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All France Aureilhan Lake Aureilhan

Lake Aureilhan

Winston Churchill painted this lake during his stay Woolsack Castle in the Landes forest.

Aureilhan, France

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blocholivier1
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A wooden bridge   blocholivier1 / Atlas Obscura User
Delightful flowers on the shore   blocholivier1 / Atlas Obscura User
Trees, water and sand   blocholivier1 / Atlas Obscura User
Boating on the lake   blocholivier1 / Atlas Obscura User
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Located in the southwest of France near the French Atlantic Coast amidst the Landes forest, the vastest pine forest in Europe, is the impressive Woolsack Castle, built in 1911 on the shores of Lake Aureilhan. The castle had many notable visitors in its heyday, including Charlie Chaplin, Salvador Dalí, and beloved British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who painted the scenic lake during his stay.

Woosack is today a private home and cannot be visited. But in the early 20th century Churchill spent several months here, and met various well-known people during his stay in Aureilhan. (He reportedly was particularly amazed by Coco Chanel's strong personality.) To escape the heaviness of his duties, he was accustomed to painting the delightful shores of the Aureilhan Lake, where today people can swim and boat in the summer months.

The Duke of Westminster built this Tudor-style home in 1911 in order to hunt deer and wild boar. For Churchill, it was a place to paint in a serene atmosphere, far from London.

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Lakes Castles Paintings Water

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By plane or by train, it is easy to reach Bordeaux. Less than one hour later, Aureilhan can be seen thanks to a good road. The lake is public, beaches are free.

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blocholivier1

Published

September 10, 2015

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  • www.mimizan-tourisme.com
Lake Aureilhan
1001 Prom. de l'Étang
Aureilhan
France
44.22289, -1.194564
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