At Bisca Grands Lacs, swimming is a must when the fine weather arrives on the Landes coast. To enjoy it to the full, it's essential to know a few simple safety rules.
→ Follow the red and yellow flag 🔴🟡
🏖️ Swimming in the ocean: rules and advice
Where to swim safely on the Landes coast
In Les Landes (and all over the world, since the color code is international), swimming is supervised only in areas marked with red and yellow flags 🔴🟡
In Biscarrosse-Plage, a patrol is usually deployed between Plage Sud and Plage du Vivier from the April vacations onwards to carry out prevention and intervene if necessary. 👀
👉 Why is this important?
These zones are chosen every day by the lifeguards according to :
- currents
- bays
- swell
➡️ Outside these zones, swimming is strongly discouraged, even if (and especially if) the ocean seems calm.
⛳ Bathing areas: meaning of the flags
As of 2022, the blue flags used to delimit bathing areas are a thing of the past. They are now two-tone: yellow and red 🔴🟡 But did you know that there are a dozen other flags? Learn them with us! 🤓
🟢 Green flag | Risk level: low
Supervised swimming with no apparent danger.
🟡 Yellow flag | Risk level: medium
Supervised swimming with marked or limited danger.
🔴 Red flag | Risk level: high
Bathing prohibited.
🔴🟡 Red and yellow flag | Supervised bathing area
Supervised swimming area during lifeguard station opening hours.
🌬️ Windsock
Unfavorable wind conditions for certain nautical equipment (e.g. inflatables).
🏁 White and black checkered flag | Water sports area
Swimming is prohibited in this zone.
🟣 Purple flag | Pollution or dangerous aquatic species
Presence in water of elements, living or not, that represent a health hazard (in a protected marine and underwater area).
🚩 Red flag (on the beach) | Bathing prohibited
Signs placed in a danger zone (bay, rocky bottom, etc.) and removed once the danger has passed.
🌊 What is a baïne and why is it dangerous?
A baïne is a basin of water formed between the beach and a sandbank.
👉 The danger:
During the tides, a powerful current can form and carry the water out to sea.
- A baïne is a natural pool on the beach.
- It can create a current that carries the water out to sea.
- The danger is often invisible from the shore
🎬Discover Le Monde Jamy's video about baïnes, and how to deal with them.
🚨 What to do if you're swept away by a current?
- Don't panic
- Don't fight the current
- Let yourself be carried along
- Swim parallel to the beach
- Signal for help
👉 This behavior greatly increases the chances of returning to shore without exhausting yourself.
👀 How can you recognize a danger zone on the beach?
Some visual clues:
- Darker area in the water
- Few or no waves
- A current that seems to be "sucking" you out to sea.
👉 When in doubt, always ask the lifeguards for advice 🔴🟡
👨👩👧👦 Family bathing: the right reflexes
How can you make swimming with children safer?
- Never take your eyes off your children
- Only swim in supervised areas 🔴🟡
- Avoid dangerous games (deep holes in the sand)
👉 Good to know: holes can collapse quickly and present a real risk.
☀️ What are the risks of sunbathing on the beach?
On the Landes coast, the wind often masks the sensation of heat. What can you do to protect yourself from the sun and heat?
- Essential sun cream 🧴
- Regular hydration 💦
- Cap or hat recommended 👒
- Avoid the hottest hours 🌡️
💦 Bathing in the Bisca Lakes Great Lakes
⚠️ What rules should be observed in lakes?
- Swim in authorized areas 🔴🟡
- Watch out for boats ⛵
- Respect nautical regulations
👉 Reminder: boat speed is limited near the shore to guarantee user safety.
🌍 Preserving the Landes' beaches and lakes
How can we protect this natural environment?
Safety also means respecting our natural environment.
✔️ A few simple gestures to adopt:
- Put your garbage in the garbage can
- Respect barriers (fragile zones)
- Stay on marked trails
- Protect flora and fauna
La FAQ du plagiste 😎
Non, on ne peut pas se baigner partout (zones dangereuses ou zones à enjeux environnementaux). La baignade est recommandée uniquement dans les zones surveillées entre les drapeaux rouge et jaune 🔴🟡
Oui, les baïnes peuvent être dangereuses si le nageur n'adopte pas le bon comportement. Pour éviter de se retrouver emporter par le courant d'une baïne, baignez-vous dans les zones surveillées par les nageurs sauveteurs 🛟
Oui, en général, car l’eau est calme et peu profonde. Mais il faut tout de même respecter les règles de sécurité et veiller à garder un oeil vigilant sur les enfants 👧👦
Avant votre baignade, vous pouvez vous renseigner sur les conditions de baignade (température de l'eau, danger potentiel, prévention baïnes, etc...) sur les affichages au niveau des postes de secours ou directement auprès des nageurs-sauveteurs.