Ok, so first a disclaimer:
Cap Ferret is NOT Cap Ferrat. I don’t blame the non-French speakers for not knowing the difference, but it is always a fun experience to have the following conversation with some sort of very worldly Hamptonite:
Me: “I just came back from Cap Ferret.”
Them: “Oh yes? How wonderful. I love it there!”
Me: “Yes. A wonderful, tiny, and quaint surfing village on the other side of the Atlantic.”
Them: Silence and confusion
Me: “Anyway, and what did you do this summer?”
So, as much as my fellow Ferreters wouldn’t like the very private enclave to be better known (@cocogovare, yes YOU), I feel it is my responsibility to share this very special place in the world.
So to set the scene:
Cape Ferret is physically on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, facing Montauk directly. What this means is that the horticulture is very similar, with the same waves and similar weather.
Cap Ferret
Cap Ferret and its neighboring Pyla are famous for oysters, a beautiful sand dune (the largest in Europe), and great waves.
So basically for the American readership, imagine the following: you are in Montauk, but make the crowd exclusively French titans of industry and celebrities (yes Arnault's, yes Marion Cotillard, yes every person in the resto is somewhat famous or important but you need to be French to know who they are, but they are all beautiful and elegant and relaxed with their glass of wine and that’s really all one needs to know).
Then add cheese. Add wine. Add mussels. Add oysters.
And repeat.
So now my guide to the Cap Ferret experience:
Flavor:
Chez Hortense: a legendary institution and one of my favorite restaurants in the world. To give perspective, it’s probably the only restaurant I can think of that compares to beautiful Scoglia in Positano. Except for instead of pasta, here you get uncomparable mussels, special foie gras, and French fries to mic drop all other French fries. I would say this is the most important stop in town.
Le Mirador: the new place in town, right on the sand, sunset live music, ridiculously good food for a beach shack, and an atmosphere that makes me nostalgic already now for what it will be in 20 years, when it will no longer be a quaint insider town. Basically, imagine St Tropez in the 70s. This is what’s up.
View Of The Dune From Le Mirador
La Cabane Du Mimbeau: something to do before dinner. You go to 6/7 pm to have award-winning oysters and wine (nothing else is served).
Le Marché du Cap Ferret: this is a trademark of the experience. A seasoned cap ferreter knows to go to the marche at 7 am to get their baguette and cheese for the day and not see anyone. Alternatively, go at 10 am, flirt, people watch, have oysters and wine for breakfast, and enjoy a mosh pit of very stylish food shoppers out to get the just-caught fish. Similar to the Hamptons, the culture of Cap Ferret is to shop at the market and cook at home, so the marché is the true cultural epicenter of the social life of the tiny town. There is only one market. You get the gist. 😉
Le Marché du Cap Ferret
Discovery:
Nature and food are the principal stars of Cap Ferret.
One must take a boat to visit the dunes and the beautiful sand islands in the middle of the ocean.
Me On The Dune
There are stunning hikes all around the area, and it is very easy to have a very healthy and sporty lifestyle. Surfing is a daily activity for those who partake.
The Trees Of Cap Ferret
But then again, the unexpected gem of the town is the open-air antique market on the beach every Saturday. Here one can find YSL jewelry from the 70es, Picault plates, silver from the second empire, but also Playmobil from the 90s and vintage porn posters. Eclectic.
Wellness:
Cap Ferret is famous for its stunning pine forests, and the local herbologist created an incredible line of body products using the extracts of the pines. I use these products all summer; they are all freshly made with a minimal amount of preservatives and smell accordingly. You indulge in a forest bath every time you use one of them.
Oceopin Products
Another tip: The Caudalie Spa (one of the greatest of its sort/ also is kid friendly/ has an incredible restaurant and a sculpture garden/Google it) is located literally halfway between the Bordeaux airport and Cap Ferret by car. My recommendation is to make a pit stop there, either on the way to or from the Cap, for a night to indulge in self-care.
I’ll see you all in Cap Ferret next summer!
Now you see why I needed Laroot World so much in the Hamptons to recover from all the mussels and cheese…
Appendix:
Chez Hortense, 26 Av. du Sémaphore, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret, France
Le Mirador, 47 Avenue E, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret, France
La Cabane Du Mimbeau, 28 Av. de la Conche, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret, France
Le Marché du Cap Ferret, Av. du Monument Salins, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret, France
The Caudalie Spa, Chemin de Smith Haut Lafitte, 33650 Martillac, France
Love this!!!! Laroot needs to come to London