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Coordinates: 44°12′07″N 1°13′38″W / 44.2019444444°N 1.22722222222°W
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Commune of Mimizan |
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 Sunset on a Mimizan beach |
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| Location | |
  Mimizan
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Aquitaine |
| Department | Landes |
| Arrondissement | Mont-de-Marsan |
| Canton | Mimizan |
| Intercommunality | Mimizan |
| Mayor | Jean Bourden (2001–2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 0–80 m (0–260 ft) |
| Land area1 | 114.83 km2 (44.34 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 6,605 (1999) |
| - Density | 58 /km2 (150 /sq mi) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 40184/ 40200 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Mimizan is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France. There are two separate districts of the town: Mimizan-Bourg (town center) and Mimizan-Plage (resort).
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Geography
Mimizan is a seaside resort on the Atlantic Ocean in south-western France.
History
Mimizan was part of the former royal province of Gascony. In the Middle Ages, the town was a stop on a secondary pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. The size and beauty of the old church highlights the importance of the place at this time. The town turned into a seaside resort during the Belle Epoque thanks to the railway connection (which no longer exists) and to the growing trend of sea bathing, beneficial to the health of those suffering from tuberculosis.
Economy
Paper mill (Groupe Gascogne Co), tourism (seaside resort).
Twin town
Mimizan is twinned with Old Orchard Beach, Maine, United States.
Places and monuments
The bell tower of the old church is on UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the Sites of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. The hunting lodge Château de Woolsack was built in 1911 for the British Duke of Westminster (the architect was Detmar Blow).
Notable people
Pioneer aviators Assolant, Lefèvre and Lotti linked Old Orchard Beach (USA) to Mimizan (landing on June 16, 1929) on board the Oiseau Canari.
Couturier Coco Chanel was a frequent holidaymaker at the Château de Woolsack.
Recreational activities
Popular activities include surfing, fishing, cycling and sunbathing.
See also
External links
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