Discover geocaching in the Landes

What if you took advantage of the autumn to go for a walk in the forest with the children? How can you motivate them? Tell them you're going on a treasure hunt!

Are you looking for a fun and free activity to spice up your walks and hikes in the Landes? Discover geocaching, a life-size treasure hunt to be enjoyed alone, with family or friends.

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is a treasure hunt that consists of using the GPS of your smartphone to find small objects hidden around you, both in town and in the countryside.

Geocaches are small boxes (hidden by other geocachers) that each contain one or more "treasures" of low value. It can be a shell, a key ring, a bean, a lego... Once the cache is found, the geocacher can choose to take or leave the object.

In order to find the GPS coordinates of each box, you may have to solve puzzles of varying difficulty. A typical geocache also contains a small logbook that allows you to leave a record of your visit.

A fun way to go sightseeing

Geocaching emerged in the United States in the 2000s and has become very popular in recent years. Halfway between a treasure hunt and an orienteering course, this outdoor leisure activity combines the pleasure of hiking with that of playing and discovering.

With a treasure at stake, the children go for miles without realising it. Even the most reluctant teenagers are happy to play the game! A healthy hobby that doesn't cost a penny, but can become quite addictive!

Where to go geocaching in the Landes?

The Landes department is a rich and vast playground to discover geocaching. In the street, at the foot of a tree, behind a stone or under a bridge, more than a hundred treasures are hidden around the campsite in Messanges, Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains, Soustons, Moliets, Vielle-Saint-Girons...

Classified according to the difficulty of the terrain, the spots are well chosen and allow you to learn more about the region, to (re)discover the local heritage and its history, to get off the beaten track and to explore places little known by the Landais themselves.

Which app for geocaching?

There are still "treasures" to be discovered, hidden in the four corners of the region. To find them, you just need to install an application that will guide you throughout your adventure. There are several sites dedicated to geocaching in the Landes, but also all over France and the world.

- The Tèrra Aventura application: an incredible treasure hunt to discover the natural and cultural heritage of the Landes and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, www.terra-aventura.fr
- Geocaching®: the global application, the largest treasure hunting community in the world, www.geocaching.com

How to equip yourself: the perfect geocacher's kit

• A smartphone equipped with a GPS and the Geocaching application of your choice.
• A small object to deposit in each cache in exchange for the treasure.
• A pen to record your visit on the logbook.
• An extra battery for your mobile phone, as the GPS consumes a lot of battery power