Hôtel le Dauphin

Arcachon


This late-19th-century gingerbread house with patterned red-and-cream brickwork is very twee, but it's a badge it wears with pride. An icon of its era, it's graced by twin semicircular staircases, magnolias and palms. Plain but spacious rooms are well set up for families. Parking is free. The beach is a five-minute walk away.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Arcachon attractions

1. Aquarium

0.31 MILES

In a wooden shack opposite the casino, this aquarium has a small collection of Atlantic fish in floodlit tanks.

2. Plage d’Arcachon

0.45 MILES

In the delightful Ville d'Été (Summer Quarter), Arcachon's deep sandy beach, Plage d'Arcachon, is flanked by two piers. Lively Jetée Thiers is at the…

3. Ville d’Hiver

0.75 MILES

On the tree-covered hillside south of the Ville d'Été, the century-old Ville d'Hiver (Winter Quarter) has more than 300 villas, many decorated with…

4. Phare du Cap Ferret

4.47 MILES

Scale 258 steps inside the cape's 53m-tall, red-and-white lighthouse for a stunning view of Cap Ferret, the Bassin d'Arcachon and the stunning Dune du…

5. Maison de l’Huître

4.49 MILES

The small but fascinating House of the Oyster at Port de Larros explains how oysters are farmed in the Bassin d'Arcachon – from the baby beginnings when…

6. Dune du Pilat

5.41 MILES

This colossal sand dune (sometimes referred to as the Dune de Pyla because of its location 4km from the small seaside resort town of Pyla-sur-Mer), 8km…