Hourtin

Hourtin (French pronunciation: [uʁtɛ̃]; Occitan: Hortin, pronounced [uɾˈti(n)]) is a commune of southwestern France, located in the Gironde department, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (before 2015: Aquitaine). It is located in the canton Le Sud-Médoc, part of the district of Lesparre-Médoc. It is a member of the Community of Communes of Médoc Atlantique. With 4,045 inhabitants in 2023, this town in the Médoc region is divided into six main districts: Hourtin-Ville, Hourtin-Port, Hourtin-Plage, Lachanau, Contaut, and Piqueyrot. Nestled in the heart of the Landes forest, it borders the Côte d'Argent and encompasses half the surface area of France's largest natural freshwater lake, Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans. Hourtin is also the thirtieth largest town in France by area. Part of the town's territory is classified as a national nature reserve. An economic hub focused on the tertiary sector (commerce and crafts, in particular), Hourtin is also one of the Médoc's main seaside resorts, boasting beaches on both the lake and the Atlantic Ocean. Hourtin is part of the Pays de Médoc and the Médoc Atlantique inter-municipal authority, with about 28,000 inhabitants.