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Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, the
path of Pierrières,
"le sentier des Pierrières" from the central beach
to the rocks
of Pont du Diable
On the right-hand
side of the beach, when you look at the sea, take la rue de l’Ocean,
which leads to the beginning of the most frequently used path in
Saint-Palais.
From a new part of the path laid out during the past few
years between the Customs office and the sea, there is a magnificent
view of the cliffs, which have been sculptured into shapes by the sea
erosion.
Then, take a walk down a path of holm oaks, bent by
the sea winds so much that it is necessary to lower your head to walk
under the branches.
Just after the villa Minerve, which
overlooks the sea, a small bridge allows you to cross a deep
crevice into which the sea rushes at high tide.
After a walking up a slight incline, one
arrives at the rocks which stretch out to sea, notably
the big rock called La Roche aux Moines and
the famous Pont du Diable (Bridge of the Devil).
On these rocks shaped
by the sea erosion, it is surprising to see
certain parts cut in straight lines, obviously
artificially made.
They are actually numerous surfaces
from which stones were extracted and these stones have
been used for the construction of the lighthouse of Cordouan, which is
opposite, some miles out to sea.
As far as the legend of the Pont du
Diable goes, you can read about it, in French, on the placard that you
will find a little further down the path which runs along the beach of
Le Platin. It is from here that one has the best view of the rocks of
the famous Pont du Diable and of the beautiful beach of Le Platin.
The
path of the "corniche" of Nauzan
The path of the ‘corniche’ of Nauzan is
less than a kilometre long and runs from the quiet beach of Nauzan to
the central beach of Saint-Palais.
Overlooking the sea you will find
beautiful villas built in the typical style of the first half of the 20th
century.
On beautiful summer evenings, the cliff
of Nauzan is one of the favourite walks of the people of Saint-Palais.
First of all there is the sunset. Then,
from nightfall, there is a permanent spectacle ; the beams from the
lighthouse of Cordouan with its three eclipses every 12 seconds, the
lamp-posts lining the sea front of Soulac, on the opposite side of the
estuary, the red and green buoys which mark out the channel of the
Gironde estuary, the lights of the cargo boats, the moonlight and its
reflection on the sea, … |
