France is home to some incredible beaches from the stormy and romantic beauties of the northern coasts, the perfect surf of the Atlantic coast, and the paradisiacal picturesque colours of the Mediterranean. Whatever you are after, whether you are looking to relax and restore yourself or have adventures or experience glamour and luxury, you'll find it all and more in France. We have rounded up some of the best beaches among all the many remarkable stretches of coast that the country has to offer. Here are the first of our picks of the best beaches in France.
1. Baie d'Audierne, Brittany
Brittany has over 2,000km of coastline and that means there's a lot of beaches to choose from. Almost all of them are well-preserved, windswept and wonderful in their own right but experts agree that one of the loveliest is Baie d'Audierne.
1. Baie d'Audierne, Brittany
Brittany has over 2,000km of coastline and that means there's a lot of beaches to choose from. Almost all of them are well-preserved, windswept and wonderful in their own right but experts agree that one of the loveliest is Baie d'Audierne.
Located on the west coast of Finistère, it is a well-kept secret that is off the beaten tourist track. Measuring 30km in length, it is a quiet and family-friendly spot but is also a great surfing location. It is a natural gem, as well, with diverse fauna and flora and varied landscapes. Stretching between Pointe du Raz in the north and Pointe de Penmarch in the south, it is a wild and pretty pebble beach surrounded by steep cliffs, salt marshes and lagoons, and met by rushing deep blue waves.
2. La Pointe des Poulains, Belle-Île-en-Mer
This beach is located at the northernmost tip of Belle-Île-en-Mer and an area that is famous for having captured the heart of Monet, who painted at Les Aiguilles de Port-Coton, nearby. It is an especially picturesque part of the coast, with a rugged and rocky coast, lush hills covered in flowers and stunning turquoise water, punctuated by the pretty little red and white lighthouse.
2. La Pointe des Poulains, Belle-Île-en-Mer
This beach is located at the northernmost tip of Belle-Île-en-Mer and an area that is famous for having captured the heart of Monet, who painted at Les Aiguilles de Port-Coton, nearby. It is an especially picturesque part of the coast, with a rugged and rocky coast, lush hills covered in flowers and stunning turquoise water, punctuated by the pretty little red and white lighthouse.
The views here are incredible and, on a clear day, the view extends to the Isle de Croix, Lorient and takes in all of the Bay of Quiberon.
Just find a vacation rental in Brittany and experience these two beautiful beaches for yourself.
Of course, there are many more incredible beaches all over France so be sure to read on to the rest of this series to discover more of our picks of the best of the best.
Just find a vacation rental in Brittany and experience these two beautiful beaches for yourself.
Of course, there are many more incredible beaches all over France so be sure to read on to the rest of this series to discover more of our picks of the best of the best.
Photo credits
picture 1: Alain Rouiller / CC BY-SA 2.0;
picture 1: Alain Rouiller / CC BY-SA 2.0;