Arcachon

Arcachon
region	Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department	Gironde
Arrondissement	Arcachon
Canton	La Teste-de-Buch
Community association	Bassin d'Arcachon Sud-Pôle Atlantique
Coordinates	44 ° 40 ′ N , 1 ° 10 ′ W Coordinates: 44 ° 40 ′ N , 1 ° 10 ′ W
height	0-45 m
surface	7.56 km 2
Residents	11,284 (January 1, 2017)
Population density	1,493 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code	33120
INSEE code	33009
Website	http://www.ville-arcachon.fr/
	; Arcachon aerial view

Arcachon satellite photo

Arcachon ( okzitan. : Arcaishon ) is a French city with 11,284 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Gironde department in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine . It is the sub-prefecture of the arrondissement of the same name and belongs to the canton of La Teste-de-Buch .

Population development

In 2017, the French statistical institute INSEE estimated the population of Arcachon at around 11,284.

year	1962	1968	1975	1982	1990	1999	2006	2011	2017
Residents	14,862	14,986	13,892	13,293	11,770	11,454	12,153	10,776	11,284

geography

The seaside resort on the Biscay is located in the Landes de Gascogne Regional Nature Park on the southern bank of the Bassin d'Arcachon, about 60 kilometers southwest of Bordeaux .

South of the villa suburbs Le Pilat Plage and Pyla sur Mer (which administratively already belong to the neighboring municipality of La Teste-de-Buch ) at the basin exit to the Atlantic is the highest dune in Europe , the Dune du Pilat with a height of about 110 m and a length 2.7 kilometers and a foot width of around 500 m.

history

Moorish casino , around 1900

For a long time Arcachon was just a meaningless fishing village . The development into a luxury seaside resort took place in the 19th century. The brothers Émile Pereire and Isaac Pereire , who came from Bordeaux and acted as major investors , played a significant role in this . The Strandcasino, built in 1853, also known as Château Deganne after its builder, and the Moorish Casino , which burned down in 1977 after a long decline, were landmarks of this heyday. The Notre-Dame basilica was built next to the historic seaman's chapel between 1856 and 1860 .

economy

The city and its basin are known for oyster farming . Oysters and other seafood are also prominently featured on local gastronomy menus . Many restaurants and bars are located directly on the beach promenade . The tourist office in Arcachon welcomes 150,000 people every year.

traffic

The city was connected to the railway network as early as 1841 by the Lamothe – Arcachon railway . From 1911 to 1930 the electric tram Tramway Arcachon, seven kilometers in length, also operated here ; she owned five railcars and three sidecars. The Arcachon funicular was also in operation between 1913 and 1948 .