Famed for its wind and kite-surfing, this family-friendly, five-kilometre-long stretch of pristine coastline near Marseille is also home to pretty pink flamingos and other rare birds. We have given the 'popular' names for the stretches of coast on the map below, since these are commonly used in marketing and tourist literature. Thus we have the best of all worlds - and art in the Jean Cocteau Museum, should the sand, sun and sea fail to supply an aesthetic challenge. Our France expert offer 10 suggestions for a 2020 beach holiday 1. Hotel Résidence Beach is off-centre, but near the beach (go for the second of third floor for best sea views), while Le Clos des Sept Palmiers is a colonial-looking chambres-d'hôtes inches from the beach at Bonporteau creek. Here Are The Best Nudist and Naturist Beaches In France Cap d’Agde, Languedoc. But Oléron’s prettiest strand is the more intimate Plage de Gatseau near St-Trojan-les-Bains: overlooking the channel between the island and mainland, its soft sand is spattered with shells. While the iconic Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel gets most of the attention, the surrounding Bay of Mont Saint-Michel is just as spectacular, with a variety of wildlife and the highest tides in Europe. St.-Tropez's name is synonymous with elegance and glamour, but you don't have to put on a tux or evening gown to set foot there. It is impossible to say which is the best French beach, because it depends, of course, on what you are looking for in a beach, and whether the beaches are the only priority on your visit or you want to also see countryside, attractions nd places of interest. I took the service to Calais to find out. Off the western coast of France in the Bay of Biscay, Île de Ré is known as the "White Island" by locals due to both its soft, light sand and the elegant waterfront houses painted in neutral colors. As required, it has the lazy sunshine zest, two vast beaches of sand and shingle, unambiguous light and Alps dropping direct to the sea - but without the airhead assumptions of more ring-a-ding spots farther west. Grab your swankiest swimwear and get ready for some sleb-spotting at this sophisticated Côte d’Azur beach named for Picasso’s daughter Paloma.
On a narrow peninsula about four miles from Montpellier is Palavas-les-Flots, a beach so beloved by the French that there's a song about it in the Oscar-nominated film The Triplets of Belleville. Best accessed by a five-minute ferry ride across the River Odet from better-known Bénodet, the little port of Sainte-Marine cradles a lovely crescent of fine sand. The geology ranges from massive rose gold boulders to eroded pink sand, all contrasted beautifully against the gray foam of the sea. It’s a difficult task, but we’ve tried to curate the best beaches in France. Jacqueline Mirtelli, France Tourism Development AgencyAs a native of the French Riviera, I am very keen on the sea. It is impossible to say which is the best French beach, because it depends, of course, on what you are looking for in a beach, and whether the beaches are the only priority on your visit or you want to also see countryside, attractions nd places of interest. "The beach itself is a lovely stretch of gently sloping sand, with calm waters in the sheltered bay making it safe for swimming." There's little shade, though, and it’s often windy: ideal for kitesurfers and kite-buggiers. Located between France and Italy, the island of Corsica feels like it belongs in two nations at once. Just west of Urville-Nacqueville, itself 10km west of the ferry port and a popular bathing station a century ago, the veteran Hôtel Landemer offers bright, up-to-the-minute rooms with polished-oak floors look out over the Channel, and you can dine outside on a decked terrace.
Famed for its wind and kite-surfing, this family-friendly, five-kilometre-long stretch of pristine coastline near Marseille is also home to pretty pink flamingos and other rare birds. We have given the 'popular' names for the stretches of coast on the map below, since these are commonly used in marketing and tourist literature. Thus we have the best of all worlds - and art in the Jean Cocteau Museum, should the sand, sun and sea fail to supply an aesthetic challenge. Our France expert offer 10 suggestions for a 2020 beach holiday 1. Hotel Résidence Beach is off-centre, but near the beach (go for the second of third floor for best sea views), while Le Clos des Sept Palmiers is a colonial-looking chambres-d'hôtes inches from the beach at Bonporteau creek. Here Are The Best Nudist and Naturist Beaches In France Cap d’Agde, Languedoc. But Oléron’s prettiest strand is the more intimate Plage de Gatseau near St-Trojan-les-Bains: overlooking the channel between the island and mainland, its soft sand is spattered with shells. While the iconic Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel gets most of the attention, the surrounding Bay of Mont Saint-Michel is just as spectacular, with a variety of wildlife and the highest tides in Europe. St.-Tropez's name is synonymous with elegance and glamour, but you don't have to put on a tux or evening gown to set foot there. It is impossible to say which is the best French beach, because it depends, of course, on what you are looking for in a beach, and whether the beaches are the only priority on your visit or you want to also see countryside, attractions nd places of interest. I took the service to Calais to find out. Off the western coast of France in the Bay of Biscay, Île de Ré is known as the "White Island" by locals due to both its soft, light sand and the elegant waterfront houses painted in neutral colors. As required, it has the lazy sunshine zest, two vast beaches of sand and shingle, unambiguous light and Alps dropping direct to the sea - but without the airhead assumptions of more ring-a-ding spots farther west. Grab your swankiest swimwear and get ready for some sleb-spotting at this sophisticated Côte d’Azur beach named for Picasso’s daughter Paloma.
• Le Havre Blue (+33 (4)93 01 01 40, lehavrebleu.com, doubles from €80) is one of the Riviera's biggest bargains. You may prefer off-the-beaten-path swimming spots to Blue Flag beaches with all imaginable facilities, but whatever’s your seaside jam, our pick of the absolute best beaches in France should have you covered. But somewhere in France there is the perfect beach for you, whatever you are looking for. There are plenty of pristine spots near the region’s former sardine fishing port at Morgat, but with its gleaming pebble beach and always-clear waters, the aptly named île Vierge (‘Virgin Island’) is our favourite. Snorkelling is a must as the water is crystal clear and filled with fish. I can unsubscribe any time using the unsubscribe link at the end of all emails.
