The most beautiful walks and hikes in the Landes, near the ocean and inland

How about a little stroll along the ocean ? Or perhaps you'd prefer a hike in the Landes region ? This department has nearly 3,500 km of trails to delight hikers.

The Landes region encompasses areas with very different landscapes. Coastal paths run along the long beaches and span dunes along the coastline. The Landes de Gascogne Regional Park is an ideal place for family outings, in the heart of the Landes forest. The more athletic will enjoy the valleys of Chalosse, south of the Adour, or the hillsides of Armagnac, near Mont-de-Marsan. We have selected the most enjoyable routes for both young and old. Put on your walking shoes, let's go hiking in the Landes !

Opening photo: Hossegor © Peapop | AdobeStock.com

The Great Hikes and the Ways of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle

The GR655 long-distance hiking trail crosses the Landes from north to south, from Saugnacq-et-Muret to the Adour River. It is part of the Tours Way of the Way of Saint James. You can therefore extend it either north to Gironde or south to the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The Way of Saint James is marked by religious sites: churches, abbeys, cathedrals, etc. It's a great opportunity to discover the region's magnificent heritage.

The GR654 corresponds to the Limousin Way of Vézelay. Two sections crisscross the Landes. The first stage starts from La Réole, in Gironde, to Mont-de-Marsan. You can join the Landes GR at Roquefort. Then from Mont-de-Marsan, you continue the GR to the Saint-Blaise church on the border between the Landes and the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

Coastal paths

How pleasant it is to walk along the dunes or through the Landes forest, along the coast. Our gaze wanders into the distance, gazing at the horizon between the sky and the ocean. We breathe in the invigorating sea air and take the opportunity to exercise : climb the dunes, walk in the sand, run along the water's edge, and why not take a break for a swim or simply a dip? There are many routes along the Landes coast. Here are our favorites:

• The Biscarrosse circuits : you have the choice between Biscarrosse beach, the Cazaux and Sanguinet ponds and the Biscarrosse and Parentis ponds.
• Tours around Mimizan : Mimizan-Plage or the Aureilhan pond.
• In Lit-et-Mixe : Cape Homy.

• In Vielle-Saint-Girons : the Bareuyes circuit or the Tucs circuit.
• The circuits of Moliets-et-Maâ : around the Léon pond or in the Huchet current nature reserve.

• Near Seignosse : the white pond or the black pond nature reserve.

• In the commune of Soorts-Hossegor : discovery of the marine lake.

The Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park

The Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park covers a vast territory straddling the Landes and Gironde departments. In the Landes department, it stretches between Casteljaloux, Mont-de-Marsan and the Arjuzanx National Reserve. It includes specific natural areas that require protection. Care must therefore be taken to preserve them. You can walk there while being respectful. Here are some interesting routes:

• The Leyre River Valley : The Moustey Loop takes you along the banks of the Grande Leyre and other small streams. Near Sore, you can take circuits along the Petite Leyre.
• Further south of the park, trails go around Labrit and the Château d'Albret, Brocas and its old forges, or Garein and its Hippodrome forest.

Chalosse

Inland in the Landes, walking becomes more challenging. Chalosse is a region nestled between the Adour and the Pyrenees mountain range. Numerous paths crisscross this hilly landscape, crisscrossed by charming rivers and small streams. Springs around Dax and Eugénie-les-Bains make it a renowned spa region. The forests provide a very pleasant setting for your walks, and as soon as the forest cover thins, you can admire beautiful panoramas of the Pyrenees mountains.

We recommend three hiking areas in Chalosse:

• The Barthes of the Adour: The " barthes ", in Gascon, designate marshy meadows. These are wetlands, composed of marshes, meadows and lawns, peat bogs... They are found along the floodplains of the Adour.

• The Luy Valley: The Luy River winds through the valleys of the Chalosse region before flowing into the Adour. This is the heart of the Chalosse region, a land of agriculture and livestock farming. Following the Luy River, you'll walk through meadows and pastures, dotted with groves. You can take the Chalosse Green Route from Dax to Saint-Sever.

• Along the Gaves, on the border with Béarn: at the foot of the Pyrenees and by the water, beautiful routes await you around Peyrehorade. You will follow the Gaves de Pau, Oloron and the Gaves réunis. There are also themed circuits on the Landes heritage.

The wine-growing hillsides of Armagnac

Two greenways run through the wine-growing hillsides of Armagnac:

• The Green Way of Marsan and Armagnac, from Mont-de-Marsan to Gabarret on the border of Gers. The common thread of this walk is a story told to help you discover the customs and local heritage. It is based on testimonies from the 1900s.
• The Green Way of the Landes of Roquefort starts in Roquefort and goes north to Bourriot-Bergonce. It is a former railway line that has been redeveloped. It uses part of the Way of St. James.

Our good deals

Here are the essential sites for organizing your hiking trips in the Landes:

• Rando-landes provides you with a great interactive map, where you can directly click on the hike that interests you and obtain all the necessary information.
• The Landes tourist office has selected routes for you, sorted by theme or by region.
• Visorando offers you downloadable circuits in PDF format.

We have reached the end of our guide to hiking in the Landes and we just have to wish you wonderful walks!

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