The Landes forest is very appreciated for the quality and the importance of its fauna and flora.

Together with your family you will enjoy the changing of nature with the passing seasons : new colours, new vegetation, fern, broom… The nature and photography lovers will discover this diversity going for a walk on the numerous footpaths or for a ride on the many cycle trails and enjoy the green way. Our Landes forest is a wonderful site for relaxation and quietness.

The forest of the Landes de Gascogne was created by man during the 19th century in order to drain the expanses of sand and moors. The law imposed by Napoleon III in 1857 ordered to drain and plant maritime pines. This gave birth to the widest forest in Western Europe. In fifty years, maritime pines took the place of a landscape of moors with flocks of sheep supervised by the famous shepherds from the Landes on their stilts. « Captaux de Buch » (local lords in Pays de Buch), Nicolas Brémontier and later Chambrelent did the first works to fix the sand of the coastline and drained the moors digging ditches locally called « crastes ». In memory of these two important persons, the avenue crossing Seignosse Océan is called Chambrelent and another avenue in Seignosse is called Brémontier.

The Lande forest takes an important place in the heritage of Aquitaine. The departement extends on 930 000 hectares, and the forest represents more than the two thirds of that surface. Mainly planted with maritime pines, the crop of the pine resin was in the first part of the 20th century an important part of the local economy. With the tapping of pine trees was produced spirits of turpentine and colophany. At the same time, commercial exploitation of wood and paper became an important part of the regional economy.

In the heart of the largest forest in Western Europe, the « Parc National Régional des Landes de Gascogne » was created in 1970 to develop economic and touristic activities while protecting the fragile balance of nature. The forest is always in danger. In January 2009, the storm Klaus did a lot of damage in South West France and thousands of maritime pines and other species have been uprooted and cut. The other danger remains forest fire, specific equipments were found for firefighting : fire lookout towers, water tanks, tracks, etc. The number of forest fires and their seriousness decreased significantly since the disasters of 1950 and 1960, and particularly thanks to the setting up of fire breaks. They are natural barriers against the spreading of fire. Their width has to be superior to the height of two lying pine trees. A lot of fire breaks were set up in the forest after the important fires of the 1950’s.

In the forest, simple actions contribute to the prevention of forest fires :

- Don’t light a fire in the forest
- Don’t throw a cigarette butt out of your car window ; this is often

  the cause for forest fire
- Don’t leave empty bottles or refuse
- Don’t go on fire breaks and on other tracks dedicated to fire

  prevention
- Fire exit keep clear
- Don’t destroy young trees.
 

The forest is the typical landscape of Les landes, it offers an ideal setting for walks on signposted footpaths, cycle trails and green way year-round.

Seignosse offers two faces, « côté mer » with its beaches over 7 kilometres and « côté vert » with its forest (occupying 2500 hectares, the commune spreads over 3600 hectares), its nature reserve (115 hectares Étang Noir and Étang Blanc) and its 18-hole golf course.

In spring, the Tourist Office Seignosse with the co-operation of the Forestry Commission (ONF) organizes guided walks in the forest. 

A map of signposted footpaths in the forest is available at the Tourist Office Seignosse.

Photo credit, banner : Damien Poullenot 

Sources :

• www.landes.pref.gouv.fr
• http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/For%C3%AAt_des_Landes
• Carte touristique du Comité Départemental du Tourisme des Landes
• Guide Landes 2009 du Comité Départemental du Tourisme des Landes