Arcachon Bay, also known as Arcachon Basin, is situated in Pays de Buch between the Côte d’Argent and the Côte des Landes, in the region of Aquitaine in France.

I visited Arcachon for the day while staying in the beautiful city of Bordeaux last month. It took just under an hour to get to Arcachon from Bordeaux via train with return tickets costing around €22 each.

Fortunately, my time in Bordeaux and Arcachon coincided with a 30C week-long heatwave, so my trip to the town and beach included lots of ice cream and cold drinks.

Arcachon itself is famous for its bay but it also has a proper town that includes plenty of pretty boutiques, posh delicatessens and intimate eateries.

Before heading to the beach, I visited Arcachon’s Carrefour City des Marquises which had everything I needed for a beach day.

Somewhat underprepared for the blistering heat and white sands, I purchased a picnic rug, some camembert, cold drinks, a baguette and some pâté which proved to be the perfect ingredients for a French-inspired lunch.

I then headed down to the beach and set up a spot right in the middle of the white sand. The beach was a hive of activity with people playing football, swimming and taking boat trips around the bay.

The beach itself is stunning and is something you’d perhaps imagine being in the Caribbean, not France. The whole beach is lined with lush green trees and flowerbeds which were perfect for escaping the heat.

The white sandy beaches lead to blue waters and an island known as ‘L’île aux Oiseaux’ which translates to Isle of the Birds.

If you are hoping to enjoy a quiet hidden gem beach, Arcachon isn’t the spot for you. However, if you’re looking for a lively day trip with plenty of restaurants and a buzzing social scene, Arcachon is the place to be.

Some of the activities on offer include jet skiing, surfing, cruising and kayaking as well as hiring a bike or an electric scooter to explore the whole town.

Most people tend to combine their visit to Arcachon with a trip to the famous Dune du Pilat – the tallest sand dune in Europe.

I didn’t have a chance to make it to the Dune du Pilat but visitors could make a day of it and visit both the bay and the dune on the same day.

One of the highlights of Arcachon’s town is the ice cream stores – and there are a lot of them. The one that stood out to me was Olãla which had the most delicious pistachio and tiramisu flavours as well as a delectable peach sorbet.

If you’re looking for a traditional crêpe then definitely head to Crêperie Bretonne La Cabane du Breton. They do both savoury and sweet crêpes including a delicious ham, egg and Emmental flavour and a traditional butter, lemon and sugar, or ‘beurre sucre citron’.

Arcachon is best known for its oysters which grow in oyster beds in the tidal lagoon. My one regret is that I didn’t get to try any while I was in the town. The town is filled with oyster bars and restaurants that sell oysters with different accompaniments so if you’re an oyster-lover – or a seafood fan – Arcachon Bay is the place to go.

While I loved Arcachon, there was one downside to the experience as a whole.

Public toilets in Arcachon are self-contained, self-cleaning unisex toilets known as the Sanisette.

These toilets are common in lots of cities around the world and can be found in Arcachon as well as in cities like Paris.

While they are very convenient, in 30C heat, they are extremely hot and can be very unpleasant to use.

Some of the toilets hadn’t been cleaned properly which meant by the end of the day they were very unhygienic.

I do hope to visit Arcachon again soon but perhaps when the weather is cooler – and the toilets are cleaner.