Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans

Lac d’Hourtin-Carcans is a large natural freshwater lake in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwest France, located on the Médoc peninsula in the Gironde department. The lake lies behind the coastal dune system of the Atlantic coast and forms part of a broader coastal-lagoon-dune landscape.

The lake has long sandy shores and adjacent dune and forest habitats; it is used for swimming, sailing and other water-based recreation and is served by lakeside facilities and campsites. The western shore faces the dune barrier that separates the lake from the open Atlantic.

The lake formed through coastal and fluvial processes that created dune barriers and inland basins, producing one of the larger natural freshwater bodies on France’s Atlantic coast. It is a notable feature of the Médoc coastal environment.

Geographically the lake lies on the Atlantic side of southwestern France, approximately within driving distance northwest of Bordeaux and adjacent to the Landes coastal zone and pine forest.

• Large natural freshwater lake: One of France's larger natural freshwater lakes, sitting behind a coastal dune system on the Médoc peninsula and offering extensive water and beach areas for recreation.
• Beaches and dunes: Beaches and dune landscape on the lake's western side provide panoramic views toward the Atlantic coast and are popular in summer months.