La Teste-de-Buch, Coastal commune in Gironde, France
La Teste-de-Buch spans across 180 square kilometers of diverse landscapes, including maritime pine forests, beaches, and salt marshes along the Arcachon Bay.
During medieval times, people lived from pine resin harvesting and salt production in the marshlands. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century opened the area to visitors and shifted the economy toward tourism.
The commune maintains strong international connections through twinning relationships with Binghamton in New York, Schwaigern in Germany, and Chipiona in Spain.
Cycling paths connect villages and run through pine forest, dunes and beaches down to the bay. Summer can bring heavy traffic on main routes, so early morning or late afternoon rides work better.
The Dune du Pilat on the western edge grows every year and moves further inland. From the top, you can see the bay, the Atlantic and the pine forest all at once.
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