La Teste-de-Buch

La Teste-de-Buch (Occitan: "La Tèsta de Bug" IPA| [la ˈtèstɔ ðe ˈβytʃ/ˈβyk] or IPA| [la ˈtèstə ðœ ˈβytʃ/ˈβyk] ) is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.

It is located on the south shore of Arcachon Bay, lying in the southwestern part of Gironde.

It is the largest of four communes that comprise the Communauté d'agglomération du Bassin d'Arcachon Sud, a small metropolitan area of 54,204 population (1999 census). The population of La Teste-de-Buch at the census was 22,970 inhabitants. Its land area is 180.20 km² (69.576 sq mi), the 8th-largest commune in metropolitan France in geographical area.

La Teste-de-Buch is famous for The Great Dune of Pyla. It is also the site of a fictional battle during the Napoleonic wars depicted in "Sharpe's Siege" by Bernard Cornwell.

Geography

* Located in the department of Gironde, in the middle of the Landes forest. Capital of the Pays de Buch.
* Located south of Arcachon Bay between Gujan-Mestras and Biscarosse
* Surrounds the city of Arcachon, the old hamlet of La Teste-du-Buch
* The Great Dune of Pyla, found in the northwest corner of the town, extends south into the ocean beaches and is very popular in the summer months.
* Cazaux Lake is in the southeast corner, astride the departments of Gironde and Landes
* The rest of the town consists of old dunes, where the natural forest has changed little over centuries. This is one of the few natural forests in the Landes forest.
* The seaside resort of Pyla-sur-Mer, the village of Cazaux, the bird refuge and sandbank of Arguin are also part of the town.

Twin towns

La Teste-de-Buch is twinned with Binghamton, New York, United States, since 1987.

ee also

* Arcachon - La Teste-de-Buch Airport
* Pays de Buch

External links

* [http://www.latestedebuch.fr/ Official website] (in French)