PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS OUT OF DATE

Please click here for the most up to date information

Cap Ferret, July 2009

This has been eluding me for years, and I finally took the time to figure it out this year!
(BUT, since the french insist on changing the bus numbers each and every year, you will have to take these directions with a grain of salt!)

For at least the last 25 years, There has been a bus from Bordeaux to Cap Ferret called "Ligne 601" - it usually (but not always for some strange reason) starts out at Bordeaux's main train station (Gare St. Jean), and takes you all the way to Andernos, Ares, Lege, and all of the small towns between Lege and Cap Ferret (I will dig out and list these towns later).

This Bus #601 passes right near the airport (about 500 meters/yards as the crow flies) But, for some bizarre reason, this bus DOES NOT stop at or near the airport terminal!   NOTE: You can walk to the bus stop called "La Grave" in about 30 minutes (which is what I have been doing for many years!)   You can also take a taxi - which I did one year - but the angry, pissed off taxi driver made me refrain from ever doing this again.

In order to connect to this Cap Ferret Ligne #601 Bus from Bordeaux Airport (BOD) do the following:

TAKE BUS #49 FROM BORDEAUX AIRPORT

There is a Bus Stop marked with a sign located just outside and at the far right end of Hall B (just outside of Door #11)

The bus fare is 1.40 euros and the trip takes about 15 minutes.

DO NOT to take the bus all the way to the Lycees de Merignac stop (near Les 4 Chemins) because you have to backtrack by foot 500 meters or so in order to catch the #601 bus at the Les 4 Chemins bus/tram stop. The Lycees stop is also farther away from the airport, and therefore takes more time, which might make you miss a short connection.

The best thing to do is to get out at the Centre Commercial (with the giant Carrefour superstore) The stop is called "Merignac Soleil"
This stop is immediately after the bus crosses under a small road bridge (which is actually the main road to Cap Ferret)

When you get off the bus, simply walk along the skinny sidewalk in the same direction that the bus is now going, and after about 175 meters, you will see the bus stop/shelter just across the road (before the traffic light). Note this is also the bus stop for the local #30 bus and is only marked as such on the front/top of the shelter. If you look on the right side/top of the shelter you will also see a tiny sticker that says "601"

Fare to Cap Ferret (avenue Nord du Phare) is currently 16.70 euros

The trip to Cap Ferret takes about 1-1/2 hours (unless you are lucky and catch one of the "direct" buses which skips a few stops along the way.

If you are heading to the Youth Hostel (Auberge de Jeunesse):
> Ask the bus driver to let you out at the "avenue Nord du Phare" bus stop (at which there is no shelter in this direction).
> From there walk about 20-30 meters toward the big lighthouse, then turn right onto the street with the restaurants, bakery, and supermarket.
> Walk past the "Shopi" supermarket, and turn right at the next street
> Walk the length of this residential street until you come to the main road called "Avenue de Bordeaux"
> Turn right onto avenue de Bordeaux (and NOT onto rue des Ecoles - which is the smaller, quieter street at the same intersection).
> The Hostel (Auberge) will be on the left side. (1/2 block away)


To get from Cap Ferret to Bordeaux (BOD) airport, simply take the #601 bus back to the Centre Commercial "Merignac Soleil" bus stop (This is exactly the same bus shelter that the Bus #49 from the airport drops you at)
Walk in the same direction as the bus was travelling until you come to the intersection (about 240 meters). Then turn left, cross over the road, and walk past the giant Saturn electronics store and cross the next road to the bus shelter directly ahead (about another 200 meters)
This shelter is also called "Merignac Soleil", here you will be able to catch Bus #49 back to the airport.
The bus fare is 1.40 euros and the trip takes about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic.


Hope this helps!