The Arcachon House: Origins and Style of a Distinctive Architecture

The Arcachon house, architectural legacy of a fashionable resort

In the nineteenth century, Arcachon established itself as one of the most fashionable seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast. The French and European bourgeoisie were drawn by its setting, its mild climate and its quality of life. Emile and Isaac Pereire, owners of the railway company that linked Bordeaux to La Teste-de-Buch, saw a unique property opportunity in this growing enthusiasm. These visionary entrepreneurs built a collection of wooden chalets on the hills above the town as part of a vast sanatorium complex, inaugurated in 1863.

The Ville d'Hiver, as it became known, offered a retreat for families affected by tuberculosis who wished to stay close to the ocean and the Bassin d'Arcachon. The design of these distinctive houses drew inspiration from Swiss mountain chalets. Sharp angles, ornate mouldings and heavy curtains were avoided for reasons of hygiene. Streets were kept deliberately narrow to limit air circulation and reduce the risk of contagion. Balconies allowed patients to breathe in the sea air without leaving home.

By the early twentieth century, stone and brick houses gradually replaced the original wooden chalets. The Great Depression of the 1930s brought a halt to the area's expansion. The regular visitors left, and the Ville d'Hiver fell into relative obscurity until a revival in the 1970s.

Style and modernisation of the Arcachon house

The maison arcachonnaise draws on several architectural traditions. Typically, it is an asymmetrical villa with roofs adorned with scalloped lambrequins and tall ornamental finials. Curved wooden braces with struts and red-brick corner quoins are among its most recognisable features. Contemporary builders who reproduce the traditional Arcachon house model maintain these signature elements while combining them with modern materials and construction techniques that comply with current environmental regulations.

Custom features can be added to suit individual tastes, allowing each new maison arcachonnaise to blend traditional character with contemporary comfort. The result is an architectural style that has lost none of its appeal, whether on the Bassin d'Arcachon itself or in the leafy suburbs of Bordeaux where the style has been widely adopted.

The maison arcachonnaise remains one of the most sought-after property styles in the Bordeaux region, prized for its distinctive silhouette and generous living spaces. Examples can be found among the properties for sale in Bordeaux and the surrounding communes.

The consultants at BARNES Bordeaux can advise buyers looking for an Arcachon-style house, from the initial property valuation to the final signature. The team is available via the contact page.

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