Cabanes Beneath the Tree Canopy and First Steps on a Surfboard
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The largest unbroken stretch of coastline in Western Europe is still flying under the radar in Germany, which suits everyone who already knows it just fine: wide beaches without the crowds, waves that draw surfers from around the world, and a pine forest so vast you can barely see where it ends.
Right in the middle of this natural expanse, the newest property in the Collection Rivages has been taking shape since 2023: Les Maritimes in Seignosse. Not yet a decade old, but fully thought through, and for families looking for something special, one of the most exciting newcomers on the French Atlantic coast.
Location
The first thing the Landes gives you is space. No mountains, no hills, no shapes on the horizon, just endless forest meeting sand dunes meeting the Atlantic. Seignosse sits right in the thick of it, between the legendary Hossegor, the spiritual home of European surfing, and the quieter Capbreton, with a beach so wide that even in August you’ll find room to breathe. Les Maritimes is tucked into the pine forest, a few minutes by bike from the beach, at its address in Seignosse, 40510 Landes.
The easiest way to get here from German-speaking countries is by car: Munich is roughly 1,100 kilometres away, around nine to ten hours of driving, making it ideal for a stopover in Bordeaux, which is well worth a detour in its own right for the food alone. By train, travel via Paris to Dax or Bayonne, with another 30 minutes by car from there. The 2026 season runs from 28 March to 27 September.
Accommodation
The Cabanes des Landes nestle beneath the pines: timber, warm materials, two or three bedrooms sleeping up to six. The Beach Houses are more generous, with two full bathrooms and outdoor areas you won’t want to leave once the light filters golden through the needles. Because Les Maritimes is the newest and still least well-known location, last-minute availability can sometimes be found here compared to Île de Ré or Quiberon. That will change.
Kids
Seignosse and Hossegor are the surf capital of the European Atlantic, and Les Maritimes gives kids a way in: surf lessons from around age six, with instructors who understand that the first time on a board can become one of the most formative childhood memories there is. The Rivages also hires out bikes, the cycling paths through the pine forest lead straight to the beach, and the ride there is half the adventure. The Maison des Enfants runs a nature programme in summer.
Food & Drink
The Chill Bar is the culinary heart of Les Maritimes: a relaxed breakfast spot in the mornings where the day starts without any rush, a place to grab something light at midday, and in the evening the spot for a drink and a spread of small plates made for sharing. Regular live concerts give the whole season its rhythm. Surfers, cyclists and beach lovers all end up here, and the best part is that by evening, you won’t want to be anywhere else.
Pool & Wellness
The pool sits tucked between the pines, quiet and rarely crowded. Get up early enough and you’ll often have it entirely to yourself. But the real wellness offering of the Landes is something else entirely: the pine forest paths around Les Maritimes are made for morning runs when the air is still cool and smells of resin, and for walks you start without a destination and finish feeling like your head has room again. Elsewhere they’d call it forest bathing and build a programme around it. Here it’s simpler: a forest, a path, a morning. The Club House opens fresh this year and will become the social hub of the Rivages.
Day Trips
Hossegor, ten minutes away, is food, surf and southern French lifestyle rolled into one: restaurants that take fresh fish seriously, a seafront with real character, and in September the surf festival with world-class waves and world-class athletes. Capbreton next door is quieter, with a fishing harbour, a sandbank perfect for little ones, and the best oyster stall in the area. And if you need to decompress completely: Dax, 40 minutes away, is a thermal spa town with Roman roots, long tree-lined avenues and warm water that does the rest.
You can find our full overview of all five Collection Rivages locations and our guide to choosing the right one here. If you’re torn between the northern and southern Atlantic coast, check out our favourite place feature on Sauvage in Quiberon.
