Les Tuquets, France

Site Description

Les Tuquets is a lively, family-friendly seaside resort area on France’s southwest Atlantic coast, nestled between the popular towns of Seignosse and Hossegor in the scenic Landes region. The resort combines easy access to long sandy beaches, dunes, forest paths and ocean waves with a range of on-site leisure activities and amenities. The surrounding coastline is known for its fine sandy beaches, relaxed seaside atmosphere and world-class surf spots that draw surfers from around the globe.

At the heart of Les Tuquets is the Belambra Clubs Seignosse-Hossegor. Les Tuquets, is a beachfront holiday club set in a calm, pedestrian-only area just a short walk from the ocean. It’s ideal for families and active travelers alike, offering comfortable accommodations with private bathrooms, terraces or balconies, and easy access to the beach.

The resort’s facilities include a large heated aquatic area with a swimming pool, paddling pool and solarium, wellness spaces like a sauna and hammam, fitness rooms, tennis courts, and a playground for children. There are also organized activities, sports such as cycling and golf nearby, and clubs or daily programs for kids during peak seasons.

Dining options on-site feature a restaurant with terraces overlooking the dunes, a bar and relaxed social spaces. From Les Tuquets, guests can explore the broader Seignosse-Hossegor area, including its beaches, surf schools, nature reserves and local culture—making it a great base for both relaxation and adventure on the Atlantic coast of southwest France.

• Feast site will hold 80 people.
• Costs for room and full board are €700 per person double occupancy, €820 single occupancy, children ages 3-11, €550. Children under 3 years of age stay and eat for free.
• The nearest airport with daily flights to/from Paris is near Biarritz about 40 km/25 miles from the site.
• Temperatures in September average highs around 24°C (75–77°F) and lows around 16°C (60–61°F). In October average highs are around 20°C (68°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F).
• The Church will suggest several excursion destinations during the Feast.
• If you would like to attend in France only if friends or family members are able to attend, you will need to note such when you register, giving the names of those you would like to attend with you. If one name of the group is drawn, the rest of that group will go in with the name drawn. Keep in mind, however, that this can be a limiting factor when the numbers get close to capacity—if your name is drawn and you have more in your group than we have capacity for, we will place your group on the waiting list rather than accept.

Making Your Travel Plans

We advise against booking any non-refundable itineraries prior to being accepted to attend. The following information is provided to help you in your planning. Further details about these services will be communicated in the months following registration.

Arrival and departure shuttle service

If needed, we will charter a private bus from the Biarritz Airport to the Feast site on Friday, Sept 25. If needed, the shuttle will also stop at the Biarritz train station to pick up passengers arriving by train.3:00 PM. Before planning on using this service, please be sure your travel plans will allow you to arrive at the bus on time. This one-way service is available for €40 per person. We will also charter a private bus that will depart from the Feast site for Biarritz at around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 3.

If considering this option, please be sure your flight’s departure time is no earlier than 9 a.m. This one-way service is also available for €40 per person.

Reminder about passport and visas

American and Canadian citizens need a valid passport for travel to France, but no visa is currently required if the visit is less than 90 days. For citizens of the EU, a national ID card is all that is required. Visitors from countries other than those mentioned above should check online or with a French consulate to learn if they need a visa.

Lodging:

This site is not a hotel; one cannot arrive and get a room during the Feast without booking through COGWA. The accommodations are very basic by North American standards. Rooms vary in size, and larger accommodations will be set aside for larger families. It is not possible to arrive earlier than Friday afternoon, Sept. 25. All guests must check out by noon on Oct. 3.

Electricity:

The electrical current in France is 200-220 volts, 50 cycles. This will burn out North American appliances if no transformer is used. (In the past, several visitor attending the Feast in France have had “bad hair days” due to short-lived but supercharged curling irons!) Note that a transformer is not the same thing as an adapter. An adapter is the plug that allows the appliance to be connected to the wall outlet. The sockets in France generally have two thin cylindrical prongs rather than the rectangular flat-type found in North America. A transformer is a separate item (a small box) that actually modifies the electrical current. Several companies market travel sets that include both a transformer and several European adapters. Such sets are not expensive and are available at luggage shops or department stores.

Meals:

Your lodging includes full board, three meals will be provided in the restaurant. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served buffet-style.

Making Your Payment:

Once you are accepted for transfer to this Feast site, we will provide you with the necessary details for making your payment as well as deadlines associated with securing your stay.

Exchanging money at the Feast:

The currency now used in France is the euro. Banking hours in small towns and villages of France are typically 9 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. An ATM card with which to withdraw euros from French ATMs is the easiest means of changing money in the country. Your home bank account is debited in your home currency, and there is a small exchange fee. It is always a good idea to have at least two different means of procuring euros in case there is a problem with an ATM machine or with your card. We recommend bringing some cash for emergencies. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted in France; American Express is accepted in very limited locations.

Feast registration:

After registering through your portal, you must contact Mr. James Muir to receive and fill out a site-specific registration form which includes payment information. Acceptance will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Since we accept transfers from around the globe, we use registration order to determine order of acceptance. Those we are unable to accept will be informed that they have been placed on a waiting list. Those who are initially accepted to transfer will receive a letter of confirmation shortly afterwards. The confirmation letter will contain details and deadlines regarding making payment. For more information, you may contact James Muir at [email protected].

Projected program and activities

Church services and translation:

You do not need to understand French to attend this site. Approximately half of the services will be held in French, the other half in English. In each case, simultaneous translation will be provided via FM radio transmission. Those who wish to make use of the translation service will need to provide their own FM radios, batteries (please bring spares) and earphones.

We will not be able to provide these items at the site. Such items are usually less expensive and easier to purchase in the United States and Canada than they are in France.

We look forward to welcoming you to France for the Feast.

James Muir