“It’s time to head for the ocean! We haven’t seen the sea in 7 months, so we can’t wait. We love the mountains of Auvergne, but a bit of sea air just adds that little something extra.”
“As soon as we get to the Landes forest, we can feel the relaxed atmosphere of the place, a sort of Dolce Vita, or Pura Vida as they say in Costa Rica! We make our way to the Huttopia Landes Sud campsite.“
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“For this next stop, we’re staying in a chalet Ottawa with a large shady deck. Straight away, we fall in love with the bedroom with its view of the forest through the glass doors. We almost feel like we’re alone in the jungle. Yep, again!
Even though, as it turns out, we’re not alone at all; when we go for a bike ride round the site, we come upon a fawn (a baby deer) hidden in the undergrowth just opposite our chalet.”
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““It’s time to start investigating what there is to do. Our first activities are some beautiful walks and electric bike rides amidst the pines and ferns of the Landes forest. You can’t get more typical of the region than that. The Landes de Gascogne forest is an area of woodland covering nearly a million hectares, and the largest artificial forest in Europe with a monoculture of maritime pines.
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We don’t hang around when it comes to going to see the ocean either. The beaches of the Landes are ideal for a surfing session, whether it’s a group lesson or just you catching some waves on your own! There are lots of surf shops and schools in the area. Finally, we sink our toes into the fine, warm sand and inhale the ocean breeze. The reunion is everything we hoped for!
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While taking a walk around the campsite grounds, we discover a little path beside the Ruisseau de la Palue, a small river that leads to a small lake, the Étang de Léon, where part of the Courant d’Huchet nature reserve is located. It’s an ideal spot for all sorts of water-based activities. If we’d had a bit more time here, we’d definitely have tried canoeing on the Ruisseau de la Palue or a boat trip on the Courant d’Huchet (another little river) to learn about its history and its wildlife.”
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“At the end of our busy days, it’s lovely to come back to our cosy chalet, get comfy on a deckchair with a book or a cold drink and wait for the sun to sink down behind the pines. We had forgotten how colourful sunsets are by the sea. They also seem to last much longer. We wait until it’s completely dark to close the curtains of our bedroom so that we can enjoy every last bit of the spectacle from our bed. And as soon as we’re aware that the sun’s coming up, we open them again to watch as the scene around us gradually gets lighter. Each new sunrise brings with it a host of exciting possibilities. We’ve fallen in love with this campsite where, away from the hustle and bustle of the seaside resorts, you can better appreciate the calm and the beauty of this forest by the ocean.”
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Written by The Roadtrippers
