In short… A chic beach hotel that’s a short walk through the pines and dunes to the Atlantic, and to the center of our favorite town on the cape.
The surroundings… Set on the Cap Ferret peninsula—west of Bordeaux and often compared to Montauk or Cape Cod for its laid-back barefoot charm—Hôtel des Dunes is the oldest hotel on the cape and a beloved institution since 1969. In 2022, it was given fresh life by new owners Karine and Jean-Philippe Hecquet, who reopened the 13-room property after a thoughtful renovation. It’s in the southwest part of the cape—close to the lighthouse, a half block to the dunes, a walk or bike ride to some of the best restaurants, and to the ferry that takes you across the bay to Arcachon, if you like. It’s sunny, light-filled, and has such a great vibe! You feel inspired but relaxed.
The vibe… Karine and Jean-Philippe were very influenced by the surf lodge/beach house/motel culture of Hawaii, the Hamptons and California—they had lived in all of these places, but also had been coming to Cap Ferret for 25 years, so when this property became available, it was a perfect fit. They worked on the project with local architect Delphine Carrère, who also fell in love with this iconic property—you can feel in their collaboration a shared passion, respect, taste and restraint. While it could have gone a bit too retro-motel schtick-y, it leans instead a bit more bohemian minimalism—lots of jute and raffia details, white woven hammocks in the center courtyard, spare use of ‘60s-’70s Vallauris pottery, and chic board games in the indoor dining area. There’s a major emphasis on using everything local and sustainable—Karine worked tirelessly to source everything from the area, down to the sunscreen they sell in their gift shop, SeventyOne Percent, which comes from the Landes, the region just next door.
The rooms… There are 11 rooms and 2 suites. We stayed in Room 7, which had a really large enclosed terrace with lots of other cushioned seating that Prune loved. There was tea from local purveyor Kodama in the room, and the minibar more niche snacks like cashews and local beer and wine. Bath products from Oceopin (which got its start in Cap Ferret, but is now well-known throughout France) are in large bottles—there’s no single use product. It’s a no-plastic property, so glass bottles of water are provided in the room. It’s also a no TV property, which I love. I’m so over the giant TV in the room—if we want to watch something, don’t we all have devices we can use?
The wellness… There’s a yoga mat in the room, which we used on our terrace, and also a sauna for two available to guests. They have great bikes from a local maker in Vendée, and they’ll help organize surf lessons or yoga/meditation for you. Once we parked, we never got in our car until we left—we just biked and walked everywhere. And while we didn’t go for a hike, there are great trails in the area!
The food & drink… They serve a lovely breakfast buffet—everything is local, from the smoked fish from down the street to the jams and honey and the breads, charcuterie, and granolas. You can also order eggs if you like. Coffee is from our favorite L’Alchimiste in Bordeaux. They’ll make you a picnic if you ask, and they have a bar at cocktail hour, which is very sweet—serving simple drinks like Lillet, wine and champagne. More complicated drinks are available, too—they found a great maker in Paris who pre-bottles drinks for them, and Matt, the harshest critic, thought the Negroni was excellent.
Is it family friendly? In general I think Cap Ferret is great for families. You can have leisurely lunches on the bay while your children run around in the low tide—it’s so barefoot/lowkey, there are kids everywhere. There were several families staying at the hotel, and they all looked so happy. The suites are perfect if you’re traveling with kids—they can sleep up to five. The children we saw loved the hammocks as well as the living/dining area, where I saw some drawing and game-playing going on. The walk to the beach is not hard for most, but might be challenging for little ones. There is a beach that has easier access via a drive or taking the little train just five minutes away.
Extra tip goes to… Karine couldn’t have been a better host! She made the best restaurant suggestions and booked them for us. A dream!
Be sure to… Ride a bike at sunset (It’s about 15 minutes) to Mirador, the just-opened outdoor lounge at the tip of the cape, where you’ll find such a diverse group of people, from little kids to grandparents, and everyone in between, all hanging out together.
Parting words… We can’t wait to come back! We really fell in love with Cap Ferret on this visit—the proximity to the ocean and being able to ride our bikes everywhere. It was heaven!
Date of stay… July 16, 2025
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