North Eastern Atlantic

Off the coast of Aquitaine, the eastern Bay of Biscay stretches between open Atlantic waters and a long shore of sand and dunes. The Gironde and the basin of Arcachon provide entrances through that coast, though their channels are shaped by tides and shifting sand. Farther offshore, the broad French continental shelf supports waters travelled by fishing vessels and ships bound for the ports of the Garonne and the Atlantic coast.