What to do in Cap Ferret? A complete guide for an exceptional stay

April 23th, 2026

3 minutes

There are places you visit and others you come to call your own. Cap Ferret belongs to the latter.

A peninsula both wild and refined, where villas hide behind pine trees and sandy paths take the place of avenues.

Here is our guide to capturing its essence, between must-see highlights and more discreet pleasures.

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Exploring the beaches between ocean and bay

Cap Ferret offers a rare duality. On one side, the Atlantic Ocean: raw, untamed, almost hypnotic. On the other, the Arcachon Bay: calm, luminous, endlessly soothing.

In the morning, take a swim at Plage du Centre, just across from Villa Colette on the bay side. Early risers are rewarded with a sunrise gently reflecting on the water: quiet, almost mesmerizing.

By afternoon, head to Plage de l’Horizon for a surf lesson, carried by the wind and the rhythm of the waves. Or simply walk along the vast shoreline, where the ocean seems to stretch endlessly.

As the day fades, settle atop the dunes to watch the sky turn gold in a sunset unlike any other. Or return to the bay, to the Mimbeau: an oyster-farming village where time slows down. Here, you can enjoy freshly shucked oysters in a traditional cabane (La Kabane, La Cabane d’Hortense, or Chez Boulan), with the Dune du Pilat as your backdrop.

Two atmospheres. One destination. And already, the feeling of being somewhere else.

Our recommendations:

Plage du Centre, Arcachon Bay (morning swim & sunrise) – directly in front of Villa Colette
Plage de l’Horizon, Atlantic Ocean (surf & sunset) – 5 minutes by bike from Villa Colette
Plage du Mimbeau, Arcachon Bay (views of the Dune du Pilat) – 10 minutes on foot from Villa Colette
Plage des Américains, Arcachon Bay (confidential and elegant) – 15 minutes by bike from Villa Colette

Discovering the peninsula by bike

In Cap Ferret, everything is done by bike. Cycle paths wind through the pine forest, trace the shoreline of the bay, and lead to oyster-farming villages that feel suspended in time. L’Herbe, with its colorful wooden cabins and iconic Algerian Chapel. Le Canon, discreet and almost aristocratic in its understated elegance. Piraillan, wilder, more untamed, where nature takes over.

You stop without reason. For an oyster. For a particular light. For a moment of silence.

Perhaps that is the true spirit of Cap Ferret: a succession of unexpected detours.

Each pause becomes an immersion into local authenticity: oyster huts, flower-lined sandy lanes, and an atmosphere that feels entirely removed from the present.

Discover our cycling itineraries to explore Cap Ferret.

Discovering the peninsula by bike

You stop without reason. For an oyster. For a particular light. For a moment of silence.

Perhaps that is the true spirit of Cap Ferret: a succession of unexpected detours.

Each pause becomes an immersion into local authenticity: oyster huts, flower-lined sandy lanes, and an atmosphere that feels entirely removed from the present.

Discover our cycling itineraries to explore Cap Ferret.

Location de bateau avec skipper au Cap Ferret

Enjoying the local culinary scene

Cap Ferret is also a destination renowned for its gastronomy. It all begins on the bay, in the oyster beds that shape the horizon at low tide. Here, Pacific oysters are cultivated in harmony with the rhythm of the tides and generations of savoir-faire. They are enjoyed simply, often with your feet in the water: their flavor both briny and delicately nutty, telling the story of the land better than words ever could.

To this emblematic tradition is added a more confidential yet equally refined delicacy: Aquitaine caviar, awarded with an IGP label, whose elegance reflects the same deep connection to the region.

At Villa Colette, the restaurant offers a distinctive international cuisine led by Chef Benjamin Six (La Plume, ROOF, TOO Restaurant, TOO TacTac, Kong), a culinary signature unlike anything else at Cap Ferret.

Open to both guests and visitors, the restaurant unfolds throughout the day:

Breakfast from 7:45 am to 10:00 am, daily
Lunch from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, daily
Afternoon tea from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm, daily
Cocktails and finger food from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm, daily
Dinner from 7:00 pm to 10:30 pm, daily
Sunday brunch from 12:15 pm to 2:30 pm

Three distinct spaces set the rhythm of the experience: the indoor dining room, elevated by a glass roof where you dine almost under the stars, Cap Ferret being known for its remarkably clear night sky; the cocktail bar, perfect for discovering signature creations paired with refined sharing plates; and the terrace overlooking the garden and the Arcachon Bay, where the view stretches endlessly and time seems to slow.

Discover our menus and reserve your table at Villa Colette restaurant.

Indulging in a wellness escape

There is something in the air at Cap Ferret that naturally invites you to slow down. In a serene setting between pine forest and bay, the seasonal spa at Villa Colette extends this feeling of quiet retreat.

Just a few steps to the left of the hotel, facing the water, this exclusive space, reserved for guests, offers two treatment rooms, a fitness studio equipped with Technogym and a Pilates Reformer, as well as a large garden lined with sun loungers.

A place designed for true disconnection, where time softens and every detail encourages you to unwind, just moments from the bay.

Experiencing the Arcachon Bay differently

At Cap Ferret, the Arcachon Bay is explored not only by bike, but also by boat. Aboard a traditional pinasse, perspectives shift: the iconic stilted cabanes emerge on the horizon, Île aux Oiseaux reveals its ever-changing contours, and Cap Ferret itself is recast in a constantly evolving light.

To fully embrace this experience, Villa Colette offers its guests a fleet of five boats with skipper. Far from standard excursions, each outing becomes a bespoke escape, guided by the rhythm of the tides. Confidential stops, swimming in secluded spots, climbing the Dune du Pilat, or enjoying freshly shucked oysters at sunset…

A privileged way to discover the bay from within, led by those who know every nuance of it.

Discover our boats for private charter with skipper in Cap Ferret.

Cap Ferret cannot truly be told, it must be felt. Between raw nature and understated elegance, between light and silence, this destination offers a rare kind of luxury: the freedom to slow down, to breathe, to live differently.

To extend this feeling, where you stay becomes essential. Villa Colette embodies this philosophy, an address conceived as a private home, enhanced by the services of a luxury hotel. Twenty-eight rooms and suites, each with a balcony, terrace, or garden, overlooking either the bay or the pine forest.

And perhaps, ultimately, the most meaningful way to experience the peninsula.

Discover our rooms and suites with a view in Cap Ferret.

What to do in Cap Ferret? A complete guide for an exceptional stay

Exploring the beaches between ocean and bay

Discovering the peninsula by bike

Discovering the peninsula by bike

Enjoying the local culinary scene

Indulging in a wellness escape

Experiencing the Arcachon Bay differently

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