Gironde and Landes Wildfires: Essential Information

Yes. The wildfires are currently confined to very specific areas of Gironde and Landes. The majority of Nouvelle-Aquitaine is not directly affected and continues to welcome visitors. 

Travellers are nevertheless encouraged to check the conditions of their stay before departure, particularly if they are travelling to Gironde or Landes. 

Additional information 

No. Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the largest region in France. The wildfires are concentrated in identified areas of southern Gironde and northern Landes. Tourism activities continue as normal across the rest of the region. 

Among the many destinations that remain open and fully accessible are: 

• The Basque Country (Biarritz, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz) 
• Périgord (Sarlat, the Dordogne Valley and the Vézère Valley) 
• Cognac 
• La Rochelle, Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron 
• Poitiers and Futuroscope 
• Pau and the Pyrenees 
• Limoges and the Limousin 
• Creuse and Corrèze 
• Southern Landes (Hossegor, Capbreton, Seignosse, Dax and Mont-de-Marsan) 
• In Gironde: Bordeaux, Saint-Émilion and the Entre-deux-Mers wine region, Sauternes Blaye and Bourg vineyards 

This list is provided for information purposes only and does not replace the recommendations issued by the French authorities. 

No. The Bordeaux metropolitan area, as well as the region’s major cultural, heritage and wine tourism attractions—including Bordeaux’s historic city centre, La Cité du Vin and Saint-Émilion—are not directly affected by the wildfires. Air quality and occasional disruptions to transport and travel are improving. 

Before travelling, visitors are encouraged to consult the latest official information. 

No. There is currently no general recommendation to cancel trips to Nouvelle-Aquitaine. 

If your accommodation is open and accessible, your stay can go ahead as planned. We encourage you to contact your accommodation provider directly: if the establishment remains operational, there is no obstacle to your visit. However, we recommend checking access conditions in advance to ensure a smooth and worry-free journey.

For this reason, we encourage visitors to maintain their travel plans whenever possible, as tourism will play an essential role in supporting the recovery of local communities and businesses. 

Yes. The vast majority of accommodation providers across Nouvelle-Aquitaine continue to operate as normal. 

In areas directly affected by the wildfires or by safety measures introduced by the authorities, some establishments may be temporarily closed or requisitioned to accommodate evacuated residents. We recommend checking directly with the accommodation provider for the latest information. 

Yes. Most tourist attractions remain open, except those located within areas subject to restrictions imposed by the authorities. 

Some forests, natural areas and visitor sites located close to the wildfires may be temporarily closed for safety reasons. 

The main airports, railway stations and transport networks remain operational.

In agreement with the Gironde Prefecture, the reopening of the A63 motorway between Bayonne and Bordeaux has been effective since Thursday, 30 July, at 2:00 p.m.

Similarly, rail services south of Bordeaux gradually resumed from Saturday, 1 August. All TER Nouvelle-Aquitaine, TGV and Intercités services are now operating normally.

Outside the areas directly affected by the wildfires, the region’s main tourist destinations continue to operate normally, including: 

• The Basque Country (Biarritz, Bayonne and Saint-Jean-de-Luz) 
• Périgord (Sarlat, the Dordogne Valley and the Vézère Valley) 
• Cognac 
• La Rochelle, Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron 
• Poitiers and Futuroscope 
• Pau and the Pyrenees 
• Limoges and the Limousin 
• Creuse and Corrèze 
• In Landes: the southern coast (Hossegor, Capbreton, Seignosse and Vieux-Boucau), Dax and Mont-de-Marsan)
• In Gironde: Historic Bordeaux, Saint-Émilion, the Entre-deux-Mers wine region, and the vineyards of Sauternes, Blaye and Bourg 

This list is provided for guidance only and does not replace the recommendations issued by the French authorities. 

We recommend relying exclusively on official sources for the latest updates: 

• Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Tourism Board  
• The Landes and Gironde Prefectures

• SNCF Website  

• Bison Futé  

• Vinci Autoroutes  

• Bordeaux airport  
• Biarritz airport  

These sources are updated regularly as the situation evolves. 

The favourable progress made in combating the wildfires has contributed to a significant improvement in air quality across the region. As a result, the PM₁₀ particulate pollution alert procedure was lifted on Sunday, 2 August. Although smoke may still be visible near a few remaining hotspots, which may occasionally lead to a locally “degraded” air quality index, the impact remains limited in scope and concentrations stay below the information and advisory threshold.

In addition, the occasional and localized persistence of burnt or resinous odours within or near areas affected by the wildfires, particularly following periods of rain or high humidity, is mainly associated with volatile organic compounds being re-released into the air. These odours alone should not be considered a sign of deteriorating air quality and are not regarded as a cause for concern under the current circumstances.

We recommend consulting the latest air quality reports published by ATMO Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the regional air quality monitoring agency, together with the guidance issued by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Agence régionale de santé (ARS), particularly for vulnerable travellers such as children, older adults and people with respiratory conditions. 

In Gironde: since Tuesday, 4 August, the Prefecture has lowered the forest fire alert level to orange (Level 3 out of 5). This development has enabled the reopening of certain activities in exposed areas of predominantly forested municipalities, including:

• Access to developed leisure sites, beach access areas and water sports recreation centres (excluding fire-affected areas);
• Use of the EuroVelo 1 (“Vélodyssée”) and EuroVelo 3 (“Scandibérique”) routes, as well as cycle paths providing access to beaches and seaside resorts (excluding fire-affected areas).

In addition, with the exception of Grand Crohot Beach (Lège-Cap-Ferret), the vast majority of beaches remain open and supervised.

In the Landes department: since Tuesday, 4 August, the Prefecture has also lowered the forest fire alert level to orange (Level 3 out of 5).

The following restrictions remain in force within exposed areas of predominantly forested municipalities:

• Individual recreational outings are prohibited between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., unless specifically exempted;
• Sporting, leisure and cultural events are prohibited between 2:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

As for the beaches, both on the coast and around lakes, the vast majority remain open and supervised.

In general, the Terms and Conditions of the travel provider or accommodation where the booking was made will apply. 

If you need to cancel or postpone your clients’ bookings, we recommend first contacting the accommodation provider or tourism business concerned. They will be able to explain the options available regarding postponement or reimbursement. 

Under French Tourism Law, where a trip must be cancelled due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at or in the immediate vicinity of the destination: 

• Before the trip begins: travellers are entitled to cancel free of charge and receive a full refund of all payments made, without additional compensation. 

• If the stay has already begun and must be interrupted: reimbursement is generally calculated on a pro-rata basis for the unused nights. 

However, if the accommodation remains open and has not been damaged, and if no official closure order applies to the destination, accommodation providers are not legally required to refund travellers who choose to cancel their trip voluntarily. 

A solidarity scheme initiated by the French National Outdoor Hospitality Federation (FNHPA) currently allows guests to postpone their stay to one of more than 500 participating campsites and outdoor accommodation providers across Nouvelle-Aquitaine and the rest of France, without any additional financial procedures for the customer. Financial arrangements are handled directly between the participating establishments.