Natural Wonder · La Teste-de-Buch, France
Dune of Pilat
The Dune of Pilat (French: Dune du Pilat [dyn dy pila], official name), also called Grande Dune du Pilat, is the tallest sand dune in Europe. Built 1998.
Photo: Larrousiney at French Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | La Teste-de-Buch, France |
|---|---|
| Type | Natural Wonder |
| Built | 1998 |
| Elevation | Elevation: 106.6 m |
| Coordinates | 44.5900° N, 1.2117° W |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Dune of Pilat is known for
The Dune of Pilat (French: Dune du Pilat [dyn dy pila], official name), also called Grande Dune du Pilat, is the tallest sand dune in Europe.
About Dune of Pilat
The Dune of Pilat (French: Dune du Pilat [dyn dy pila], official name), also called Grande Dune du Pilat, is the tallest sand dune in Europe. It is located in La Teste-de-Buch in the Arcachon Bay area, France, 60 km (37.2 mi) southwest of Bordeaux along France's Atlantic coastlines.
History
The current location of Dune du Pilat housed temporary protohistoric camps for activities related to sea salt mining. The first archaeological discoveries began in 1922. On 31 December 2013, a tourist found a funeral urn and an accessory vase from the Iron Age, 800 years BC in the sand at the foot of the dune.
Planning a visit? Visit the official Dune of Pilat website — the official site has the current visiting information.
How to get there
| Nearest town | La Teste-de-Buch |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne Airport (BIQ) |
| Distance from the airport | 78.8 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (BOD) · Bordeaux, France · 29.4 miles away
- Bilbao Airport (BIO) · Bilbao, Spain · 122.8 miles away
- Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) · Toulouse/Blagnac, France · 144.0 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in France
More natural wonders
Frequently asked questions
What is Dune of Pilat?
The Dune of Pilat (French: Dune du Pilat [dyn dy pila], official name), also called Grande Dune du Pilat, is the tallest sand dune in Europe.
Where is Dune of Pilat located?
Dune of Pilat is in La Teste-de-Buch, France. Its coordinates are 44.5900° N, 1.2117° W.
How do I get to Dune of Pilat?
The nearest town is La Teste-de-Buch, and the nearest airport is Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne Airport (BIQ), about 78.8 miles away (straight line).
When was Dune of Pilat built?
Dune of Pilat was built 1998.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_of_Pilat — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q501726 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- http://www.ladunedupilat.com — Official website of the landmark / managing body.
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.