Anchorage

Île aux Oiseaux

Shelter: W, NW
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Low sand and marsh island in the middle of the Bassin d'Arcachon, known for its two cabanes tchanquées on stilts.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach only via the buoyed channels of the Bassin d'Arcachon, the bassin dries over large areas at low water. Anchor NW of the island in 2 to 4 m over sand, clear of the oyster park markers. Strong tidal streams, up to 3 knots on springs. Sheltered from W and NW. Exposed to E winds.

Practical

Daytime anchorage, visited for the view of the cabanes tchanquées. No landing on the island, it is a classified ornithological site. Port d'Arcachon 2.1 nm to the S, L'Aiguillon pontoon 2.6 nm to the S.

Ashore

The two wooden stilt huts, Cabane 53 and Cabane 55, date from 1883 and 1948 and are listed as monuments historiques since 2012. The island and its surrounding mudflats host herons, egrets and migratory waders, managed as a site of the Conservatoire du Littoral.

History

The island was formed from silt deposits in the 18th century. Oyster farmers built the first wooden cabins on stilts in the 1850s to watch over their parks at high water. The current iconic pair was rebuilt after storms, the older one in 1883.