Presqu'île
A land of merging waters. At the Bec d’Ambés the waters of the Garonne and the Dordogne come together and wind their way between the islands. The landscapes here constantly changing.
Cities : Ambès, Bassens, Ambarès et Lagrave, Saint-Louis-de-Montferrand, Saint-Vincent-de-Paul et Carbon-Blanc
Over two centuries the Bec d'Ambès advanced 500 metres thanks to the constant alluvial deposits carried down by the two rivers. The sailors and boatmen of yesteryear have almost all disappeared, but we can still catch the scent of the vineyards floating on the waters of the Garonne, with its banks punctuated with "carrelets", wooden huts constructed on tall posts with nets for fishing grey shrimp and fish from the river.
Must see
After the dockland around the port of Bassens, we enter this "terra incognita", an impressive industrial landscape that fortunately spared some magnificent 18th century holiday residences like Perronnet and the Seiglière at Saint-Louis-de-Montferrand. The riverside road runs along between the river and the "Grand Marais" (or Great Marsh) and the Peychaud marsh, both Natura 2000 classified nature reserves. Field frogs and marsh irises cohabit with the migratory birds that appreciate the mild climate of these vast spaces.
On the Dordogne side of the peninsula, the commune of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul bears witness to the golden age of transport in the 19th century with the famous Gustave Eiffel viaduct supported by an amazing set of eight twin, openwork pillars.
