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Biscarrosse
Biscarrosse elm in January; died 2010.
Biscarrosse elm in January; died 2010.
Coat of arms of Biscarrosse
Coat of arms
Biscarrosse is located in France
Biscarrosse
Biscarrosse
Location in France
Biscarrosse is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Biscarrosse
Biscarrosse
Location in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Country France
Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Department Landes
Arrondissement Mont-de-Marsan
Canton Grands Lacs
Intercommunality Grands Lacs
Area
1
160.48 km2 (61.96 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
14,551
 • Density 90.672/km2 (234.839/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
40046 /40600
Elevation 0–78 m (0–256 ft)
(avg. 26 m or 85 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Biscarrosse (French pronunciation: [biskaʁɔs]; Occitan: Biscarròssa) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is located 65 km (40 mi) southwest of Bordeaux, and 10 km (6.2 mi) inland from the seaside resort of Biscarrosse-Plage on the Atlantic coast.

Near Biscarrosse is the CEL (national test centre) from which numerous French military rockets have been launched for test purposes. Likewise, the CEL has facilities for launching civilian rockets to study the upper atmosphere.

Near the town centre, outside the Café de l'orme, there was what is believed to have been the oldest elm tree in Europe. Planted in 1350, this Field Elm Ulmus minor died in 2010 after finally succumbing to Dutch elm disease.

The commune has an airport, called Biscarrosse - Parentis Airport.

Etymology

The toponym Biscarrosse derives from the Aquitanian language or directly from the Basque word bizkar, meaning 'low ridge' or 'prominence' followed by the Aquitanian suffix -ossum/-os, that was used to mark presence. Related toponyms are Biscay and Biscarrués.

Climate

Climate data for Biscarrosse (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 23.0
(73.4)
24.0
(75.2)
26.8
(80.2)
30.8
(87.4)
33.5
(92.3)
39.1
(102.4)
42.6
(108.7)
39.3
(102.7)
35.5
(95.9)
30.9
(87.6)
27.7
(81.9)
24.2
(75.6)
39.5
(103.1)
Average high °C (°F) 10.7
(51.3)
11.9
(53.4)
14.5
(58.1)
16.2
(61.2)
19.4
(66.9)
22.4
(72.3)
24.6
(76.3)
24.7
(76.5)
23.4
(74.1)
19.8
(67.6)
14.5
(58.1)
11.4
(52.5)
17.8
(64.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 7.7
(45.9)
8.4
(47.1)
10.8
(51.4)
12.5
(54.5)
15.8
(60.4)
18.8
(65.8)
20.9
(69.6)
20.9
(69.6)
19.3
(66.7)
16.0
(60.8)
11.2
(52.2)
8.3
(46.9)
14.2
(57.6)
Average low °C (°F) 4.6
(40.3)
4.8
(40.6)
7.1
(44.8)
8.8
(47.8)
12.0
(53.6)
15.1
(59.2)
17.2
(63.0)
17.2
(63.0)
15.1
(59.2)
12.2
(54.0)
7.8
(46.0)
5.0
(41.0)
10.6
(51.0)
Record low °C (°F) −12.3
(9.9)
−7.7
(18.1)
−6
(21)
−0.7
(30.7)
4.8
(40.6)
8.0
(46.4)
10.0
(50.0)
11.0
(51.8)
6.0
(42.8)
0.3
(32.5)
−3.0
(26.6)
−7.8
(18.0)
−12.3
(9.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 81.6
(3.21)
60.8
(2.39)
58.6
(2.31)
64.8
(2.55)
56.9
(2.24)
43.1
(1.70)
35.6
(1.40)
41.3
(1.63)
62.4
(2.46)
83.1
(3.27)
93.4
(3.68)
72.8
(2.87)
756.6
(29.79)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.57 9.87 11.04 10.70 9.85 7.14 6.04 5.73 6.69 10.45 12.43 10.05 112.56
Mean monthly sunshine hours 111.6 109.6 156.8 146.2 219.7 277.1 262.1 168.6 208.4 134.2 107.7 89.5 1,991.5
Source: Meteo climat

Population

Historical population
Year Pop. ±% p.a.
1968 7,159 —    
1975 8,058 +1.70%
1982 8,065 +0.01%
1990 9,054 +1.46%
1999 9,281 +0.28%
2007 12,209 +3.49%
2012 13,391 +1.87%
2017 14,182 +1.15%
Source: INSEE

Seaplane activity

Nearby Hourtiquet once hosted an important seaplane base, serving the builder Latécoère and airlines Aéropostale and its successor Air France. A seaplane museum exists at the shores of the Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis.

During World War II the base served German military seaplanes; two Dornier 24 flying boats were recovered from the lake in 1980 and 1981.

Since 1991, the lake has seen bi-annual seaplane fly-ins.

Lake Biscarosse
Lake Biscarrosse

Oil exploration

After the demise of seaplanes after World War II, the lake gained new interest at the discovery of petroleum. It has the greatest reserve in France. Petroleum exploitation is situated on the shores of the lake, in the commune of Parentis.

Education

See also

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