Andernos-les-Bains

Andernos-les-Bains
Commune
The church in Andernos-les-Bains

Coat of arms
Andernos-les-Bains
Location within Nouvelle-Aquitaine region
Andernos-les-Bains
Coordinates: 44°44′36″N 1°05′21″W / 44.7433°N 1.0892°W / 44.7433; -1.0892Coordinates: 44°44′36″N 1°05′21″W / 44.7433°N 1.0892°W / 44.7433; -1.0892
Country France
Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department Gironde
Arrondissement Arcachon
Canton Andernos-les-Bains
Intercommunality Bassin d'Arcachon Nord Atlantique
Government
 • Mayor (2014-2020) Jean-Yves Rosazza
Area1 20.01 km2 (7.73 sq mi)
Population (2014)2 11,712
 • Density 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code 33005 /33510
Elevation 1–30 m (3.3–98.4 ft)
(avg. 4 m or 13 ft)

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Andernos-les-Bains is a commune in the Gironde department in southwestern France.

Andernos-les-Bains is a located on the northeast shore of Arcachon Bay. To its northwest is the town of Arès.

Andernos-les-Bains consists of four other small communities: Taussat, Cassy, Lanton and Audenge. All these villages are characterized by their oyster farms and small fisheries. For many years, the oyster and fishing industry provided the main income to the area. More recently, tourism has become a strong economic factor in the area.

The bay was well known for the Portuguese oyster which died out during 1970-1972 because of gill disease. But a new oyster was found, the "Pacific oyster". Nevertheless, in 1974 the new oyster developed a disease caused by the paint used on fishing boats. An oil tanker spill in 1978 further damaged the oyster industry, which continued to suffer until 1981. The oyster industry suffered substantially around the bay. This was a disaster for whole of France and Europe as the Arcachon oyster is a world-famous delicacy.

Since 2000 the oyster industry has been recovering and now nearly 15,000 metric tons are produced per year.

Andernos-les-Bains has a 5.4 km (3.4 mi) long sand beach.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19623,472—    
19684,676+34.7%
19755,119+9.5%
19825,971+16.6%
19907,176+20.2%
19999,256+29.0%
200810,793+16.6%

Transportation

The closest airport is Bordeaux-Mérignac (30 km).

Personalities

Sarah Bernhardt, a French actress, is known to have visited Andernos during the First World War.

Sights

  • The Great Dune of Pyla - the longest in Europe
  • Island of Birds - with two bird houses in the middle of the bay which act as landmarks
  • Cape Ferret light house at the tip of the Arcachon Bay

International relations

Andernos-les-Bains is twinned with:

See also

References

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