France

Oyster farmer Olivier Laban shares tips on sailing stunning bays, rich greenery and jumping nightlife.

Those looking for craft beers should check out [Brasserie Mira](https://brasseriemira.fr/en/art), a brewery that also hosts artists and musicians. It’s best to hire a boat with a skipper and then you can explore at leisure, discovering the Cabanes Tchanquées, the island’s iconic stilt fishing huts. So it has always been a peaceful, quiet area and I love this contrast to the busy commercial streets of Ville d’Eté, the Summer Town. North of the town, in Arcachon Bay, the Île aux Oiseaux is a timeless, perfectly preserved natural environment, home to 150 bird species, but it must be respected. Although you can hire a boat and sail over I advise against this as you need experience to navigate the bay. [La Cabane de l’Aiguillon](https://lacabanedelaiguillon.com/), a magical location right on the water near the port. And in summer, the seasonal [Le Club Plage Perreire](https://www.facebook.com/Club-Plage-Pereire-144053162429680/) is perfect for a romantic meal on the beach; grilled, freshly caught fish. A couple of roads back from the beach, [Pizzeria Jehenne](http://www.pizzeria-jehenne.com/) is great for families – chef Danny has been making pizzas and pasta for 45 years, and visitors never realise he’s not Italian but a local Arcachonnais. If you ask where I go to find inspiration, I’ll still say out on the Bassin d’Arcachon, but on a sailing boat rather than my work motorboat. This is the grandest, most beautiful part of town, with splendid 19th-century belle- Time your trip well and you have the perfect view across to our iconic Dune du Pilat. Tourists often stop in the market pulling their suitcases as it is en route from the train station to the port where ferries shuttle over to Cap Ferret.