On the night of 1 to 2 December 1976, in the same storm, two ships ran aground on the beach south of Mimizan-Plage: the Virgo, a Greek cargo ship carrying phosphate, and the Apollonian Wave, an oil tanker being towed to the breakers. Fifty years on, Automne en scène devotes part of its programme to them.
The “Naufrages à Mimizan” exhibition
From 22 to 26 October, the Chapelle à la Mer in Mimizan-Plage hosts an exhibition on shipwrecks off Mimizan since the 16th century. Entry is free. Guided talks on the history of the wrecks are also planned during the week: the tourist office can give you the dates and times.
A photo walk to the wrecks, 26 October
On the morning of Monday 26 October, Michel Sourbé of the Mimizan Asem Photos club takes a group onto the beach to see what is left of the two ships. The meeting point is the car park of the Leslurgues forest house. The walk is free and open to all, but you must book on the tourist office’s reservation site. A camera or a phone is enough, plus walking shoes.
Both ships were broken up where they lay in 1977. What you can see of them today depends on the sand: the metal resurfaces in pieces, mostly after winter storms and at low tide, then gets covered again. So there is no guarantee there will be anything to photograph that morning. The Virgo’s anchor, on the other hand, is always there: it stands in front of the Notre-Dame-des-Dunes church in Mimizan-Plage.
The reef and the coastline, 27 and 28 October
On Tuesday 27 October, the ADREMCA association presents the history of the underwater reef installed off Mimizan in 1978, with a screening of footage filmed underwater. The next day, a talk and screening is devoted to the Mimizan coastline. Both are part of Automne en scène, which ends on 29 October.
The estate is in Aureilhan, 8 km from the Mimizan beaches. For a break for two during the holidays, La Vigne is all on one level, at the edge of the forest. For a family, Le Grenier sleeps six.
