To experience the town and beaches of Seignosse in southwestern France is like encountering the incongruous blending of a Brother's Grimm fairy tale (the dark and spooky ones, mind you) with the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello classic, "Beach Blanket Bingo." The town lies nestled in the woods, just a half-hour from the Pyrenees mountains, and is typical of the older Landes coastal villages, with a church, some small bars and hotels, and a smattering of old-fashioned Landes farmhouses that look straight out of "Little Red Riding Hood" - thatched roof, shuttered windows and exposed timbers.

Just when it seems the Big Bad Wolf is lurking around the next forested glen, the beach comes into view at the foreground of the village, and it's culture shock - nothing but floral board shorts, Ray Ban shades and waxed longboards. The beaches at Seignosse have been drawing surfers for years; the sands are sparkling white, the waves are big, the water's clean, and best of all - surprisingly few souls have discovered this magnificent haven. The beaches are lined by enormous, mountainous, man-made dunes, created in the 1840s to protect the village from the potential wrath of the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches are sprawling and wide, with breathtaking views of the Pyrennes in the distance.

The town remains remarkably quiet, with little in the way of night life other than a sprinkling of restaurants and bars. For those looking to rock the night away, a quick trip to the town of Hossegar, some 2.5 miles away, will give access to bars, piano bars, discos and even a casino.