10 Prettiest Villages in Landes

Biscarrosse is a town that lies on the Aquitaine coast that has lovely sandy beaches, crystal-clear lakes, and pine forests to explore. Biscarrosse is found just an hour’s drive from Bordeaux and 90 minutes from Spain, and its diverse landscape attracts tens of thousands of visitors during the summer months especially.

In addition to its natural beauty, Biscarrosse has a range of historical sights including its Seaplane Museum with vintage seaplanes and memorabilia on display, and the Church of Saint Martin, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. It’s also worth visiting the Castle of Montbron with its 2 imposing towers and views of the lake to enjoy.

Mimizan has two distinct areas to discover, with a long stretch of beach and resort attractions along Mimizan Plage, and the nearby town with a historic church. Mimizan Plage has a string of beaches extending along the coast for 10km that are popular for families to enjoy a day of surfing and sunbathing, as well as a good nightlife scene for more party-orientated visitors.

The town of Mimizan features a church dating back to the 11th century, with a remaining belltower that’s now listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. There’s also a small museum that offers insight into the history of the town and its former role as a port and part of the Santaigo di Compostella pilgrimage trail.

Mézos is a tranquil village found just 15 km from the beaches of the Atlantic coast, surrounded by some 9,000 hectares of pine forest. Mézos offers not only a range of hiking trails for nature lovers, but it’s a village dating back to the 12th century with a rich history and local culture to discover.

Among the village’s historic sights is the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church with its imposing bell tower, while some of the trails nearby offer passing views of traditional Landes houses. Mézos is also a good base for discovering such regional gastronomic fare as Landes poultry, asparagus, and wine. The lovely Aureilhan Lake is just a 20-minute drive away.

Hossegor is best known for its long golden beaches, vivid sunsets, and superb surfing waves, making it a top summer holiday escape. Away from the sand, the town has a beachy charm with its main street lined with surfer-friendly shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants.

Found about 5 km north of Capbreton, Hossegor is a fine place to explore by foot or bicycle, with its surrounding pine forest and the nearby Lac d’Hossegor marine lake and the Les Barthes de Montbardon wetland area offering hiking trails and bike paths. It’s also worth taking a stroll along the Avenue du Golf to see some of Hossegor’s grand century-old Basque-style villas.

Aire-sur-l’Adour is a small town found along the river Adour in a winemaking area of Landes. The south side of the river offers a scenic place to relax, take in the view of the bridge, or enjoy a picnic under the shade of the large trees lining the banks.

The town is home to the Roman Catholic Aire Cathedral, its origins dating back to the 11th century, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist and now part of the Diocese of Aire and Dax. Other historic buildings found along the streets of Aire-sur-l’Adour include the Church of Sainte-Quitterie. Rue Gambetta and Rue Carnot are lovely streets to wander and browse the boutique shops.

Léon is a town in Landes brimming with a mix of natural sights and village charm, with the ocean, lake, and a nature reserve all within easy reach. Léon Lake is a popular place for canoeing, fishing, windsurfing and sailing, with more leisure activities to try on the lake’s sandy beaches.

Wanderers will enjoy exploring the streets of Leon with the sight of such grand heritage buildings as the church Saint-Saturnin. Keep wandering to find several hiking trails at the nearby Natural Reserve of the Courant d'Huchet.

Labastide-d’Armagnac is a village rich with history, dating back to the 13th century with the stunning Place Royale in its centre. Visitors wandering the streets will also find arcaded heritage houses and the old fortress church with a bell tower.

The village is also rightly proud of its culinary heritage, with many local producers opening up their cellars to visitors who can sample the local duck and snail products. Just outside of town is the Notre-Dame des Cyclistes, the only structure that remains from a 12th-century fortress of the Knights Templar. It now has the unique distinction of being a chapel created to honour France’s beloved sport of cycling.

Sorde-l’Abbaye is a small village found in the south coast of Landes best known for the imposing Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Jean de Sorde that dates back to the Middle Ages. The abbey is in a picturesque setting on the banks of the Gave d’Oloron river, with free access for the public from April through November and a host to several concerts and events through the year. It’s also on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as part of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route.

The streets of Sorde-l’Abbaye also have a medieval flavour, and for nature lovers the Gave d’Oloron is a fine place to go to relax on the riverbanks or paddle a canoe.

Biaudos is a tiny village of only about 900 souls but it’s a lovely place to explore for its majestic Renaissance-style castle, its Ottoman-era “tuilerie” (tile making structure), and surrounding farms. The serene rural landscape surrounding Biaudos is home to some of France’s most famous duck breeding farms.

Reached within a 20-minute drive from both Hossegor and Capbreton, Biaudos is an ideal place for those seeking a scenic excursion from these two seaside resort towns. Biaudos village is also within easy reach of Spain’s Basque Country, found just a 45-minute drive east from the Spanish border with France.

Capbreton is a pretty seaside town offering long stretches of sandy beaches, a Napolean-era jetty, a port with seafront restaurants, streets lined with shops, bakeries and cafes, and the Forest of Gascogne just beyond the fringes of the town.

Found a 20-minute drive south of the surfing town of Hossegor, Capbreton is the kind of place to get lost wandering along its spectacular beaches, or explore the rock pools and dunes, or simply relax on the sands. In Capbreton’s port area you’ll find a fish market, boutique shops, and some good restaurants serving the catch of the day.