Bird watching

Bird watching with a guide

To help you explore the reserve and its birdlife, special activities and guided walks are held throughout the year. These are suitable for both beginners and more knowledgeable wildlife enthusiasts. The naturalistsfrom the Maison de la Nature du bassin d’Arcachon will be there to help you discover all the secrets of the reserve.

Given the duration of these activities and the amount of walking involved, they are not recommended for children under the age of ten. There is a charge for all these activities. There are a limited number of places and advancebooking is compulsory.

Guided walks for individuals

Morning guided walks are available during the Christmas, Spring and Autumn school holidays. They last between 2 hours 30 minutes and 3 hours, and offer an opportunity to see the reserve’s current bird population, to gain a better understanding of their behaviours and of the part that the reserve plays in their lives.

During the months of July and August, these walks take place in the evening, beginning at 8pm (or earlier during the month of August).

As well as seeing the birds present on the reserve during the summer, you’ll get to experience dusk over the marshes, then nightfall, which will trigger a totally different range of bird behaviours. As the reserve closes at 8pm during the summer, you will have the birds all to yourselves for an evening.

Week-ends and courses

If you’d like to build up your knowledge and understanding of birds, to be able to identify them with ease or find out more about their everyday lives and the habitats they call home, there’s nothing like being able to call on a naturalist to help you develop into a ‘fully-fledged’ birdwatcher.

Guided walks for groups of adults

Groups of over 20 adults have the option of being taken around the reserve by a trained naturalist who will show them the major wildlife events and sights to be seen at the time of year in question. This guided walk must be booked in advance. Information, prices and bookings from the schools, events and activities department