Capbreton has to be the best place to visit in SW France for the true lover of fresh fish. Sure, there are many coastal towns with fishing communities, but I have never enjoyed such fresh fish and seen such wonderful selections offered by fish mongers, as I have in Capbreton. This town on the Atlantic is in the Landes department, just South of Gironde, with about 9,000 inhabitants which certainly swells in the summer with tourists. Capbreton is just South of Hossegor, a beach town better known for its beaches and surfing.
It was was incredibly successful in the 15th and 16th centuries as not only a fishing port (specifically whale, station baleinière) but also for its wines and pine wood / tar. It would see a decline after the rerouting the the Adour river, but eventually saved thanks to Napoleon III (responsible for the success in much of the SW France during the mid 19th century). It’s natural beauty and wild nature has only helped its rise as a popular beach escape.
WHAT TO SEE IN CAPBRETON, LANDES, FRANCE
My goal was to visit the Marche aux Poissions (fish market) and with my nine-year-old with me we ventured in and were not disappointed. It was April and there were sole and turbot fish for sale everywhere. When I go back next, I’ll certainly rent a house to be able to cook because it was so sad to walk past these incredible specimens and not be able to get one! Many mongers only accept cash, so come ready. There were also offers of boat trips with the fishermen, which I would certainly be happy to do once the better weather arrives. Capbreton is famous for it’s windy days, so I’d imagine it could be a rather rough ride…keep that in mind if you don’t have sea legs.
If you want to know which fish are in season, and when have a look here Calendrier des Saisons de Pêche en Mer – MieuxPecher.com.
In addition, please note that the tags on the fish in the market will tell you how the fish was caught (line or net, etc) and where. Here is a chart with the zones (de peche) Tableau des zones de pêche – Carte des zones de pêche | Pavillon France.
The capitanerie (harbor masters office) has a nice shop for nautical clothing lines, fishing gear and boating items. The beaches are wide and have shopping nearby, cafes for tea and ice cream, and plenty of restaurants.
WHERE TO EAT IN CAPBRETON, LANDES, FRANCE
Capbreton had some wonderful restaurants with chefs that know how to cook fish1. For dinner we went to Ma Cabane which was a destination meal, I would drive back to just eat there. It was asparagus season, so you found different versions of this in many of the dishes. Playful textures and cooking techniques to give this one produce many variants. The turbot fish main I had was perfectly cooked, sauce balanced to not take away from the fish itself. Service was very kind to my daughter who tried the veal belly and decided she prefers pork belly (kids menu is smaller portions of adult menu…it was delicious!). The chef, Jean-Baptiste Dhuez, who is originally from Brittany in NW France, cooked all over France before calling Capbreton home. Call to reserve / Ma Cabane 3 rue des Pecheurs, 40130 Capbreton / +33 (0)5 58 72 13 42 / (1) Facebook
The next day for lunch, we went to the Bar Basque which was across the street from the beach. Very laid back and family friendly, with plenty of sea lovers options at really decent prices. / Bar Basque Boulevard Francois Mitterand, 40130 Capbreton / +33 (0)5 58 74 67 75 / (1) Facebook
WHERE TO STAY IN CAPBRETON
My big needs when booking a hotel are location and cleanliness, in addition to cost…so we went with La Baine, which is a 3* Logis hotel. The weather was really letting us down, so sadly the charming outdoor bar space was closed but I’d imagine it’s a really fun space in season! Our room was very clean and the bed and pillows were some of the most comfortable I’ve ever slept in. Reception leaves at 8pm so be sure you have your door code correct (epic mom-fail waiting in the rain for someone to open for us!). Breakfast was a decent buffet, fine for a three star. The location was really easy and parking was possible for free on the street behind the hotel (possibly not so in high season).
WHAT TO DO AROUND CAPBRETON?
Not so far away, about a 40 minutes drive, there is an outdoor park and museum about prehistoric life at Prehistoire de Brassempouy that my daughter had been wanting to visit. We spent the better part of the afternoon there, carving a necklace, throwing spears and learning about making fire (all included in price of admission). There is an onsite museum with artifacts, including a replica of the first known carved human form, a tiny female figurine. Be sure to check times for their ateliers and arrive on time to participate / Prehistoire de Brassempouy 404 rue du musée. 40330 Brassempouy / +33 (0)5 58 89 21 73 / Préhistosite de Brassempouy – Site officiel du Préhistosite de Brassempouy (prehistoire-brassempouy.fr)
- If you are a fan of more cooked fish, you’ll want to let the chef know. We are near the Pays Basque and the Basque in particular have an infinity for lesser cooked, gelatinous textures. ↩︎