Hotel La Co(o)rniche

If you were to send a postcard from Hotel La Co(o)rniche, it would paint a chic picture. It could be oysters-on-ice beside the chequerboard pool. Cocktails on the terrace under parasols that look like sugar cubes. Views across the dunes of Pilat-Plage and Banc d’Arguin that melt into rose-gold sunsets. Days at this coastal enclave ebb and flow like the tide, as shaded lunches give way to spirited evenings. From its 1930s origins to Philippe Starck’s neo-Basque reimagining, discover a hotel entwined in its landscape – made for couples, friends and families.
Read more[SPLIT]Read less
Where you stay depends on who you travel with. The main house has been artfully designed in typical Bassin d’Arachon style, its bedrooms blending pastel stripes, glass walls and wave-tip white tones – and sun terraces opening onto ocean views. Many overlook the lively pool and bar, perfect for those who like late nights (and lazy mornings). Or choose the quieter Junior Suites that pay contemporary homage to the original oyster farmer cabins of Cap Ferret. Though nowadays the daily catch are the panoramic views across the bay, from a just-for-you lounger.

Before a day at the beach – or out on the town – dress to express at La Boutique du Pyla. This capsule collection of accessories, leisurewear and jewellery shines a sartorial spotlight on this stylish part of France. Be pampered head to toe at the Ha(a)ïtza Spa at La Co(o)rniche’s sister hotel, dipping into its indoor-outdoor pools. Or leave footprints in the sand at Banc d’Arguin, a gilded sandbank lapped by crystal seas, with hundreds of migrating birds for company. Turn your gaze landwards and pass through the scented pine trees to see more of Gironde, tracing the coastline all the way to Cap Ferret. This cosmopolitan resort is home to oyster beds, ocean views and oh-so-cool bars.