Iconic by bike: the Cordouan lighthouse

Leave the Tourist Office and turn left towards the Aliénor d'Aquitaine esplanade. You are facing the forecourt of the Basilica of Our Lady of the End of the Lands. Classified as a historical monument in 1891 and listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO as part of the Santiago de Compostela routes in 1998, the Basilica Notre-Dame-de-la-fin-des-Terres bears witness to an eventful past. Built in the 120th century by the Benedictine monks, it is of a Romanesque-Poitevin style in limestone, it was by its size intended to receive crowds. This building was a victim of the wars of religion and suffered from silting up for four centuries. The Basilica will have been abandoned for XNUMX years before being removed from the sand, but not in its entirety. Remains still remain underground.

Take rue Ornano opposite the Basilica, stop for a moment on place Georges Mandel, you are in front of the town hall. Continue, then turn right rue Victor Hugo, admire the magnificent Soulac villas.

At the stop sign, turn right onto rue du Prince Noir as far as Les Arros, take the cycle path and stop at the “6.1 km” marker. Head to the first bunker. This fortification was used during the Second World War; you will discover others on the dune, which offers a magnificent panorama of the city. This is also where you can see the breakwaters on the beach. Created by Georges Mandel, these concrete slabs slow down the currents in order to preserve the dunes from erosion.

Return to Place des Arros and take the cycle path. At the stop sign, turn right and walk along the seafront. You pass in front of the replica of the Statue of Liberty, a tribute to La Fayette who boarded the ship La Victoire in 1777 a few kilometers further on.

Throughout your walk you will see in the distance the famous lighthouse of Cordouan “the Lighthouse of the Kings, the Kings of the Lighthouses”. Continue your way, you then arrive at the casino. Facing the ocean stands the statue “La Danse”.

Take the cycle path that runs along the dune cord, passing by the orientation table. You use part of the dune path. When you arrive at the stop sign, turn right and continue on the cycle path to the Amélie chapel. Continue on boulevard Guy Albospeyre for 400 m and take the Tottoral pass on your left, you will discover Médoc vegetation composed of maritime pines, holm oaks, mimosas.

You must then turn right to follow Boulevard Marsan de Montbrun. Continue for 600 m and turn left on rue Antoine Saint Exupéry to use the cycle path. It will take you to Place Clémenceau and its magnificent fountain.

Go around the roundabout and continue in the streets Maréchal Leclerc, Gambetta and Lahens to discover remarkable Soulac villas. Rue Lahens, take a break on the benches and discover the Anna residence, a former convent that became an orphanage in the XNUMXth century. Then continue the street, you are facing the basilica turn right, continue in rue Laporte after the roundabout. The small park is called “square of the pilgrims”. This point offers a nice view of the Roman-Byzantine style monastery. A rich place, the Benedictine monks made their toothpaste there and exploited the vines that surrounded the monastery.

Continue on your way and take rue Barriquand on your left then rue Désorthez. You pass in front of the reformed church. Caution, dangerous slope at 10%. At the bottom of the street, turn left to take the rue de la plage.

Return to Rue Jean Laporte and head towards Jeune Soulac. At the bend continue to your right. Turn right on rue de Berniche, then straight ahead, pass des Trois Ecluses. Continue for 500 m to the church of Jeune Soulac. Turn right, cross the RD1215 with caution. Continue straight ahead and take the direction of Port de Neyran. You completely change the landscape, you cross the oyster port. Continue along the canal. You arrive near a bunker, stop to admire this view of the estuary. To return, take the same road.