Which Landes beach to choose with children?

There will be plenty more of you on the beaches of the Landes coastline this summer to enjoy the pleasures of swimming. Find out which beaches in the Landes are safe for children to swim on.

Where is it safe to swim with children?

When choosing places to go swimming with children, safety is paramount. Here is a selection of family-friendly beaches with lifeguards. Easily accessible from the Lou Pignada campsite, on the lake or ocean side, they offer a safe and secure environment, with qualified lifeguards and appropriate equipment for children.

The beach at Lac Navarrosse, in Biscarrosse : a beach recommended for young children because of its shallow waters and lack of waves. Children can walk a long way and the water is warmer than in the ocean. No risk there!

The beach at Messanges: just a few minutes from the Lou Pignada campsite, this supervised family beach is ideal for swimming with the kids. It's great at mid-tide! There are plenty of warm water spots for swimming, jumping in puddles and collecting shells.

The beach at the Port d'Albret marine lake : in Vieux Boucau, La Pergola beach is very popular with families. Thanks to a dam, the marine lake is kept level during low tides and children can swim there in complete safety. Ideal for families with children who fear the ocean waves.

Moliets-et-Maâ beach: located in the town centre, it stretches for around 1.5 km from the courant d'Huchet in the north to the Chênes Lièges beach in the south. There is a first-aid post and a children's play area.

Soustons beach: an accessible beach for children. At low tide, the beach forms a natural pool, making it safer to swim in than some of the surrounding beaches. Swimming is supervised from 11am in summer.

Estacade beach in Capbreton: this is the most family-friendly beach in Capbreton. It is sheltered from currents and waves by the Estacade on one side and a breakwater on the other. The beach is supervised in summer and has marked bathing areas, ideal for children.

Plage des Chênes-Lièges in Hossegor : on the south-western shore of Lac d'Hossegor, this is a pretty, quiet beach on the edge of the marine lake. Supervised in season, it offers gently sloping bathing. There are no waves here, but the tide rises quickly and the beach narrows rapidly. Check the tide times before you go.

Golden rules for safe swimming

As a family, choose the supervised swimming areas. These are marked by red and yellow rectangular flags on poles with arrows to indicate the best swimming area. In summer, lifeguards take turns to ensure the safety of all bathers.

When you arrive on the beach, sit as close as possible to the lifeguard station. This is usually located where the flag indicating the danger of the ocean is flying. These flags (or flames) indicate the possible presence of a danger, which may or may not require a swimming ban:

- Green flag: swimming is supervised and presents no particular danger.
- Yellow flag: bathing is supervised but dangerous.
- Red flag: swimming is prohibited.

And if there is no flag, it means that there is no supervision.

The right thing to do with children at the beach:

- Always swim in supervised areas.
- Always supervise children, even if they are close to the shore and know how to swim. Bathe at the same time as your children.
- Avoid the hottest times of the day, between midday and 4pm, to avoid sunburn and sunstroke.
- Protect children's skin with a hat, sunglasses and sun cream with a high sun protection factor (50 or 50+). Reapply every two hours and/or after each swim.
- Never dive into the water after too long exposure to the sun, to avoid the risk of hydrocution. Children are often advised to enter the water gradually, wetting their arms, neck and upper body before swimming.
- Avoid risky behaviour, such as jumping off rocks or piers.