Iconic Life

"This one-of-a-kind setting between two bodies of water has played a role in Cap Ferret’s identity too. Oyster farming and fishing have shaped both the culture and the landscape here. Whether you opt for a typical wooden hut on stilts in the middle of the bay, an oyster farm or one of the legendary restaurants at the far end of the peninsula, this is the perfect place to treat yourself to flat oysters, white wine from Bordeaux and fresh turbot.

Although I’m usually keen to change things up when it comes to summer holidays, I’ve been coming back to this incredible resort with my family for the last 15 years – proof of what a captivating place it is.

In fact, it was during a holiday here that I really understood the appeal of renting a house; it has to be said that Cap Ferret has very few hotels. It was here that we rented our first houses as a family – and that was when my brother Robin and I realised the importance of a private and genuinely welcoming holiday rental property.

But we had to be patient when it came to opening our fifth house in Cap Ferret. It took us a long time to find a plot of land on which to build the property of our dreams. We were very demanding, looking for a plot within a very limited radius. We wanted to find the ultimate location with no need for a car. Instead, we wanted to be able to hop on our bikes and go shopping in the villages of Cap Ferret, take a dip in the bay or enjoy the Atlantic’s incredible surf. After searching for several years, we found the perfect spot: a plot of pine forest, flanked by two dunes, on which we built a wooden hut. And so Le Cœur du Ferret was born: combining warm wood and colourful ceramics, this villa is an architectural and decorative triumph which really stands out, breaking with the austerity of the neighbouring houses.

Cap Ferret is a little piece of paradise which we first visited 15 years ago. Today, we’re lucky enough to be able to share it with other people, thanks to our latest property, with all its hotel-worthy services, and this guide, which brings together the very best places Cap Ferret has to offer. But we mustn’t forget that this fragile wonderland is eroded a little more every year by the winds and waves of the Atlantic on one side and by the bay’s tides on the other. This erosion, in addition to global warming and rising sea levels, makes Cap Ferret truly ephemeral. Perhaps it’s this transitory state and this vulnerability which make the place so endearing and appealing."

Discover more about Cap Ferret in the last edition of ICONS, the collection of printed guides designed around our destinations.

Images : Emma Lucila Sanz