Taussat: Villas, Harbour and Sailing Activities

Taussat offers various starting points for planning your trip: local history, paths along the shore and activities on the water. If you are looking for a hotel in Taussat, first consider which of these themes matter most for your stay. The development of the town, the Vieux port and the different options offered by the Taussat-Cassy Nautical Club give you practical starting points for planning your days.

Local history and villas

The de Courcy family bought Taussat in 1830 and gave the town a focus on seaside holidays and tourism. The first houses were built from 1838 onwards. The town’s growth was encouraged by the opening of the roads in 1860 and the railway in 1884. This makes it possible to trace the town’s development chronologically, from its purchase and first buildings to its later transport links.

Bordeaux merchants and local dignitaries had magnificent villas built on the shore of the Bassin d’Arcachon, known as “Les belles de Taussat”. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is associated with one of these villas: from 1895 until his death in 1901, he spent two months each year at Villa Bagatelle. The villas and the history of the seaside resort therefore offer different historical points of interest: the development of the town on the one hand, and the artist’s recurring stays at a particular villa on the other.

Harbour and paths along the shore

The Vieux port de Taussat was dug out by hand in 1855 and inaugurated in 1878. The two dates mark different milestones: 1855 refers to the harbour being dug out, and 1878 to its inauguration. If you are interested in the town’s history, the harbour can therefore be considered both in terms of its construction and its later inauguration.

The coastal path starts at Port de Fontainevieille and passes the Vieux port de Taussat. Another route leads from Port de Fontainevieille along the beach to the Vieux port. These descriptions provide specific landmarks to help with your planning: the starting point at Port de Fontainevieille, the coastal path and the route along the beach. Check the path conditions before setting out, as they can change.

Port de Taussat is a drying harbour with 55 berths. Depending on the tides, the depth ranges from 1 to 1.80 metres. This variation with the tides is particularly important to bear in mind when planning a boat trip. Check operational information before setting out by boat.

Sailing activities and excursions

The Taussat-Cassy Nautical Club offers sailing lessons to children aged six and over and to adults. The activities listed are Optimist sailing, windsurfing, catamaran sailing, sailing in 420 and RS Féva dinghies, and sailing in team boats. Lessons are subject to booking and tides. If you have a particular activity in mind, you can plan around that specific option rather than treating the different types of lessons as a single programme.

During the summer season, the club offers stand-up paddleboards, catamarans and dinghies for hire; availability depends on bookings and tides. Day trips around the bird islands are also available depending on the tides, and are likewise subject to booking and tides. The options differ in format: lessons, seasonal rentals and a day trip are different ways to plan time on the water.

The Écomusée Gardarem

The Écomusée Gardarem is open all year round on Saturdays and Sundays. Check the opening hours before your visit. Along with the historic villas, the old harbour and the paths along the shore, the museum offers another point of interest to consider when planning your stay in Taussat.

Discover more destinations: Laruscade, Arbis, Arès, Saint-Aubin-De-Blaye, Guîtres, Saint-Pey-De-Castets, Marcheprime, Néac.

For the regional travel overview: Gironde.