Welcome to Dune du Pilat, the largest and highest dune in Europe. You're on top of it, 110 meters above sea level. There are no waves breaking down below, although you're a one-hour drive from Lacanau. Ready to slide?
Dune du Pilat is 2.5 kilometers long. Located in the Bay of Arcachon, Aquitaine, France, this is the world's ninth-highest dune.
Like the waves of the Aquitaine, Dune du Pilat is in constant mutation, with its bright sands shifting along the coastal bank.
Pick up an old surfboard, bodyboard, or snowboard, call a couple of friends, and drive to Dune du Pilat.
You'll end up riding down the mountain of sand several times.
Sandboarding the Dune du Pilat is quite easy.
You can surf the sands towards the forest on the Eastern side, but watch out for the trees down there.
If you drive your board down the Western side of the dune, you may connect with the Atlantic Ocean by gliding between sand and salted water.
The Dune du Pilat, also known as Dune du Pyla, attracts more than 1.5 million visitors every year.