La Grande Dune du Pilat, Pyla-sur-Mer

A must visit place if you are in the area. You can park in the trees. Perhaps take a bottle of water and your camera, not a big bag of bits. Take your time, bare feet may be best There are steps up which is the best way. Take time to sit and enjoy the view. A truely beautiful place.

Excellent scenery, challenging climb if you don't take the stairs, like going up a skihill. Beware though, the bathrooms are under renovation, so mixed use of the remaining men's washroom. None of the souvenir shops are open. Very busy, but a worthwhile place to visit. Bring water and a camera, and if adventurous, your bathing suit. Some brought sand toys for the kids, lots of people. And of course, be careful, it is a long ways down to the trees of the forest.

Great place to take in the views and let the kids burn off energy - and it's free! (Except if you use the car park) Convenient steps to climb the dune if you are don't want a long climb in the sand, and plenty of distance to trek the top of the dune for a quieter space. Many small touristy shops and eateries too.

Going every year, like a pilgrimage. Every year gobsmacked by the beauty of the place, I hope I have the legs to do it for the next 50 years. Probably at its best at low tide, on a sunny and not-so-windy day.

Unexpected natural wonder. A bit of a tough climb to get to the top, two steps forward one back, but worth the effort. The view of the peninsular and the waves breaking on the distant sand banks - fantastic. The dune is much larger than I imagined.