Dune of Pilat hosts excavations until 9 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 07:58 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Dune of Pilat (Dune du Pilat) is hosting archaeological excavations in La Teste-de-Buch from 21 September to 9 October 2026. The campaign gives visitors a current reason to look beyond the sand landscape, as researchers examine remains threatened by coastal erosion.
Archaeological excavations continue until 9 October
The 2026 campaign is taking place on a plot owned by the Conservatoire du littoral. The operation has an excavation permit from France's Ministry of Culture and is being supported by the DRAC Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the municipality and the Groupe de recherche archeologique du Pays de Buch et de l'Agenais.
The work focuses on a fossil forest soil dated between 1,000 and 500 BC. Researchers are studying a prehistoric salt-production workshop, hearths, post holes and ceramics. They are also examining an ancient pond whose peat has preserved wood. The Ministry of Culture describes the campaign as an effort to study a salt-making site before coastal retreat damages it further.
Coastal erosion exposes a prehistoric landscape
The excavation concerns remains more than 3,000 years old. Erosion around the outlet of the Arcachon Basin is exposing archaeological layers and gradually destroying them, giving the current work a fixed deadline.
The site manager, the Syndicat Mixte de la Grande Dune du Pilat, coordinates visitor reception, safety and public mediation. Its excavation notice explains that the operation is intended to record structures before their final disappearance. The research links the October 2026 programme directly to the dune's changing edge: the salt workshop and pond are being investigated because the landscape that protected them is eroding.
The public-facing programme includes a small exhibition in the reception-area exhibition hut. It presents archaeological research and traces the daily life of people who occupied the coastline through several millennia. The operator's excavation information also sets out the site's safety boundaries and guided access arrangements.
Visiting Dune of Pilat: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The excavation campaign runs from 21 September to 9 October 2026. A guided public visit with archaeologists is listed for Saturday 3 October 2026.
- The excavation zones are not open for unsupervised access. Stakes and construction tape mark the boundaries, and visitors must remain at least 20 metres from the moving excavator.
- The archaeology exhibition is in the exhibition hut in the reception area. It is visible during the opening times of the information point.
- The site is at Route de Biscarrosse, RD 218, in Pyla-sur-Mer, within La Teste-de-Buch. The public visit requires a reservation with the site's mediation team.
- The terrain is a moving sand dune, and the guided excavation visit is connected with an ascent of the dune. Suitable footwear for sand is appropriate.
- French is the official language and the currency is the euro.
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Frequently asked questions about Dune of Pilat
When do the archaeological excavations take place at Dune of Pilat?
The campaign runs from 21 September to 9 October 2026. A public guided visit is listed for 3 October 2026.
What can visitors see at Dune of Pilat during the excavations?
Visitors can see an archaeology exhibition in the reception-area hut and join guided access to the excavation site. The marked work zones themselves remain inaccessible without authorisation.
Where is Dune of Pilat and how do you get there?
The site is in La Teste-de-Buch, at Route de Biscarrosse, RD 218, in Pyla-sur-Mer. The reception area provides the access point for the exhibition and visitor information.
