A forgotten landfill hidden beneath the sand of the Charentes coastline near Fouras-les-Bains has resurfaced due to coastal erosion, exposing more than 21,000 cubic meters of waste, including plastics, metals, and asbestos. This site, known as Magnou, was used in the 1960s to bury household waste behind a dune, a practice that was common at the time but has since proven to be environmentally problematic. The landfill was officially closed in 1977, but it fell into administrative oblivion, with no precise records of the waste deposited or when the site was used. The site became a focus of concern after the 2010 storm Xynthia struck the Bay of Yves, identifying it as a high-risk area for erosion. Coastal retreat has been measured at one meter per year, with the beach losing nearly 50 meters over 60 years. As a result, the dune that once protected the landfill has been gradually eroding, exposing the buried waste. This situation highlights the long-term consequences of past environmental practices and the challenges of managing waste in coastal areas prone to natural erosion. In response to this issue, the Magnou site was identified as a pilot project following the One Ocean Summit in 2022. The French government, along with local authorities, has invested more than six million euros in a dismantling project aimed at removing the waste and recovering the original sand. The project has been largely completed, with most of the household waste processed and removed, although the site remains under surveillance to ensure no further environmental risks arise. The situation in Fouras-les-Bains is emblematic of a broader issue affecting the French coastline, with 54 other coastal landfills from the same era facing similar risks of exposure due to erosion. The case of Magnou serves as a cautionary tale about the long-term environmental impact of waste management practices that were once considered acceptable. As climate change accelerates coastal erosion, the need for improved environmental planning and waste management has become increasingly urgent.