the main Carp Dune saw - the highest dune in Europe. The highest dunes in the world and safaris in Namibia in a purely female company the largest dune in the world

Dune saw - the highest dune in Europe. The highest dunes in the world and safaris in Namibia in a purely female company the largest dune in the world

The deserts are heard by deserted and lifeless, but at the same time they are incredibly beautiful, especially when looking at them from above. Different types of sand, topography, wind and climate - all this creates a colossal number of landscapes. The wandering dunes form an infinite number of permanently changing figures. The photographs in this collection were made by astronauts and from satellites and captured the most ...

cheaptrip January 14, 2010
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In old materials, images are not available. We apologize for the inconvenience__

Photos in this collection were made by astronauts and from satellites and captured the most beautiful, the most memorable, huge desert areas of our planet.

Algerian sandy sea

Sandy Sea (erg) Issaouane extends on 39000 sq. Km In East Algeria. This sandy sea in the center of the Sahara desert consists of three types of dunes. Mega-dunes, also known as whale backs formed hundreds of thousands of years and reach hundreds of kilometers long. Mesoscale dunes form the top of the mega-dunes, their gradual displacement can be seen only after decades. Smaller dunes are formed around the dunes of larger size. They take various forms under the influence of winds and are in constant motion.

In the photograph made by astronauts of the ISS in 2005, mesoscale dunes took the forms of star dunes, resembling a starfish, and sickle dunes.

* Click to see photos of more resolution

In the photograph made by Astronauts of the ISS in 2006, huge rounded forms - mega-dunes. The dunes of the smallest size look like wrinkles against the background of large dunes.

Imperial dunes California

The Aldonon Dune Field, located on the border between Mexico and Arizona with California, reaches almost 10 km wide and stretched 70 km. These dunes received the greatest fame as the Dunes of the Tatinen Planet in the Universe of Star Wars. On their expanses is the official national park, which is headed by the bureau of the land management. The only artificial structure among Dunes is the American channel, which makes his way through the dunes near their rise in agricultural land of Mexico. It can be seen on the right in the photo. The photo was made by astronauts from the board of the ISS in 2005.

White Sands in New Mexico

Sands of the Dunes of the White Sands National Monument National Park are particles of gypsum - evaporite mineral, which accumulated as a result of evaporation of large waters. At the place of these dunes, a small sea dried several hundred million years ago. Several thousand years ago, a huge lake was evaporated. Such dunes are quite rare, because the gypsum is usually easily dissolved in water and is subsequently dealt with rivers. Here, its particles have been preserved due to the fact that from the pool, where they are, there is no way out to the sea. In turn, the water from the rivers flowing into this pool, and the plaster did not wash away.

Dunes in South New Mexico covers an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 700 square kilometers. Almost half of the square is under the protection of the National Park. This area of \u200b\u200bthe terrain was made using Advanced Land Imager from the side of the NASA Earth Observing-1 satellite.

Rub-El Hali Desert (Empty Quarter) in Saudi Arabia

This laid-named desert is the world's largest sandy sea and covers an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 580,000 square kilometers. The photo shows its part, located in Saudi Arabia, but this sea is also on the territory of Yemen, Oman and the UAE.

Gray and white spots between pink sands are plains covered with dry salt. Temperature in rub-el-khali (literally can be translated as "empty quarter") reaches 54 ° C. Only some types of plants, spiders and rodents living here can survive in such a heat. Sand covers one of the richest oil areas in the world.

This photo was made in 2001. Using Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM +) on the Landsat 7 satellite belonging to NASA / USGS. Below you can look at the photo of the dunes near. More about Rub-El Hali, you can learn from this video National Geographic.

Dune Tiffernine in Algeria

This part of the Sugar Desert, located in the east of Algeria, is adjacent to the Tingrhert Dark Gray Plateau. On top of the old large dunes under the action of winds, star dunes were formed, and sedimentary rocks together with salt were gathered in small carts between the dunes. Now the climate there is dry and hot, but carved valley rivers on the border of the plateau testify to the more humid climate in the past.

This photo was made by astronauts from the board of the ISS in August 2009.

Lake Ungyanga, Chad

These finance lakes are what remained from one big lake, which began to decrease about 5.5 thousand years ago. The sand was bothering the wind and partially filled the lake pool, smashing it into several separate. Nine out of ten lakes are fresh, they take water from the aquifer underground. Ancient pollen, found among the sedimentary breed in the lakes, showed that there was a moderately tropical climate before in this area.

The highest and old dunes in the world

In the Namib desert, you can find dunes about three hundred meters high. They were carved by the winds that enjoy along the Atlantic coast of Namibia. National Park Namib-Naucloft, depicted here, is one of the largest parks of Africa. It inhabits hyenas, jackals, gecko and other rare animals. In addition, this desert is considered one of the oldest in the world - the climate here was dry another 55 million years ago. Today, its area falls on average only 6 cm of precipitation per year.

The next photo was made in 2000 by the Landsat-7 satellite under the control of NASA and USGS (U. S. Geological Survey).

This topographic image was created by combining photos made in 2002 with topological data obtained by ASTER equipment from the TERRA satellite. In 2009, he celebrated his tenth anniversary.

Big Sand Dunes Colorado

This meeting of the Dunes, located near the Mountains Sangra de Cristo in the south of Colorado, was assigned the status of a national monument in 1932 and the National Park in 2004. Every year it is visited by 300 thousand visitors. Despite the fact that these dunes cover the area slightly less than 80 square kilometers, they reach 230 m in height and are the highest dunes in the United States.

This photo of the Big Sand Dunes National Park (above) was made by Ikonos Sensor, located on board GeoEye satellite, in 2005.

Slightly painted sand dunes was formed from a sedimentary breed, which gradually disappeared due to the adjacent mountains and settled in the lake. The lake periodically stopped, and the wind blew out the breed from his bottom.

And this - ISS astronauts in 2007.

Sacatorium: Infusoria, who lost their cilia

Smooth, almost hypertension, flat-bottomed bowls, bored with huge dunes, which in turn are covered with small gear dunes, resemble honey cells in the very center of Sugara.

The sandy sea Murzuk in Libya contains numerous rows of such large dunes, called "drara". The dunes are smaller, which can be considered in the photo below, consist of a variety of star dunes, linear longitudinal dunes and curved transverse dunes. The unrealized side of the smaller dunes is smoother and colorful than the opposite side. This photo was made by the ISS astronauts in December 2008.

Lake Air in Australia

Strong rains in early 2009 began to fill the bottom of this huge dry lake in Simpson Desert in Queensland. In the photo you can see water falling into the lake. She was made on May 9 satellite Landsat-5. Plants and thousands of birds appear with water.

In the photo below, which was made by a satellite on February 18, it can be seen how dry this area remains most of the year.

Nude breeds in Sahara

Sand rivers, covered with dunes, bend around the naked rocky rock at this very dry and barren plot of sugar in Libya. This photo was made by the Terra satellite in 2002.

Shrama Australia

This part of the Simpson Desert on the Northern Territory of Australia is covered with a deserted shrub, which gives it a greenish tint and does not allow winds to shift dunes. However, the fire that happened here for the year before this photo was made in 2002, burned part of the vegetation, talking to the sands under it.

A strange pattern on the sand was caused, must be by turning the direction of winds by 90 degrees during a fire. This photo was made by Astronauts of the ISS.

Unfortunately, to France, the Russian traveler is traditionally more difficult to get more difficult than, for example, to Italy or Spain. Little direct flights, a meager geography of flights (mainly Paris, Nice and Marseille), high average cost - about 15 thousand rubles. It is not surprising that for the sake of the sea, cultural events and gastronomy, the Russians instead of France choose Spain or Italy.

The situation has changed greatly this summer - the "Ural Airlines" launched two direct flights to France: to Bordeaux and Montpellier. At the same time, all summer and autumn airline pleases very nice tariffs. So, in the summer you could find tickets for autumn back and back to Bordeaux for 8-9 thousand rubles. We are in the editorial office of PRTBRT RADA that now France for travelers is becoming closer.

We tell why Aquitaine and Bordeaux can become an excellent direction for your autumn journey.

Bordeaux Airport is located in one of the largest regions of France - New Aquitaine. It includes several departments: Dordogne (Dordogne), Gironde, Landes (Landes), Lo-Garonne (Lot-et-Garonne) and Atlantic Pyrenees (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). This is one of the most picturesque regions of France: Pine forests, sand dunes, the coastline along the Atlantic Ocean extends (almost 300 kilometers), medieval cities and, of course, vineyards. In our material we will not touch the entire region - it is too big and interesting, and focus on the first acquaintance and circular travel with arrival in Bordeaux.

Bordeaund itself - French top city

Bordeaux is an excellent example of a modern French city. A cheerful historical center is adjacent to the modern embankment and the art quarter. Famous bordeaux houses (Échoppes bordelaises) and vintage vineyards are quietly getting along with modern architecture and a futuristic museum of wine (Cité du Vin). In such cities, you can sincerely be surprised at how easily public opinion comes by the French with snobs. Bordeaux is an ideal example of antis substitution and a modern view of the city with a huge history.

Historic center Bordeaux

Especially affecting the absence of extra pita to historical buildings and the desire to create public spaces that the city needs it right now. So, opposite the port of the Moon, a huge "water mirror" appeared in the Exchange Palace and the Customs Museum. This is a whole area filled with water for several centimes. It gives an incredible effect of reflection, literally turning the landscape with legs on the head. Periodically, the fountain produces suspension from the water, creating the effect of fog and aqueous haze. It is not surprising that this is one of the most favorite places not only in city residents, but also tourists. Another excellent example of rethinking historical space is an arthow cinema and utopia cafe. The cinema took the space ancient church in the very center of the city. The interior was not particularly changed, so it is necessary to look here.

Water Mirror (Place de La Bourse)

Cinema and cafe Utopia

In Bordeaux, the amazing concentration of good museums. If suddenly you are in the city just a couple of days, we advise you to visit our main favorites: Museum of Wine Cité Du Vin, Museum of Contemporary Capc Art and, of course, cultural Betasom located on the former base of the Italian submarine.

The cost of the entrance ticket to the museum of wine is 20 euros. This price includes the venue of the museum, audio guide, and even a tasting of one wine to choose from on the observation platform of the museum.

Mostly tourists spend time on the left bank of Bordeaux. This is a great omission: on the right there is an important attraction point - the Darwin Art Quarter. Former military barracks in 2002 turned into a huge modern space with shops, a cafe, skate park, coworking and musical clubs. It is best to come here to a certain event or festival - on weekdays here is empty. For example, on September 6-8, there will be a big ecofestival with glimax.

Wine Museum (La Cité Du Vin)

Art Quarter Darwin

Biarritz - the surfing capital of Europe. And here is truly cool

Relaxed and sunny city, filled with equally pensioners and surfers. If we talk about the famous French bonvivator, then it is here that it is concentrated to the greatest extent. Biarritz completely deprived of pathoscope and gloss, which is so much on the French Riviera (yes, hello, Nice and Cannes). On the contrary, there are old villas and a luxurious casino, rather, serve as pretty decorations of local life. With a small size of the city in Biarritz, there is always something to do: walk along the beaches, ride a semi, drink wine at the lighthouse, dinner in a fishing cafe, visit the public swimming pool with a gorgeous ocean view.

Biarritz (Biarritz)

If you have never tried to surf and confident that it is not for you, then Biarritz is a great place to get together with the forces and try this sport. This city is the Motherland of European Surfing. In 1956, the Hollywood Writer Peter Rutter arrived in Biarritz to shoot a movie. He noticed that at the local bay, the unique structure of the bottom, which allows to form the waves of the size of the size for surfing size. He regularly rode here on Seref, and then presented his board with local guys who became enthusiasts of this movement. In the people, they were even called the "Les Tontons Surfeurs". By the way, the most famous surf school on this coast was founded - Jo Moraiz - just one of these guys.

Biarritz (Biarritz)

Learn and know French wine

If you have long wanted to start at least a little understanding in French fault, then Bordeaux will be the perfect direction for you. The scale of production, traditions and culture of wine here will introduce into the thrill and stupor even those who are immersed in the wine culture seriously. Wine is the basis of the cultural code Bordeaux, which is read everywhere - from vintage chateau with huge vineyards to the ultramodern museum of wine. The museum, by the way, tells not only about the history of winemaking, but also about how and who makes wine in other countries now. The editors, for example, was pleasantly surprised how Georgia was widely in the museum.

In Bordeaux, there are many educational and entertainment activities related to wine: ranging from wine semi-maralphon and ending with serious courses dedicated to world winemaking. In Sité Du Vin, for example, a special tasting room was built, where you can not only try the Chilean or Georgian wine, but also to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the region itself: through the video sequence, specially recorded sounds and even smells. The Bordeux Wine Trip tourist site has a whole section with developed routes on vineyards. They can be visited even by bike!

Wine Museum (La Cité Du Vin)

Basic - not only in Spain. It is here that you can get acquainted with their amazing culture

Basis, perhaps, one of the most interesting and distinctive peoples living in Europe. Traditionally, the basks settled in the south of France and in the north of Spain, burning the steep slopes of Western Pyrenees. Isolation, to which some mountain peoples are prone, led to the fact that the basque culture remained original and unusual. What is only the famous Basque. It has no analogues in the world and does not adjoin any classical group of languages.

At the expense of radical views and a terrorist organization, this (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) in the world is more persecuted precisely about the Spanish part of the Basque Country. But it was in the south-west of France that there are a large number of traditional villages and cities, in which you can plunge into the unusual culture of the Basque.

Basque Pelota

For a rustic flavor and traditional Basque architecture, go to small villages scattered throughout the southwest of France. So, half an hour from Biarritz is the picturesque village of Enoa (Ainhoa). She, by the way, is included in the list of the most beautiful villages of France. Enoa is famous for the fact that it was here that the Basque building is preserved as much as possible - the center of the village consists of traditional white-red houses.

Bayonne (Bayonne)

Enoa (Ainhoa)

Another village, in which it is necessary to call, - Espel (Espelette). It is here that the famous Espel red pepper produces. It is used in many traditional dishes of the region and, of course, sell for export. The burning of this pepper is not very high: it does not exceed 4 thousand units on the scale of the Skovylla. The best time to visit this place is the end of summer and autumn. Firstly, in the autumn of the house looks as colorful as possible - they are all hung with peppers that are dried in the sun. Secondly, in late October, the grand festival of pepper and the Basque culture is held here.

Espelette

See the biggest sandy dune in Europe

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(Dune du Pilat), located near the town of Arcashon.

This is the highest dune in Europe, its constantly changing height is from 110 to 130 meters. From the satellite dune looks like this.

And this is a view of the entire three-kilometer dune from the quadcopter (from Wikipedia).

The dune of the beginning of about 4 thousand years ago is to form: under the influence of the Biscay Bay's storm winds, the sideways began to fit and gradually move towards nearby settlements.

Where did the sand taken from there? The weathered and water of the bay destroyed the mountain ranges of the central pyrenees, the stone turned into the sand, which rivers drove into the sea, and her tides (there are tides and flows), the sand was returned back. The wind from the bay of drowned the sand towards the sushi, there were forests on the path - the dune grew so.

At some point, Napoleon issued a decree on the dunes in abundance of forests landed - to protect the territories. And it was worth protecting that: the dune and it was advancing and occupied, in the thirties of the last century, she already managed to absorb the whole house, which was very imprudently built not far from her on the way of promotion.

The width of the dunes is about 600 meters, it has a long gently slope from the sea and a fairly steep slope (up to 30 degrees) from the side of the forest.

Here we arrived in the reserve, built with the leeward side of the dune.

The weather was cloudy, periodically rained heavy rain, but we still hoped to climb upstairs.

National Park before Dune. It has a cafe, some convenience, but the cafe, of course, does not work in winter, there are very few tourists in winter, the weather visits does not contribute. But in summer, there is a solid flow of tourists here, and for the year Dune visits about two million people.

That we have already come to the dune. See the center of the frame of the top of a covered tree? So, a few years ago, there was a cafe under this tree. You can imagine at what speed the dune comes.

The rise first is relatively gentle, then it becomes very cool and there you have to go no longer "in the forehead", and towards diagonally: so longer climb, but it is a little easier.

And the situation was, to say honestly, very unfavorable: on the dune, even with a lifting, a very strong wind blew, which threw in the face of the sand. And when we rose upstairs, there the wind was hurricane at all: he practically knocked down and pulled out a smartphone out of his hands: I backed him barely barely.

This is a forest view from the top of the dune.

And this is the form for which we rose upstairs - the Biscai Bay. Well at least one frame managed to do - there it also rained, the setting was somewhat extreme.

In the summer, here, of course, another thing. The wind is very mesmer, and for tourists it is also ladder in 260 steps. Tourists climb up the back of barefoot (sand will be born in any shoes) and then they walk there along the three-kilometer zone of the dune.

Very interesting place, glad that I visited. Well, I will try to somehow come in summer - there must be everything completely different.

I had only been on this. Also very interesting place, but here the dune is much more impressive.

The most real sandy desert can be found in France. This is the famous dune dune. Millions of tons of golden sand, as if by spelling the wizard, moved here from Sahara.

general description

Dune saw - the highest dune in Europe. Its upper point lies at 130 meters. But this value is not constant, strong winds affect, periodically adjusting it in one direction or another.

The sand band has a rather correct rectangular shape. The width of the dune reaches 600 meters, and the length of almost 3 kilometers. The volume of sand is estimated at about 60 million cubic meters.

By the way, such a sand phenomenon can be observed in Japan. There is about the same desert called Tottori

Where is the dune dune

Geographic coordinates 44.589167, -1.214618

The French desert is located in the village of La Test de Bush (La Test De Buch) in the southwestern part of the country, right on the Atlantic Ocean coast.

This region is known as New Aquitaine, and the area in which the dune is directly located, refer to Girond. The nearest Bordeaux city is 60 kilometers to the northeast. The dune of the saw is located right at the entrance to the Arcashon Bay.

Features of dunes Pila

Dune formation

By virtue of its geographical location, Western winds prevail in this area, which carry sand from the coast. This explains the shape of the dune. On the ocean side, it has a gentle slope, but from the opposite side rather steep. That is why the rise on the sandy mountain on the east side is very difficult.

Because of the influx of tourists, there are stairs here in the summer period. Having risen with their help to the top of the hill, you have an impressive look - in the west of the Atlantic Ocean, in the east of pine forests, and when it is clear the weather, then in the south you can see the Pyrenees Mountains on the border with Spain.

Dune traffic

Under the influence of winds, the sand dunes is steadily moving inside the country, slowly absorbing forest, covering at home and roads. The speed of movement is inconsistent. Sometimes it is as many as 10 meters per year, and sometimes less than one meter per year. During the last 57 years, the Dune moved about 280 meters. Thus, its speed amounted to 4.9 meters per year.

Victims of dunes Pila

The movement of the dunes has already absorbed about two dozen houses. Each year, sand covers approximately 8,000 square meters of nearby pine forests.
In the northeastern part of the dunes in 1987, the road was blocked, and in 1991 it was completely buried under the sand layer.
In 1928, in the southeastern part of the dune, a family from Bordeaux built a villa, and in 1936 the whole house disappeared under the sand.

Sand Islands in dunes saw

Just 1 kilometer west of the dune, in the waters of the Atlantic is the sandy island of Ban D'Arguin. It has similar dimensions (4.5 km by 700 meters) and stretched almost parallel to the dune. But behind this island (and again about 1 km to the west) there is another island of Banc du Toulinguet. It is much more modest in size (approximately 700 per 400 meters). Both islands are very popular among travelers. There are always a lot of boats, boats and tourists.

Many names of one dune

On the Internet, guidebooks and tourist brochures you will find several items of this attraction: Dune du Pilat (Dune Pilate), Dune Du Pyla (dune dune), Grande Dune du Pilat (Great Dune Pilate).

Usually outside of France, you use the name of the dune dune, but few know that the official (and therefore the right) name of the landmarks Dune du Pilat (dune pilat). At least this name is used in all official French documents. It is derived from the Gasconian word "Pilhat", which means "bunch" or "mound".

The seaside resort of Pyla Sur Mer, founded in 1920 and being part of La Test De Buch, extends north of the dune. The first part of his name and led to confusion in the names.
Despite the official name of the dune, pointers on the roads are encountered with different names. You, most importantly, do not confuse and do not worry, they all lead both the same place.

The dune dune was quite famous and visited by the landmark of France. Annually, her verakhan storm over a million tourists
On January 24, 2009, during a storm on a dune saw, the maximum wind speed was recorded 175 km / h. As a result, the storm dune was significantly damaged
Due to strong winds in the Dune area, there are ideal conditions for flights on paraglids. This is enjoyed by numerous lovers of this entertainment.

I do not have a quadrocopter, so the first picture I had to borrow from the Internet, all other photos of mine. This miracle of nature is located in the south of France nearby Arcashon. It is called this sand dune - dune dune.

02. Dune saw very popular among tourists from around the world. Pay attention to the information plate. The air temperature at the time of our arrival was 34 degrees, and it is continuing to grow. Naturally it is in the shade, which is practically no there. The shadow in a small amount is available in the parking lot, as well as on the approaches to the dune.

03. Let's leave the car in the parking lot and start moving towards dunes dunes. I read on the Internet that it is impossible to climb the dune with dogs, but the reality is different. I saw there a few visitors with dogs, but I have not seen any prohibiting plates.

04. Before lifting, you can leave your shoes below, and you can not leave. It seems that some group of schoolchildren decided to go barefoot.

05. The dune is located on the shores of the Biscay Bay, from the side of the sushi her profile is rather steep.

06. You can of course climb on foot directly in the sand, but it seems to me a more convenient way to lift the top of the dune will be a lift on the stairs.

07. But you can walk down. Probably, these are the very schoolchildren who left their shoes below.

08. The height of the dune saw is approximately 130 meters. The rise in such heat on its top is not easy.

09. The dog after the lift breathing so hard that I was afraid that her heart break would happen, but everything cost.

10. Small rest after lifting and continue your way along the dune. Next there is also a small difference of heights, but it is already practically not felt after the tedious lift on the stairs.

11. On the left is the Biscay of the Atlantic Ocean Bay, on the right Arkashonsky. Ahead you can see the city of Cap Ferre. I recently told about visiting.

12. Youth on the dune a lot. It was mid-June. I do not know the french schoolchildren by this time the school year or not.

13. The length of the dunes of the saw is approximately 3 kilometers, but wishing to go through such a heat to the opposite edge of the dune very little.

14. The bulk of tourists hangs on the territory of the first five hundred meters. Someone sits on the sand, many are photographed or photograph the surrounding landscapes.

15. The descent to the water is more flat, than from the opposite side of the dune, but almost no one goes down to the ocean, because then you have to either rise up in the sand, or go the dune around the perimeter to get to the car left in the parking lot.