Arcachon Bay is not one place
A villa in the Ville d'Hiver, a house at Piraillan and a contemporary build on the Pyla slope do not age in the same way. Our area pages, and why they exist.
People speak of the Bay as a single place. Seen from a maintenance log, it is at least six.
What separates them comes down to four variables: the dominant building type, exposure to wind and salt spray, the natural hazards that apply, and the practical constraints of access. Those four are enough to produce maintenance calendars with almost nothing in common.
The areas we cover
Cap Ferret and the Lège peninsula — Timber architecture, protected oyster villages, double exposure to ocean and Bay, a single access road. The most maintenance-intensive area on the Bay.
Pyla-sur-Mer — Architect-designed villas on sloping ground under the pines, flat roofs, immediate proximity to the forest. Wildfire risk and difficult terrain.
Arcachon — Nineteenth-century villas of the Ville d'Hiver, protected heritage, elaborate timberwork, exposed seafront. Among the strictest planning constraints on the Bay.
La Teste-de-Buch — The largest commune on the Bay, from the port to the lake at Cazaux. Common forest, the memory of the 2022 fire, extensive vegetation clearance obligations.
Andernos-les-Bains and the North Bay — Low houses close to the shore, exposure to flooding on the highest tides, seaside villas of the 1920s and 1930s.
Gujan-Mestras and the South Bay — Oyster ports, low-lying damp ground, proximity to the Leyre delta. High water table and rising damp.
What actually changes from one area to the next
| Area | Dominant fabric | Main constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Peninsula | Timber, light frame | Cladding, salt, access |
| Pyla | Contemporary, flat roof | Fire, waterproofing, slope |
| Arcachon | Nineteenth-century stone and ornate timber | Planning, joinery, damp |
| La Teste | Mixed | Vegetation clearance, size |
| North Bay | Low twentieth-century houses | Flooding, ground moisture |
| South Bay | Port houses, single storey | Water table, rising damp |
One firm, six protocols
We write a stewardship protocol for each property from its diagnostic. The core is identical — documented visits, sensors, coordination, record — but thresholds, frequencies and inspection points differ by area.
A house at Piraillan is inspected cladding face by face. A villa at Pyla is inspected on its roof waterproofing and its cleared perimeter. A villa in the Ville d'Hiver is inspected on its ornate joinery and its rainwater downpipes. These are not stylistic variations: they are different pathologies.
Where we are
Maison Aubier is based at Le Teich, at the head of the Bay. Not the most prestigious address; the most central one. It places every commune within forty minutes all year round, which is what the work requires.
We deliberately limit the number of properties per area. Getting to know a house takes two winters; knowing too many amounts to knowing none.
Frequently asked questions
Which communes on Arcachon Bay does Maison Aubier cover?
The whole Bay: Arcachon, Pyla-sur-Mer, La Teste-de-Buch, Gujan-Mestras, Le Teich, Biganos, Audenge, Lanton, Andernos-les-Bains, Arès, and the entire Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, oyster villages included.
Do maintenance needs differ by commune?
Considerably. Building type, exposure to wind and salt, applicable natural hazards and access constraints vary sharply between areas, producing very different maintenance calendars and inspection points.
Which part of the Bay needs the most maintenance?
The peninsula, because of its timber architecture, its double exposure to ocean and Bay, and access constraints in villages without vehicular streets. Cladding, fixings and joinery there demand markedly more attention than sheltered masonry construction.
Does Maison Aubier work outside Arcachon Bay?
No. The work requires permanent proximity to the properties in our care, including in an emergency and out of season. The area is therefore deliberately limited to the communes of the Bay and the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula.