Staying gay in the Landes

Sept. 14 2019

by misterb&b

Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the Landes covers 220 km long and 100 km wide of pine and cork oak forests, making it one of the largest in Europe. With a landscape made of water, green spaces, agricultural lands, and dunes, the Landes welcome more than 7 million tourists each year and are thus one of the most popular summer destinations in the country. The Landes are bordered to the south by the Basque Country, another attractive territory for gay tourism, in particular thanks to the seaside resorts of Biarritz and Hendaye. This popularity is also due to a mild autumn climate and hot summer days. The ocean resorts of Biscarosse, Mimizan, or Hossegor are among the region's major gay tourist attractions, as are the spa towns of Dax and Eugénie-Les-Bains. The Landes will surely fulfill your expectations with their famous gastronomy, numerous activities, and various gay beaches.

Where to sunbathe?

Metro beach (Tarnos)

The Metro beach is located north of Tarnos on the border between the Landes and the Atlantic Pyrenees. This gay beach has free parking nearby. Naturism has been tolerated since 1980,, but the most significant number of naturists is to the north of the beach in an area called "la Chapelle." Two beach-soccer fields are set up for sand soccer lovers. The southern part of the beach is used mainly by surfers.

Access: Take the N10 and then the D81. Your road will lead to a roundabout. You will have to cross it by taking the dirt road on your right. A little further, you will have access to free parking on the beach.

 

Plage des Casernes ("Barracks Beach") (Seignosse)

Look no further if you look for a beautiful gay naturist sandy beach in the Landes. La plage des Caserrnes ("The Barracks Beach") is your perfect spot on the Atlantic ocean! This wild and stretched sandy beach located north of the seaside resort Seignosse is relatively uncrowded with tourists, an opportunity if you prefer to sunbathe in the nude in peace. A first aid post is situated in this beach area, and there is a surfing school at the entrance where you can learn this discipline. CAUTION, swimming is forbidden, and the currents are pretty dangerous, no joke.

Access: Once in Seignosse, take the "Le Penon" direction, then the D89 road towards Vieux-Boucau-Les-Bains for 2 km. Turn left into the parking lot. The beach will be indicated. Then, continue on foot towards the north for 1 km.

 

Remember Beach (Mimizan)

Located on the northwest coast of Mimizan, Remember Beach is one of the sunniest gay beaches in the region. It has a parking lot nearby as well as a first aid station. Swimming and clothing-optional are allowed in the northern part of the beach. This area is large enough for you to enjoy being naked without anyone to object. The further north you walk, the more dunes you'll come across and the more surfers you'll find. Surfing is the city's signature activity.

Access: The best way to reach the beach by car is to follow the avenue de la côte d'Argent north of Mimizan. You will then find a small free parking lot.

 

Beach of the 2 twins (Hendaye)

Located in the south of the Landes, in the Basque Country, la plage des 2 Jumeaux ("the beach of the 2 twins") owes its name to the two enormous rocks which emerge from the water. The legend tells that these "two twins" result from the fission of a single large rock thrown from the sky by a giant. They are located at the very end of the 3-kilometer-long main beach and have become symbols of the city of Hendaye. The beach is constantly supervised in summer so that you can enjoy the ocean with peace of mind. Many naturists have frequented this gay beach since the 1970s.

Access: You will find a roundabout north of Hendaye. Take the exit "Parc Naturel d'Abbadia," and you will find a parking lot on your right. The beach is very close.

 

Miramar Beach (Biarritz)

Also located in the Basque Country, this beach is not exclusively gay, but a good part of its attendance is, especially during the summer. It is located a few steps away from the main beach of Biarritz. You will not miss surfers on this fine sand beach. Be careful, and avoid swimming because of the rough sea.

Access: You will have to take a paved road to the beach from Winston Churchill avenue in the center of Biarritz.

Where to go out?

Eating

Are you feeling hungry? Bertrand and Jean-Marc are proud to welcome you to their gay-friendly restaurant Au Bastignac to taste the local delights. Their inn is located in Labastide d'Armagnac, about 30 minutes drive from Mont-de-Marsan. On the menu, a regional cuisine filled with fresh products such as foie gras and rillettes and, as a bonus, an exceptional view of the Place Royale.

Drinking (and dancing!)

L'Estanquet is the only gay bar in the Landes. It is an associative café in Dax and was created by the local LGBTQ+ association, les Gascons. The president of Gascons, Mickaël Ollier, explains that the objective of this café is to give visibility to the Landes LGBTQ+ community. It is open three times a week (Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday) and is run by about 20 volunteers.

Another community gay bar, the Txalaparta in Bayonne, was founded by Les Bascos, the LGBTQ+ organization of the Basque Country, which fights against homophobic discrimination. Above all, it is a safe space where everyone, especially LGBTQ+ youth, is free to confide. Txalaparta is also a space of conviviality, a place where they organize exhibitions. It becomes a festive place during the traditional annual Bayonne celebrations end of July.

There are no gay clubs in the Landes; to find a gay nightclub in the area, you must go south of the Landes, in the Basque Country.

Le Caveau Le Caveau has been Biarritz's must-see gay nightclub since 1979. This club is built on two levels for party people of all sexual orientations or identities and all horizons. The club is open to 25+ only, and the older generations always come to meet there to forget the passing of time. Le Caveau is open every day from midnight to 6 am.

You can also fill up on drinks at MYXX, another gay bar in Biarritz. This lounge bar is located near the beach, perfect if you want to sip your cocktails and then go for a late-night walk on the sand with your friends. It is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 6 pm to 2 am.

Still not feeling full? Go to Biarritz to continue the party. L'Arrière-Train is THE gay nightclub on the Basque coast. Open 7 days a week, from 7:30 pm to 2 am, this 200 sqm club is 100% gay and lesbian. With regular happy hours and party nights in a friendly environment, L'Arrière-Train will meet your needs.

Relaxing

You want to have a good time during your gay stay in the Landes, so what better than a sauna to relax? With a quick drive, head for the Basque Country with no less than two gay saunas, one in Bayonne and another in Anglet.

The first local gay sauna is called S64. It is open to all communities but is exclusively gay on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays between 2 pm and midnight. On the program, foam parties, naked parties, and blackout parties.

The second local gay bath house is the Beaulieu. It is a mixed sauna of over 500 sqm and has two levels to enjoy various activities (Jacuzzi, hammam, cabins, etc.). The sauna is open every day from 12 am to 2 am, except on Sundays until midnight.

Where to stay?

Le Moulin de Lassalle :

Fabrice and Vincent welcome you to their 100% gay guest house in the heart of the Landes, about half an hour's drive from the gay naturist beach of Les Casernes. Their property is an old mill that has been completely renovated and now offers five spacious and finely decorated rooms. They each have their geographical theme: the Marrakech room, the Saigon room, the Hollywood room, the San Francisco room, and the Blue room.

You will also have access to a Jacuzzi with a capacity of 4 and a large swimming pool where clothing is optional. A fully equipped kitchen and bathroom are at your disposal, but you can also ask the hosts if you wish to have lunch or dinner in the nearby restaurants. Wifi is included, and you can bring your pets.

You will breathe the pure air of the greenery that surrounds the guesthouse and immerse yourself in an Amazonian space. Finally, during your walks, you will have the opportunity to discover new horizons to practice cycling or possibly hiking.

The Moulin de Lassalle is open all year round, and room rates start at 100 euros per night with breakfast included.

 

L'Escalou:

L'Escalou is located about 20 minutes by car from the gay naturist beach of Mimizan, 30 minutes from the Dune du Pilat, and close to various activities, including museums, nightclubs, and bars. The property is exclusively gay.

Guests enjoy a 20 sqm room with a bed, desk, and private bathroom with an Italian shower and toilet. A hairdryer and towels are provided. Television is included in addition to wifi. DVDs are available for your use and the player that goes with them. You will have access to the garden with 300 varieties of plants, trees, and flowers from the bedroom window. Clothing is optional on the terrace and in the jacuzzi, hammock, and solarium. Breakfast is included in the room rate! As a bonus, the host of l'Escalou, Thierry, offers massages with essential oils starting from 25 euros.

L'Escalou is open all year round, and the room rate starts at 90 euros during the summer, with the first 20-minute discovery massage for free.

 

Chez Claude :

Claude invites you and your partner to come and stay in his guest house in Saint Vincent de Tyrosse, about ten minutes from the gay naturist beach of Les Casernes in Seignosse. The house is located 29 km from Biarritz, 42 km from Saint Jean de Luz, and 80 km from San Sebastian in Spain. It has two rooms for a capacity of 4 people, with a garden and a balcony. Air conditioning, wifi, and television are also included. Bicycles are provided free of charge.

You will have the possibility to prepare grilled food thanks to the barbecue provided in the garden or to simmer your traditional dishes in the kitchen at your disposal. Claude did not forget to lend you a fridge, a dishwasher, and a coffee machine. A washing machine, sheets, and towels are included on the bathroom side.

Chez Claude is open all year round and the room rate for one night starts at 58 euros, with breakfast included.

 

Villa Goyan:

With its Louisiana style, Villa Goyan is a 100% gay guest house. Located in Soustons, it hides in the Landes' Forrest near the Atlantic Ocean. Claude and Yann, the hosts of the villa, offer a total of 4 rooms. Each room has its bathroom and toilet! Each room has access to a large balcony where you can enjoy a sublime view of the large swimming pool surrounded by deckchairs to relax just after a bath. Clothing is optional.

Also available are wifi access, a weight bench, a solarium, a terrace, and an outdoor shower. And more? Villa Goyanalso offers a fully equipped 20 sqm chalet. More than 4,000 square meters of greenery surround the villa, allowing you to breathe incomparable air. If you want to go for a walk, you can sunbathe on the gay and naturist Les Casernes beach, about 15 km from the villa. Biarritz is not far either, less than 45 km by car.