The Atlantic coast of France is lined with so many longing places and beaches that it is difficult to select and present the most beautiful ones.
La Bretonelle nevertheless dares to try – without claiming to be exhaustive, but with all the more enthusiasm. From the beaches around the Loire estuary, our journey heads south along the coast of Aquitaine to the Basque Country.
Discover now:
Beaches Loire-Atlantique & Vendée
Although the stretch of coast south of the marina at La Turballe is called the “Beach of the Bretons”, the shore is actually outside modern-day Brittany, albeit only by a few kilometres. The very beautiful bay of fine sand stretches over a length of about 2 km.
The beach is supervised, has showers, sanitary facilities and a beach club for children. In the ranking of bathing waters, the Plage des Bretons reliably earns top marks every year. Even in summer, it’s not hopelessly overcrowded – an unreserved recommendation.
La Baule-Escoublac
One of the most famous and largest beaches in France – that’s La Baule. The superlatives attract a lot of holidaymakers to the curved bay north of the Loire estuary for a seaside holiday.
Those who stop off in La Baule must accordingly be prepared for numerous other tourists and concomitants of mass tourism, for example beach hotels lined up close together in some sections. In contrast to many other coastal towns on the French Atlantic, the town centre of La Baule is also rather unspectacular.
Undeniable plus points are the stable, pleasant conditions of the bay. Comparatively calm waters, a clean, guarded beach, an extensive semicircle of 9 kilometres for endless walks, gastronomy and sanitary facilities easily accessible from any point sweeten the bathing holidays. Dogs and horses are not allowed in La Baule all year round.
Pornic
Pornic is located south of the Loire estuary, about an hour’s drive from Nantes on the Atlantic coast. The tranquil village boasts an impressive number of beaches: 12 different bays and stretches are strung like pearls on a necklace in the immediate vicinity of Pornic.
Among them, the Plage de l’Étang, the Plage de la Boutinardière and the Plage du Portmain are the most remarkable. The Plage de l’Étang is located a little to the north on the coast of Pornic, here small coves of golden sand spread out against a backdrop of pines and oaks.
The Plage de la Boutinardière lies in a southerly direction and is a popular photo motif because of its fishing huts on stilts, which stand amidst some unusual rock formations.
The best bathing beach in Pornic is the Plage du Portmain. This clean stretch offers ample parking nearby and is secured by lifeguards during the high season of July – August.
Saint-Jean-des-Monts
The area around Saint-Jean-de-Monts is known for its exceptionally mild climate. Many hours of sunshine (among the most in France) combined with an 8-kilometre-long unbroken chain of sandy beaches make this section a highlight of the Vendée and one of the most beautiful beaches on the entire French Atlantic coast. The sand is fine, the water quality high, the current not too strong – perfect conditions for a bathing holiday.
The most beautiful beach is “La plage du Golf” near the seaside resort of Saint-Jean-des-Monts. It bears this name in reference to the golf course by the sea, which is also considered one of the most beautiful in France.
The beaches are accessible to all: families feel comfortable in the relatively shallow water, as do dogs (for example at the Plage de la Tonelle on the northern section). Not all, but most of the beaches are supervised. Outside the bathing season, the coast around Saint-Jean-des-Monts is ideal for long walks.
Saint-Denis-d’Oléron
Oléron is the largest island on the French Atlantic coast. The island has beaches in all four directions, the most beautiful being those of the seaside resort of Saint-Denis-D’Oléron in the north.
Sheltered from the Atlantic westerly wind, the beach of Soubregeon, on the edge of the town’s campsite, opens up views as far as the Ile de Ré and La Rochelle on clear days. Unlike the neighbouring beaches, this is the one with the most authentic nature experience.
The Plage de la Boirie, south of Saint-Denis-D’Oléron, is also a beautiful sandy beach. At low tide, the Atlantic recedes quite far. The colourful changing cabins at the beginning of the beach are interesting.
Beaches Near Bordeaux & Département Landes
Cap Ferret & Bassin d’Arcanchon
Bordeaux is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and famous cities in France. Approximately 40 kilometres west of the largest French city near the Atlantic Ocean, Cap Ferret is home to some of the most beautiful and popular beaches on the west coast.
Surfing, bathing, long walks: the wide beach landscapes are the perfect setting for seaside holidays of all kinds because of the fine sand and the mild and stable climatic conditions, especially in summer.
Starting at the village of Arés and the strait that forms the entrance to the Bassin d’Arcachon, almost 20 kilometres of magnificent beaches await those seeking relaxation, some developed for tourism, others less busy.
The Plage Du Truc Vert, for example, is rarely crowded in summer. This largely unspoilt beach is centrally located on the Atlantic side of the peninsula and is particularly popular with families. Surfers are attracted to Plage Grand Crohot, also on the western shore, because of the great wind conditions all year round. A special view of the Dune du Pilat, visible from afar and one of the most impressive natural phenomena in the entire Atlantic region, can be enjoyed from the beaches at the south-western tip of Cap Ferret, for example the Plage du Centre.
As a holiday region, Cap Ferret is additionally made so attractive by its special surroundings. The Bassin d’Arcachon is a natural wonder with many protected zones for rare animal species. On the eastern side of Cap Ferret, there are also some interesting beaches, such as the tropical-looking Pointe aux Cheveaux or the family-friendly Plages des Jacquets.
Dune du Pilat
In the region around Bordeaux, the Dune du Pilat is simply called “La Dune”. The sand formation on the Atlantic is about 500 metres long and rises up to 110 metres above sea level. This natural phenomenon, unique in Europe, is located exactly where the Atlantic Ocean, a huge pine forest, a bay, a sandbank and a peninsula meet.
At the foot of the Dune du Pilat, a beach that is guarded in the high season invites you to swim. You can reach the shore of the Atlantic by descending from the dune. This requires good physical fitness, however, as, unless you use the stairs, the sand is comparatively deep in places. But it is worth it – the panorama is unique! To the south of the dune are other beaches with free parking, picnic areas and restaurants.
Hossegor
A unique beach landscape is offered to the visitor on the coast in front of the village of Soorts-Hossegor. A whole 7 kilometres of beach are spread out along the Hossegor coast between the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and a tidal lake.
So if the waves of the Atlantic seem too wild, retreat to Plage Blanche, Plage du Rey or Plage du Parc, one of the beaches of the lake.
The seaside resort and its extensive beaches are well-kept without being gentrified. The surfers contribute to the relaxed atmosphere. The La Gravière and Les Culs Nus sections of Hossegor beach are among the most popular spots on the French Atlantic coast.
Beaches Basque Country
Biarritz
Biarritz is one of France’s legendary coastal resorts. The town in the French Basque Country has been one of the attractions of Europe’s sophisticated world for centuries. Imposing villas, hotels and casinos bear witness to the splendour of the former fishing village. In the course of time, the charm of decay threatened to dominate the atmosphere from time to time, but after renovations of landmarks such as the Hôtel du Palais or the Quai de la Grande Plage, Biarritz is currently shining once again as the pearl of the French Atlantic coast.
Biarritz is also famous for its picturesque beaches and cliffs. The sea surges wildly against the rocks here, wilder than on the milder beaches of the départements further north. Where the cliffs have interspersed fine sandy beaches, the water is still suitable for bathing – at least near the coast. However, you should not be too respectful of waves. The supervised beaches attract a lot of surfers for this very reason, especially the centrally located Grande Plage.
With its spectacular panorama of the sea, picturesque rocky islets off the coast, steep cliffs and architectural masterpieces, the “Grande Plage” is also the showpiece of Biarritz’s beaches. The only caveat is that this urban beach is not secluded or wildly romantic; a visit to the beach in Biarritz is all about seeing and being seen.
To get to know all the stretches, a walk from north to south is recommended: starting at the Plage de la Petite Chambre d’Armour to the Plage de Marbella, most of Biarritz’s highlights are on a tour along the sea.
Saint-Jean-du-Luz
A picturesque panorama, a promenade lined with houses in the local style and a stately pergola from the early 20th century – the “Grande Plage” of Saint-Jean-du-Luz offers all this. The “Grande Plage” has the town of Saint-Jean-du-Luz at its back, one of the sights of the French Basque Country.
In addition to possible detours to the nearby pedestrian zone and the restaurants or shops there, this brings with it a number of amenities, such as changing rooms, cafés and the mobile sales stands of the local ice cream producer “Glaces Lopez”.
Of particular interest to children are the beach club’s hands-on attractions. Leave the kids to their own devices, and the staff will make sure that nothing happens to them on the bouncy castle, slide or swing.
The water is calmer here than on the neighbouring beaches, thanks to the sheltered location in the middle of a long bay. The strong waves of the Atlantic break far away from the beach, making bathing more pleasant than at the neighbouring Plage d’Erromardie.
Hendaye
Hendaye is the last beach on the southern edge of the French Atlantic coast – and one of the most beautiful. The river Bidasoa divides Spain and France and also forms a natural boundary for the wide beach of Hendaye at its western end.
Excellent quality water, good conditions for surfers and swimmers, firm sand for kilometres of walking, many opportunities for sporting activities and all this with extremely mild water and air temperatures – what more could you want!
The fantastic overall package regularly earns the beach of Hendaye top places in the elections of the most beautiful beaches in France. Most recently, TripAdvisor users ranked the beach 4th.
Images: Comité Régional du Tourisme de Bretagne | © Emmanuel Berthier
La Baule: Temps & Périodes | CC BY-ND 2.0
Pornic: catherine ¨MOSINIAK-PAILLIER | Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Cap Ferret: Pierre (Rennes) | Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Dune du Pilat: Barry Marsh | Public Domain Mark 1.0
Hossegor: Gaël Chardon | Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Biarritz: Yann Cœuru | Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Saint-Jean-du-Luz: Daniel Jolivet | Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)