Arcachon 1015

I know we've only just got back from the Dordogne break, but this is a proper holiday - at the seaside!

Arcachon is a great seaside town in the south west of France, down to Bordeaux then turn right. And we went by train, from Le Dorat to Poitiers, where we had a half hour coffee and croissant pause, then on a second train all the way to the coast. It took 4.5 hours in total and cost 153€ return for both of us (now we're over 60 we get a discount!). It would have taken as long by car and cost about the same when you take into account parking in Arcachon.

We'd booked an apart-hotel right in the centre, a beautiful building next to the big open square lined with bars and shops. Most mornings there was also a market there, as well as the indoor market across the square. We had an apartment around the back (quieter) with a terrace, a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and bedroom with aircon - with the bonus of hotel services and daily cleaning. Brilliant. It's the Residhome Arcachon Plazza and I can recommend it! 346€ for four nights, worth every centime.

The nearest bar served some very nice cold beer, just a few paces from our apartment.

Waiting for the 09:01 train in Le Dorat, full of holiday anticipation.

Our hotel from across the square

Arcachon has a fab beach of clean, fine sand, busy with locals, daytrippers from Bordeaux and beyond on this hot sunny Sunday afternoon. We people-watched and paddled.

The smart Mairie. Sweetie, anyone?