HIKING IN THE LANDS: on the GR8, from Dune du Pilat to Hossegor

For lovers of long-distance hiking, the GR8 offers an extraordinary route through the Landes department , on the old coastal path once used by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Discover it!

Crossing the Aquitaine coast

The GR®8 is part of the E9 European coastal footpath. For 370 km, the long-distance footpath passes through Vendée and Charente-Maritime, then crosses the Gironde estuary and the Landes département , skirting the Atlantic coast before crossing the Adour further east. GOOD TO KNOW: the GR8 is signposted in red and white. Some routes are more recent, while others are older and therefore less easy to find. We therefore recommend that you take a guidebook with you.

From Pyla-sur-Mer to Biscarrosse

• Distance: 25 km

After passing the Dune du Pilat, the highest dune in Europe, we set off, hiking boots on, for a long crossing of the Landes forest. Before that, be sure to make a diversion to the ocean beaches of Petit-Nice, La Lagune and La Salie. Just before Biscarrosse-plage, and without any transition, the GR8 passes from the Gironde department to that of the Landes.

From Biscarrosse to Gastes

• Distance: 20 km

Head for the Grands Lacs region and Biscarrosse, capital of hydroplanes, where the museum tells the story of the great transatlantic crossings. After Biscarrosse-Plage and the étang de Cazaux and Sanguinet, the walker will discover the cabins of the resiniers before putting down his rucksack in Parentis-en-Born, a typical village of the Pays de Born. Take the opportunity to explore the little port of Le Piaou. The rest of the walk takes you to Gastes, a charming little lakeside village on the shores of the Parentis-Biscarrosse lake.

From Gastes to Mimizan

• Distance: 25 km

From Gastes, the walk on the GR8 continues through the Sainte-Eulalie forest before reaching the ocean. After a few kilometres of walking, you arrive at Mimizan-Plage, a surfing town and famous Landes resort nicknamed the "Pearl of the Côte d'Argent". Discover the Lespecier beach (the wildest in Mimizan), the Aureilhan lake and its flowery promenade, the local forestry heritage and the log cabins.

From Mimizan to Saint-Julien-en-Born

• Distance: 20 km

Have you discovered all the secrets ofMimizan? Then head for Saint-Julien-en-Born, the southernmost village in the Pays de Born. Follow the undulating pine forest behind the dune belt, before treading the sands of the famous Cap de l'Homy beach, renowned for its wild, unspoilt environment and internationally-renowned surf spots. Don't miss the canoe trip down the Contis stream.

From Saint-Julien-en-Born to Vielle-Saint-Girons

• Distance: 30 km

After discovering the small seaside resort of Contis-Plage, head for Vielle-Saint-Girons. On the way, and if your legs are still up to it, climb to the top of the Contis lighthouse , the only lighthouse on the Landes. Between Lit-et-Mixe and Cap de L'Homy, in the middle of the forest, the old Pilgrim's Way to Santiago de Compostela crosses the Yons spring, which, according to legend, has medicinal properties.

From Vielle-Saint-Girons to Léon

• Distance: 20 km

The GR8 then takes you to Léon, a typical Marensin village with traditional half-timbered houses. From Saint-Girons-Plage to Léon, the path alternates between beaches, dunes, pine forests, airials and pretty Landes houses. The Courant d'Huchet, a small coastal river linking the Lac de Léon to the Atlantic Ocean, is another place not to be missed. Don't miss: a trip down the Courant d'Huchet in a galupe, the traditional flat-bottomed boat used by Landes boatmen.

From Vieux Boucau to Hossegor

• Distance: 20 km

From Vieux Boucau, just a stone's throw from our 5-star Lou Pignada campsite in Messanges, the GR8 takes you to Lac de Soustons, where you can fish, paddle or ride a Polynesian pirogue. Between Vieux-Boucau and the Soustons lake, the Grande Randonnée trail follows the route of the famous Vélodyssée. At Seignosse, between the sea, lakes and forests, the path flirts with the Etang Blanc, where a few fishermen and wild ducks accompany the walk. After a few kilometres on minor roads, you reach Hossegor, the chic, sporty resort in the south of the Landes. Things to see and do in Hossegor: walk around the marine lake, taste oysters in an oyster shack, admire the Basque-Landes villas, walk along the canal that leads to the port of Capbreton.