or simply a chat about your project — I reply personally.
Other neighbourhoods · Arcachon Bay : Les Abatilles Arcachon Ville d'Été Mios Arcachon Ville de Printemps Le Moulleau Arcachon Ville d'Hiver The whole Arcachon Bay area