Location and practical information

Palais des Congrès, Arcachon

The conference will take place in the Palais des Congrès d’Arcachon located on the beachfront, in the seaside resort of Arcachon, France. Participants will be accomodated in hotels located only a short walk away from the conference center.

How to get there

The city of Arcachon is serviced by a direct train line from Bordeaux (Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station) that runs every hour (one way ticket 12.20 €). Train tickets from Bordeaux to Arcachon can be purchased online . However, wether you land in Paris (Roissy-Charle de Gaulle international airport) or directly in Bordeaux (Bordeaux-Mérignac airport), you will have to get to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station first.

From Paris to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station (if you land at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle international airport) - There is a direct train line from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle international airport (TGV train station) to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station. (duration 3h45, from 120 €). Train tickets can be purchased on the SNCF website .

From Bordeaux/Mérignac airport to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station (if you land directly at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport) - There are three ways to reach the Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station from the Bordeaux/Mérignac airport.

By tramway (55 mn): the tram station Aéroport Mérignac (tram line A) is located in front of the arrivals area (Hall B). Tram tickets (1.70 €) can be purchased online or at the ticket vending machines available at the airport tram station. From the airport, the tram line A does not go directly to the train station; take tram line C to the Saint-Jean train station at the connecting tram station Porte de Bourgogne (details of the tram journey from Bordeaux Mérignac Airport to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station available here).
By direct bus shuttle (30 mn): a direct shuttle (bus stop located in front of the arrivals area (Hall B), Bordeaux/Mérignac airport) connects the airport to the train station (8 €) every 30 to 60 mn, depending on the date and time. Tickets can be purchased onboard or online ; time schedule can be seen here.
By regular bus (1h10): the bus station Aéroport Mérignac (bus line 39) is located 1 mn far from the arrivals area (Hall B). Bus tickets (1.70 €) can be purchased online , at the tram vending machines or in the bus. From the airport, the bus line 39 does not go directly to the train station; take bus line 11 to the Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station at the connecting bus station Dassault (details of the bus journey from Bordeaux/Mérignac Airport to Bordeaux Saint-Jean train station available here).
By taxi (30 mn): from the airport, taxi services to the train station are available. Fares can fluctuate from 50 to 150 €, depending on the date and time.

Hotels

The participants will be accommodated in two hotels located very close to the Palais des Congrès (and very close to each other as well) :

Hôtel de la plage, 10 Av. Nelly Deganne, 33120 Arcachon, Tel.: +33 (0)5 56 83 06 23, e-mail: infos@hotelarcachon.com
Hôtel B d’Arcachon, 4 rue du Professeur Jolyet, 33120 Arcachon, Tel.: +33 (0)5 56 83 99 91, e-mail: reservations@hotel-b-arcachon.com

Participants will be given their hotel and room number upon registration. The room keys will be collected at the reception desk of each hotel.

Registration

Registration will take place in the entrance hall of Palais des Congrès and will start on Sunday 16th of June, 4:30pm. A nominative badge, a paper version of the scientific programme (if requested in advance), and a USB key containing a full electronic version of the booklet (including abstracts), will be issued to the participants upon registration.

Lunches

Lunches will be served at the restaurant of the Palais des Congrès at 12:30 and participants will be free to enjoy the beach till 16:00 everyday. Additionnal information will be provided in due time.

Eat & drink

There are many restaurants in Arcachon, most of them being located on the bay beach (la Plage du Bassin), just a stone throw from the hotels. You will find a wide choice of restaurant, ranging from pizzerias to sea food restaurants. Here are some good places you can try:

Pizza Nofa Arcachon, 25 Boulevard du Général Leclerc, Tel.: +33 (0)6 99 20 00 33
La Cabane du Breton (crèpes & galettes), 4 Rue Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Tel.: +33 (0)6 37 13 69 51
La Saison 3 (sea food), 21 Rue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Tel.: +33 (0) 5 56 83 24 05
Le Bistro’chon Arcachon (cuisine française), 29 Rue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, Tel.: +33 (0)5 56 83 08 44
Ko-Sometsuke 2K (fusion asian food), 156 Boulevard de la Plage, Tel.: +33 (0)5 56 83 67 69

Jetée Thiers, Arcachon

Visiting the surroundings

Sailing to the Cap Ferret - It is worth spending an evening in the Cap-Ferret, a small town located at the end of a peninsula, on the other side of the bay. There, you will be able to visit the old town and enjoy oysters, a glass of white wine, or tapas on a terrace right by the sea. To go to the Cap Ferret, you will have to sail on a “pinasse”, a typical boat of the Arcachon bay. Tickets may be booked in advance (recommended) on the website of the “Union des bateliers Arcachonnais” or directly purchased on the Thiers pier, nearby the Hotel de la plage (return ticket: 20 €)

Sailing to “L’Ile aux Oiseaux” - L’Ile aux Oiseaux (Birds’ Island) can be visited in a thousand different ways. The most common, however, is the guided tour by boat. Many service providers offer tickets to get to l’Ile aux Oiseaux. Again, tickets can be purchased on the website of the “Union des bateliers Arcachonnais” or directly on the Thiers pier (single tour without stopover, 2 h, 24 €; single tour with a stopover at the Cap Ferret, 2 h, 31 €).

Going to the Oceanside and the Dune du Pilat - The Palais des Congrès and the hotels are located in front of the bay, but the other side of the town (a neighbourhood named Le Moulleau) faces the Cap-Ferret. If you push a bit further south, you will reach the highest sans dune in Europe - the Dune du Pilat - and eventually the Ocean beaches (plage de la Salie etc). You can get easily to both places by means of the local bus lines (ligne 3 and ligne 101, 1.70 €, bus schedules here).