10 Best Beaches of France
Posted on | January 16, 2010 | 18 Comments
When I think of France I don’t immediately think of beautiful beaches, I think of Paris. But I stand corrected because southern France has some of the most beautiful beaches on the world. There are actually a variety of beaches to please every kind of taste. France is surrounded by water, the English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea.
The French Riviera is located on the eastern Mediterranean coast from Cannes to Menton. This is the France holiday you want to take if you are looking for upscale adult vacationing. The Côte d’Azur is the coast to the south and is the ideal spot for “alone time” although it can get a little crowded in some spots. It is also a great spot for surfing. Brittany on the north Atlantic coast and the surrounding area has beaches with family attractions.
Cannes
While the world famous film festival may keep tourists busy, there is no denying the beach here is fun. This is a lighthearted beach town, steeped in the arts and film. Check out the sand castles while you are on the beach. If you hunt for bargains, this can be a reasonable beach vacation.
Beach at Nice
This beach is enormously popular on the French Riviera. The actual beach is comprised of pebbles instead of sand. It is very crowded in the summer.
Menton Beach
Menton is a quaint little beach town and of all the beaches on the French Riviera, Menton’s beaches are the most family friendly. The atmosphere is much more relaxed and it isn’t the wild partying beach town that its neighbors are.
Monaco
The beaches in Monaco are upscale and are adjacent to opulent high-rise hotels and casinos. This is an adult environment and there is plenty of fun to be had sun bathing during the day and gambling at night.
Arcachon Beaches
The small town of Arcachon sits next to the Atlantic Ocean. This beach area is free of crowds except at peak time of summer vacation. If you visit this beach you must walk along the Dune du Pyla, which lies between the ocean and the largest forest in France, Les Landes. This is huge dune elevated and overlooks the Atlantic.
Biarritz Beaches
While the Biarritz beachfront was once wildly popular, in the last forty or fifty years tourists have migrated to the French Riviera to empty their wallets. While these may not the most ideal beaches, they are less crowded, have less traffic, and have less expensive accommodations. Beaches are free to visit.
Garoupe Beach – Cap d’Antibes
This is a very exclusive beach that is split off into sections some of which are free to the public. This beach faces the east so when you are on the beach the sun is not in your face. It is also sheltered from the wind and this makes it pleasant.
St. Jean de Luz St.
Jean de Luz beach is located just south of Biarritz in the town of St. Jean de Luz. This is a clean well-kept beach with a nice sea wall separating the beach from the town. The architecture of the town has been carefully preserved and the old 17th and 18th century structures are just gorgeous. This is a quiet and peaceful beach experience.
Cap d’Agde
Located next to Montpellier, Cap d’Agde is famous for their nude beaches. But apparently the tendency to divest one’s clothes may extend to the entire city. Maybe we should leave the kiddies at home.
La Rochelle
This is a quaint port town located on the Atlantic coast. The beach has shallow waters and is great for families with young children.
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Tags: Beaches > france > holiday > holidays > tips > Top 10 > travel > vacation > vacations
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18 Responses to “10 Best Beaches of France”
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January 16th, 2010 @ 9:49 am
lemme just say… you are my new hero.
January 16th, 2010 @ 10:10 am
Well of course Paris is a must do… you will find some nice art museum (louvre, orsay, orangerie, beaubourg, arts premiers) and the well known monuments…
After I see two options : Loire valley with plenty of big (and small) castles, old town houses (Bourges, Orleans), gastronomy (wines and cheeses !!) nice walks along the Loire (you can rent and ride a bike if you prefer). You will also find a lot of large forests turning into yellow/red in fall. I recommand leaving the Loire Valley at Angers and going to la Rochelle on the atlantic shore… (beautiful old town) and take the bridge to the ile de Ré, one of the most tiny french island with its white and blue houses. Plenty of bike trails here, so leave your car and take a bike…
The second option is the Provence… with the TGV (fast train) you can jump from Paris to Avignon, enjoy a little trip in Provence… breathtaking sites there… (take a look at travel guide). Then end up near the sea… Marseille and Cassis (with its pure white cliffs and blue water).
The bad thing is that october is a bit rainny here..; The good thing is that it's out of the big tourist rush… so far lower prices, empty places, and more time to discover things and people..
January 16th, 2010 @ 10:20 am
hermosisimooooooooo !!!
January 16th, 2010 @ 10:20 am
Bonjour, Hello
St Paul de Vence se situe à 15 km de Nice. C'est très charmant. Je vous conseille Cannes, Nice, Cap Ferrat, Antibes, Villefranche sur mer, ….
http://www.villefranche-sur-mer.com
Je vous déconseille Golfe Juan & Juan Les Pins (trop de familles, trop de clubs et de discothèques, … ça manque du charme!)
En espérant avoir répondu à votre question,
Have a nice holiday !
January 16th, 2010 @ 11:09 am
The question is sooo long,Not my kind of music..
January 17th, 2010 @ 7:52 am
You are amazing!
January 17th, 2010 @ 8:20 am
There is no way that we can figure this out…you are looking at tons of work, and even then, it wouldn´t be the right information. If you want to plan this tour, YOU need to get on the internet, check the appropriate websites, and figure it out for yourself.
Once you have a rough estimate, you want to add about 20% for inflation, fluctuations in the Dollar, and unexpected expenses.
I spent about $5000US per person for a month in Spain last year. Figure about that much, and you´ll have enough.
January 17th, 2010 @ 9:27 am
wow!
January 17th, 2010 @ 12:34 pm
Omfg, it just looks like a picture
January 17th, 2010 @ 12:47 pm
First off, congratulations on your impending marriage.
Second, you have made an excellant choice in deciding to honeymoon in Paris. We chose Paris for our honeymoon over 30 years ago and are still going strong. May you have the same experience.
Now, to answer your question more directly, I suggest you just stay in Paris. It is a marvelous and unique city.
The French beaches are quite nice but, apart from hearing people speak French and some differences in the available cuisine, there really isn't all that much difference from a beach anywhere. If you're going to the trouble and expense of traveling to Paris then focus on Paris.
There are a lot of nice, cozy, romantic little hotels in Paris. Here's one that I like: http://www.paris-paris.com/hotel_left-bank_saint-germain.php
Settle in and, apart from the usual sightseeing, pick any one of the local cafes and become "regulars" there. Here's one right around the corner from the hotel I suggested. http://www.paris-zoom.com/place.asp?P=Le+Conti&H=video#VIDEO I stop here almost every day I'm in Paris. (The owner has an adorable dog who wanders the place freely…which is typical of Paris) After a couple of viists you'll be greeted like a member of the family.
Likewise, find a convivial bar or music venue, perhaps a restaurant (although it might be better to sample the incredible variety available) and make them your own. ( Here's restaurant reccomendation while I'm at it: http://www.paris-zoom.com/place.asp?P=Le+Nemrod&H=video#VIDEO )
Don't just be a tourist but become part of the city.
January 18th, 2010 @ 12:42 am
hi all everybody plz watches in my videos and rating .. plz plz plz !!!!!
January 18th, 2010 @ 1:51 am
I always love your art. Now I love your music
January 18th, 2010 @ 6:56 am
thanks…I think the music is cool and so are the songs
January 18th, 2010 @ 3:09 pm
January 18th, 2010 @ 3:24 pm
France has quite a big coastline with a variety of beaches, temperatures, prices etc so have a look at this website to get some ideas on where to go http://www.discover-france.info/france_beach_resorts.htm then work out accommodation. August is when the French go on holiday, to the resorts and beaches will be quite crowded.
January 19th, 2010 @ 2:56 am
superb!!
January 19th, 2010 @ 5:06 am
Beautiful video!
January 19th, 2010 @ 11:52 am
Can I come too??? lol
Fly to Paris, stay at least 3 to 4 days, take train to Nice or Cannes (TGV), so you can see at least the country.
Get a hotel in Nice (cheaper than Cannes) From there you can visit Monaco (take train about 20/30 min., stops at all stations).
Don't know where your flying from, but Nice has an International airport as well, and you can do just the reverse trip.
Congrat.