"Not bad for a backyard," says the chef-owner of Cap Ferret’s beloved Mayzou restaurant, as we perch atop a sand dune at sunset, gazing out over the untamed Atlantic waves with cold local beers in hand. Behind us, tucked among the pine trees, stands Juliette Lacroix-Wasover’s home – a picturesque cabin hand built by her partner, Pierre-Marie, a musician and carpenter.
Over the past five days, we've road-tripped from Biarritz to her hometown, Cap Ferret, where she's finally settled after a decade of travelling and living abroad. "Mayzou wasn't part of the plan," she tells me. "I had a restaurant in Indonesia, and had only returned to Cap Ferret for a few months. My partner kept urging me to check out this rundown restaurant until, finally, I relented, just to get him off my back. But the moment I laid eyes on it, I knew I had to come back to France – it was love at first sight."
Over the past five days, we've road-tripped from Biarritz to her hometown, Cap Ferret, where she's finally settled after a decade of travelling and living abroad. "Mayzou wasn't part of the plan," she tells me. "I had a restaurant in Indonesia, and had only returned to Cap Ferret for a few months. My partner kept urging me to check out this rundown restaurant until, finally, I relented, just to get him off my back. But the moment I laid eyes on it, I knew I had to come back to France – it was love at first sight."
Lacroix-Wasover shucks oysters in her home, a picturesque cabin on the French peninsula
Cap Ferret forms the southern part of a serene peninsula nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Arcachon Bay, an hour’s drive west of Bordeaux. It’s where “forest meets sea”, and it is famed for its sweeping sand dunes, pretty oyster villages and dusky pink sunsets. The seafood industry fuels the towns and villages of this stretching peninsula, so restaurants here are heavily focused on what can be sourced from the Atalanic’s rolling waves – and the offering is typically classically French.
“There’s not much variety in the food, so if you want to eat something Vietnamese or Indonesian, you have to make it yourself. I don’t really like French food, so the menu at Mayzou is always reflecting a bit of where I wish I was on the day,” Lacroix-Wasover says.
The first dish I try on Mayzou’s menu is cuttlefish wontons, then Japanese oysters dressed in lime, chilli and roe. When the chef cooks for me at her house later in my trip, she makes us a miso-based broth with clams, soy-braised eggs and mushrooms. Her influences are far-reaching, and a delicious expansion of Cap Ferret’s traditional fare.
Cap Ferret forms the southern part of a serene peninsula nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Arcachon Bay, an hour’s drive west of Bordeaux. It’s where “forest meets sea”, and it is famed for its sweeping sand dunes, pretty oyster villages and dusky pink sunsets. The seafood industry fuels the towns and villages of this stretching peninsula, so restaurants here are heavily focused on what can be sourced from the Atalanic’s rolling waves – and the offering is typically classically French.
“There’s not much variety in the food, so if you want to eat something Vietnamese or Indonesian, you have to make it yourself. I don’t really like French food, so the menu at Mayzou is always reflecting a bit of where I wish I was on the day,” Lacroix-Wasover says.
The first dish I try on Mayzou’s menu is cuttlefish wontons, then Japanese oysters dressed in lime, chilli and roe. When the chef cooks for me at her house later in my trip, she makes us a miso-based broth with clams, soy-braised eggs and mushrooms. Her influences are far-reaching, and a delicious expansion of Cap Ferret’s traditional fare.
Cap Ferret is famed for its sweeping sand dunes, pretty villages and dusky pink sunsets
I ask Lacroiz-Wasover what her perfect day in Cap Ferret looks like. “It definitely starts with coffee at Josie Coffee, followed by a surf and some oysters at La Kabane. The afternoon would be spent in my ceramics studio, and sunset overlooking the ocean. If I’m not having snacks and a drink with friends at Bar Lou, I’d come home, put a record on and cook dinner. It’s the most peaceful place in the world, and the light in the evening is magical. I’d get an early night so I could get up and do it all again!”
Av du Monument Saliens, 33950
I ask Lacroiz-Wasover what her perfect day in Cap Ferret looks like. “It definitely starts with coffee at Josie Coffee, followed by a surf and some oysters at La Kabane. The afternoon would be spent in my ceramics studio, and sunset overlooking the ocean. If I’m not having snacks and a drink with friends at Bar Lou, I’d come home, put a record on and cook dinner. It’s the most peaceful place in the world, and the light in the evening is magical. I’d get an early night so I could get up and do it all again!”
A chef’s guide to Cap Ferret
Marché du Cap Ferret
Open daily during the summer months, this market has all the provisions for a perfect beach picnic, including local cheeses, pȃté, fraises des bois and delicious wines from Bordeaux. The market also sells crafts, from woven basket bags and lamps to linen clothing made by local artisans.Av du Monument Saliens, 33950
Lacroiz-Wasover recommends Josie coffee on Rue des Goélands for a morning caffeine fix
32 Rue des Goélands, 33970; instagram.com/josie.capferret
33 Bd de la Plage, 33970;
fredelian-capferret.com
Josie Coffee
Head here for delicious coffees, freshly baked goods and daily salad bowls. Refuel after a morning surf with an acai bowl or swing by for a lazy, sun-kissed lunch of satay noodles.32 Rue des Goélands, 33970; instagram.com/josie.capferret
Frédélian
Satisfy your sweet tooth at this Cap Ferret patisserie, which is a local institution. Coffees are accompanied by the best cannelés, pristinely cut slices of traditional cheesecake, impossibly perfect macarons and feather-light, chocolate-drizzled waffles – all served in an unmissable art deco tea room or on the sun-drenched terrace.33 Bd de la Plage, 33970;
fredelian-capferret.com
Fresh oysters are the speciality at La Kabane, alongside local wines
8 Rue des Pêcheurs; facebook.com/p/La-Kabane
26 Av du Sémaphone, 33970; instagram.com/chezhortense.capferret
La Kabane
Run by husband and wife team Yoan and Chloe, this restaurant serves oysters fresh from the nearby farm alongside local wines and pâtés. The menu is small and simple, but the quality is exceptional.8 Rue des Pêcheurs; facebook.com/p/La-Kabane
Chez Hortense
Securing a table at this enduring Cap Ferret establishment, operated by the same family for four generations, requires navigating a crowd of loyal patrons. The menu, featuring specialties like the renowned "façon Hortense" mussels and grilled turbot with moreish French fries, mirrors the unassuming charm of its surroundings. Diners gather around rustic wooden tables on the terrace, offering panoramic views of the tranquil Arcachon Bay.26 Av du Sémaphone, 33970; instagram.com/chezhortense.capferret
At Mayzou, Lacroiz-Wasover plates up fresh, seasonal produce in an al fresco setting
The menu changes frequently, but expect globally inspired dishes such as tuna tataki, burrata with bottarga, hong shao eggplant and Persian rice. During the summer months, start with a cocktail at the adjoining Bar Lou.
32 Av Nord du Phare, 33970; mayzou.com
Mayzou
A breath of fresh air among the restaurants of Cap Ferret, Juliette Lacroix-Wasover’s restaurant serves a menu of fresh, local and seasonal produce. “The menu is very product-led,” she says. “I wait until I see what the fishermen bring me on the day before I decide on the dishes.”The menu changes frequently, but expect globally inspired dishes such as tuna tataki, burrata with bottarga, hong shao eggplant and Persian rice. During the summer months, start with a cocktail at the adjoining Bar Lou.
32 Av Nord du Phare, 33970; mayzou.com
Fresh from a makeover, Hôtel Des Dunes is motel-style accommodation set up for surfers and cyclists
Recently refurbished, this “surf motel” is strategically situated for days filled with surfing, cycling and unwinding. Rooms are bright and airy, adorned with soothing pastel tones and have luxurious bathrooms. Whether you're grabbing a board to catch the waves or lounging in a sun-dappled hammock, this lodge offers the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.
119 Av de Bordeaux, 33970; hoteldesdunes.com
And to stay?
Try Hôtel des Dunes. In 2022, French-born Karine Hecquet and her husband Jean-Philippe bought a beachside property and reopened it last summer as a modern surf lodge inspired by California’s coastal motels. While evoking the nostalgic ambiance of 60s Cali surf culture, the lodge seamlessly integrates with the traditional architecture of the region, reminiscent of the stilted cabins dotting the Bassin d'Arcachon, which were traditionally used to oversee the oyster fields.Recently refurbished, this “surf motel” is strategically situated for days filled with surfing, cycling and unwinding. Rooms are bright and airy, adorned with soothing pastel tones and have luxurious bathrooms. Whether you're grabbing a board to catch the waves or lounging in a sun-dappled hammock, this lodge offers the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation.
119 Av de Bordeaux, 33970; hoteldesdunes.com
