A At Teste-de-Buch, we build and renovate. Just walk into town to see. The municipality has money and invests. This has not always been the case. For a long time, he was the poor relative of Arcachon. But after Claude Espied, the mayor Jean-François Acot-Mirande first cleaned up the finances. Then, his successors, Jean-Jacques Eroles and today Patrick Davet, continued to manage well, but above all they benefited from the real estate boom which allowed them to obtain financial room for maneuver. The current municipality has launched numerous projects, which will change the face of the city and offer new housing.
A At Teste-de-Buch, we build and renovate. Just walk into town to see. The municipality has money and invests. This has not always been the case. For a long time, he was the poor relative of Arcachon. But after Claude Espied, the mayor Jean-François Acot-Mirande first cleaned up the finances. Then, his successors, Jean-Jacques Eroles and today Patrick Davet, continued to manage well, but above all they benefited from the real estate boom which allowed them to obtain financial room for maneuver. The current municipality has launched numerous projects, which will change the face of the city and offer new housing.
In 2022, the municipality adopted a new traffic plan, to remove transit vehicles from the city center, ease traffic, develop soft mobility and calm the area. Work began around the station and continues. They will be extended until 2026. The development of cycle paths will take place in time. Thus, there are 46 kilometers of new cycle paths, which must be created in ten years to reach about 140 kilometers.
Harbor Street
This street is an essential axis of La Teste, between Jean-Hameau square and the oyster port. It was in very poor condition, two-way and uninviting. It has just been redone after months of work, with wide paths, a unique route from the port to the center, and includes spaces shared between cars, bicycles and pedestrians. “Sud Ouest” went to meet the merchants to question them. If everyone welcomes the renewal principle, the unidirectional approach is highly criticized by many of them.
For example from Laurent Giamarchi, who manages the Lauki cafe and the adjacent hotel. “I was against this one-way approach and I noticed that we went from 8,000 vehicles to 2,000 and that I lost 50% of my turnover. The renovation is not bad, but there are errors such as the width of the sidewalks . We can do better with better consultation.” Other traders like Copifac, in the street since 2004, regret “the lack of dialogue” but say “not being able to measure the consequences”. The nearby pharmacist is rather happy. with an increase in assistance”, but doubts remain about the road with a unique sensation. Two others take up these arguments and worry about the coexistence that “already seems difficult” between bicycles, pedestrians and cars.
Construction in progress
Not far from rue du Port, in the center, the municipality is in process of build your new music conservatory, in the square of the old school Victor-Hugo. It will be completed by the end of 2025 at a cost of 7 million euros, will be able to accommodate 550 students and will include a test room with 150 seats. Once completed, the municipality will begin the work of repairing the Rue Victor-Hugo from the place Jean-Hameau, currently under renovation, to the tourist office.
Among the transformations of the city center, one of the most ambitious is certainly that of the islet Gambetta which has yet to begin. It is on this urban desert not far from the municipality that a new neighborhood will take shape from 2024. It is planned to build 110 housing units in three buildings of two or three floors, including 37 for low rent, and 700 meters square of shops overlooking Piazza Gambetta, including a brasserie.
The adjacent street will become pedestrian. The complex will include 1,820 square meters of green space and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
Other works in progress, that of the old stadium of Cazaux. It will include 45 R+1 housing units, 80% of which are social, as well as a wooded park of 3,450 square meters.
And to come
Still in Cazaux, a project was also presented to build 150 housing units (of which 90 social), on the Capu Monti site at the entrance of the district. In the sector of Secary near Decathlon, 150 housing units (including 90 social) will also be built, although the project is highly criticized by local residents.
The other big sector that needs to be developed is that of Baou, at the entrance of the center, near the market and the direct road, next to the center. new municipal police hotel that is finished. It covers 32,602 square meters and includes housing, commercial premises and offices.
Finally, it has been more than forty years that the projects of the sea, of the port of oysters and of the salt meadows, followed each other without anything being done. However, in 2023, in its western part, a new nautical center was born with maritime companies and soon a dry port Ferma a land of wheat to be developed between the railway line and the departmental road. The mayor plans to create a performance hall, residences, businesses and the construction of the future museum of the city. These projects are not expected to start before 2027.