Archaeologists find salt workshop at Dune of Pilat on 2 October
Published on 10/21/2026 at 14:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSArchaeology and coastal change
- The Ministry of Culture reported the excavation at La Teste-de-Buch on 2 October 2026.
- The 3,000-year-old salt workshop was studied before coastal erosion could destroy its remains.
- An ancient pond discovered in 2024 preserves old timber in peat near the archaeological site.
Archaeologists found evidence of a 3,000-year-old salt workshop at Dune of Pilat in La Teste-de-Buch, after the Ministry of Culture announced the discovery on 2 October 2026. The finding came from a campaign that ran from 21 September to 9 October 2026 on an ancient forest soil beneath the coastal dune.
The excavation adds a current archaeological story to one of France's best-known natural landmarks. It also gives visitors a clear reason to look beyond the summit, where coastal erosion is exposing traces of earlier human occupation.
Archaeological excavation reveals a salt-making site
The Ministry of Culture said the operation examined a prehistoric salt-production workshop threatened by the retreat of the shoreline. Researchers studied a fossilised forest soil dated between 1000 and 500 BC, together with the surrounding remains.
The campaign was financed by the regional culture authority, the commune and the Groupe de recherche archéologique du Pays de Buch et de l'Agenais. The Ministry of Culture account said the work aimed to preserve evidence of the first human settlements on the Aquitaine coast.
The archaeological site is on a plot belonging to the Conservatoire du littoral, while the Syndicat mixte de la Grande Dune du Pilat oversees safety and visitor reception. The operator's excavation information states that the research had official authorisation from the Ministry of Culture.
What the salt workshop reveals about the coast
The exposed layer records a landscape that existed before the present dune formed. Archaeologists identified features linked to occupation, including hearths, post holes, ceramics and materials associated with salt production.
The research also examined the outline of an ancient pond discovered in 2024. Peat around the pond has preserved old timber, allowing scientists to study a changing coastal environment alongside the human activity.
This connection between archaeology and erosion is central to the news from the site. The same coastal processes that reveal buried layers also threaten to remove them, so excavation records information before the remains disappear.
The campaign involved Philippe Jacques, an archaeologist from the area, around 15 volunteers from the regional research group and the Ausonius laboratory. The commune is expected to receive the recovered remains for the Musée du pays de Buch et du Bassin d'Arcachon.
Research at the dune remains linked to public access
The excavation campaign ended on 9 October 2026, but the project included public mediation during the research. The site authority said thematic guided visits and an educational exhibition in the reception hut were part of the programme.
That arrangement links the archaeological work to the normal experience of climbing the dune. Visitors encounter a protected natural site whose visible sand landscape conceals evidence of forests, settlement and salt-making activity.
Visiting Dune of Pilat: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The archaeological campaign ran from 21 September to 9 October 2026, and the discovery was announced on 2 October 2026.
- The excavation areas were restricted to authorised personnel during the works. The site authority's programme also included guided visits and an educational exhibition for the public.
- The landmark is in La Teste-de-Buch, at Route de Biscarrosse RD 218 in Pyla-sur-Mer. The archaeological work took place on the dune's coastal site.
- Guided activities at the dune involve an ascent, and the operator advises footwear suited to sand. The excavation boundaries were marked with stakes and construction tape during the campaign.
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Frequently asked questions about Dune of Pilat
What was found at Dune of Pilat?
Researchers studied a prehistoric salt-production workshop and a fossilised forest soil dated between 1000 and 500 BC.
When was the archaeological excavation at Dune of Pilat?
The campaign ran from 21 September to 9 October 2026, with the discovery announced on 2 October 2026.
Where is Dune of Pilat and how do you get there?
The landmark is in La Teste-de-Buch, near Pyla-sur-Mer, on Route de Biscarrosse RD 218.
