15.02.2009 Our trip to the biggest dune of Europe

After we had at our last trip to Bordeaux bad weather, we had fantastic sun and so a perfect day for our trip to the dune. So let's start to the West to the Atlantic Ocean!
At the journey I took some pictures that you can see how interesting a drive at the Autobahn can be. ;) There are f. e. a romantic atomic power plant and lots of information signs, which draw off the attention from the traffic to the places of interests in the region.
Arrived at the dune we had still the best weather and looked forward to the ascent. That was not so easy to climb up in the sand about 117m (383,87 ft) and be careful not to roll around down the dune. The dune has an amplitude of 500 m and is about 2,7 km long. It's filled with 87 hectar sand.
After our ascent we were not longer able to hold off our happiness. A bunch of finest sand, sun and the sea next to us. We put off our shoes and run barefoot through the sand and enjoyed the time, the silence and the feeling. Then we wanted to the Atlantic. The descent was longer than we thought, but at the end we put our feet into the sea! And that in February! What interesting is: At the side of the dune sweet (ground) water comes out and goes to the sea. I took pictures but from where the black sand comes I cannot tell you. But the research found out that the dune is made up of 4 layers. So I think that sand comes from the peat, knobs and boles which lay in the bottom layer.
After we left the dune behind us we walk a little loop way back to the parking place and tried to find something to eat. In the next city Arcachon all restaurants opened at 7:30 pm - one our later we were there. But we found something else! Canelés! Finally. They are very interesting and very very yummie. Later we found a restaurant where we got real French dinner. That was a bit beyond our means and you have to get used to it. That's French! ;) The rosé wine was really good. At the end of the day it was granted to us to see a wonderful sunset. And that I don't wanna deprive you.