Harbour

Latecoère

Name: Latecoère
Address: Biscarrosse, FR

Biscarrosse, FranceBasque coast

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Type: Harbour

Lake port on the north shore of the étang de Biscarrosse-Parentis, in the Landes, named after the aviation pioneer Pierre-Georges Latécoère.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Access on the lake of Biscarrosse, a landlocked freshwater étang of 3 600 hectares. No tide. Attention to westerly winds that build short chop on the lake. The channel linking to the étang de Cazaux runs north towards Port Lily and Port de l'écluse.

Practical

Pontoon berths for motorboats and small sailing craft. Water and electricity on the pontoons. Slipway for trailered boats. Fuel and full supermarkets in Biscarrosse town at about 4 km.

Ashore

Musée de l'Hydraviation at Biscarrosse, 3 km away, documents the 1930s transatlantic seaplane lines founded by Latécoère and the later Latécoère 521 and 631 flying boats tested on the lake. The ocean beach of Biscarrosse-Plage lies 10 km west by road, with 25 km of open Atlantic sand.

History

The étang was a seaplane base from 1930 to the 1950s. Latécoère and later Air France built and flew here the biggest civilian flying boats of the era, including the six-engine Latécoère 631 used on the Paris to Fort-de-France line.