Against all odds

Whether you've been there or not, you will no doubt recognize the famous Dune of Pilat, stretching all the way across our image today. Located in the Gironde, at the entrance to the Arcachon basin, near the town of La Teste de Buche, the one known as the white lady has almost perfect measurements. At 106 meters high, 2.7 kilometers long, and 60 million cubic meters of sand, the Dune of Pilat is the highest dune in Europe. Belonging to the coastal dunes of Aquitaine, the Dune of Pilat is to date the only one of this system still in motion; each year, it moves 1 to 5 meters east, driven by winds and tides, gradually covering the adjoining maritime pine forest.
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