A Lit et Mixe, circuit du Cap de l'Homy

The Yons spring, known for its therapeutic properties, gushes out iron-rich water that has been used for a very long time to treat stomach aches. It is also reputed to have been used for centuries as a meeting place for a gun fair on the night of 7 to 8 September. There, in the middle of the pines and in the dim light of resin torches, weapons and ammunition were exchanged under the greedy eye of swindlers: tests were not allowed until the following morning!

The "lette grise" is a Gascon term designating a depressed area located behind the dune belt, which often shelters a very diversified vegetation and fauna. Further south, towards Tarnos, you will find the Corbeille d'Or des Sables, a plant that grows only sparingly in this unique region of the world. At Cap de l'Homy, it is possible to come across the Cytinelle, a brightly coloured plant which is the only representative of the cytinus genus in France.

At the end of the 1940s, gigantic fires ravaged the Landes, causing a major ecological disaster but also many deaths. To combat this scourge, firebreaks were designed to limit the impact of these blazes, but also to enable the fire brigade to intervene quickly.

As you walk along the paths, you may come across these strangely shaped pines, bent with an invisible weight and carrying a terrible burden. The wind, laden with sea spray, is the culprit of these deformations. These pines must have been subjected to the fury of the gusts of wind from the open sea for years. Some would say that it's a good thing: these improbable shapes often allow them to resist the harshest of storms!