Dune of Pilat, Sand dune in La Teste-de-Buch, France
The Dune of Pilat rises from the pine forest of La Teste-de-Buch at the mouth of the Arcachon basin, reaching 103.6 metres in 2023 and running 2.9 kilometres north to south. Its windward western face, toward the ocean, slopes gently at 5 to 20 degrees, while the sheltered eastern face above the forest is steeper, at 30 to 40 degrees.
The dune formed over about 18,000 years as sea levels rose after the last ice age and westerly winds piled up two dune systems, barchans over parabolic dunes. In the 18th and 19th centuries the southward shift of Cap Ferret and the Banc d'Arguin opened the Arcachon basin to the ocean, releasing sand that built the present ridge. By the late 19th century it stood 80 metres high.
The name Pilat comes from the Gascon word Pilhar, meaning heap or mound, reflecting the local language of the Gironde. Today visitors climb the steep face or use the wooden staircase, while others paraglide from the top or simply take in the view over forest and ocean.
The dune is climbed either through deep sand on the steep east flank or by a staircase at the north-eastern corner. Parking areas and three campsites sit directly behind the dune, and the summit ridge gives views over the Bassin d'Arcachon, the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula and the pine woods of the Landes.
Winter storms with winds reaching 175 kilometers per hour (110 miles per hour) have caused major changes to the structure, showing constant transformation. The sand moves several meters inland each year, slowly swallowing parts of the forest behind it.
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