Due to the beach replenishment work carried out by the Intermunicipal Syndicate of the Arcachon Basin (Siba), north of the Grand Site of the Dune du Pilat, Access to the Dune is prohibited via the Corniche staircase.
The mayor of La Teste-de-Buch signed a municipal decree to that effect on December 19, 2025. Access to the beaches is prohibited from January 10 to February 28, 2026 inclusive from Avenue des Vendangeurs to La Corniche in Pyla-sur-Mer, municipality of La Teste-de-Buch.
Targeted intervention areas in 2026
SIBA carries out maintenance operations on the beaches of Pyla every two years to preserve the gains of the massive sand replenishment of 2003 (1.1 million m³)3). This year, the replenishment of the dune notch area of the Corniche is added to the usual linear.
The extraction and replenishment operations therefore concern two sectors:
- Sand extraction area: Eastern flank of the Bernet Bank
- Beach replenishment zone: from the dune notch area to Avenue des Vendangeurs, approximately 4 kilometers of beach
Why replenish the beaches with sand?
In Pyla, it's 170,000 m³ of sand which will be implemented in 2026 in order to:
- maintain access to the beaches, while preserving an area above water
- to establish better wave damping
- stabilize the foreshore at the level of the base of the seawalls (between 3 m and 4 m) (marine coast)
As part of the management of coastal erosion in the municipality of La Teste (local strategy for coastal management), SIBA is working on the Corniche sector. Indeed, this area, located at the entrance to the Bay, is highly exposed to swell, currents, and therefore erosion. Following an initial phase of work to repair the breakwater in 2025, the replenishment of 33,000 m³ aims to reinforce the area and limit its retreat.
What work is planned?
1/ 2025 : Dismantling and rebuilding of the breakwater head: 1,470 m³ of rockfill deposited and rebuilding of the end of the structure in order to limit the progression of the dune notch.
2/ 2026 and every two years thereafter: Replenishment of the dune notch by replenishing 33,000 m³ of sand every 2 years until 2035, following the same guidelines as for neighbouring beaches.
On the other hand, there are no changes to be noted in access to the Dune via the reception area and its visiting possibilities.
The municipal decree can be consulted here.
