Andernos-les-Bains
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andernos-les-Bains is a commune of the Gironde département, in France.
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: |
Andernos les Bains is a located in the heart of Archachon Bay. The bay is a natural preserve area. Archachon Bay covers an area of 15 000 hectars. Due to its connection to the Atlantic Ocean, tides can be strong.
Andernos les Bains consists of four other small communities: Taussat, Cassy, Lanton and Audenge. There are 9442 inhabitants (1999). All these villages are marked by its oyster farms and small fisheries. The oyster and fishing industry provided for a long time the main income to the area. Nowadays, it has changed and tourism plays a stong economical factor to the area.
Andernos les Bains has a 5,4 km long sand beach.
The closest airport is Bordeaux Merignac (30 km).
The next biggest city is Bordeaux.
Points of interest:
Pyla Dune - the longest in dune in Europe; Island of Birds - two bird houses in the middle of the bay; Cap Feret light house at the tip of the Archachon Bay.
The bay is well known for the Portugese oyster which has been killed during 1970-1972 due to gill disease. But a new oyster was found, the "Pacific oyster". Nevertheless, in 1974 the new oyster had a disease which was caused by the paint of the fishing boats. When a tanker spilled lots of oil into the bay in 1978 it seemed that the oyster industry was dying out. Until 1981 the oyster industry suffered substantially around the bay. This was a desaster for whole of France and Europe as the Archachon oyster is world known as a delicatesse.
Since 2000 the the oyster industry is recovering and nearly 15,000 metric tons are produced per year.
