Coast
The most beautiful beaches in Brittany
White sand, coves and great strands, department by department. With what really decides a day: the wind and the tide.
8 min read
Brittany has more than two thousand kilometres of coastline, which makes any top ten of beaches more or less useless: the most beautiful beach is the one that is sheltered on the day you go. That is the difference between Brittany and the Mediterranean, and it is also why people come back.
Two factors decide a beach day here, and neither shows in a photograph. The first is the wind: a west facing beach in a westerly wind is uncomfortable, while the same coast sheltered by a headland is calm. The second is the tide: in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the difference between low and high tide averages ten metres and reaches fourteen metres at spring tides, the second largest tidal range in the world after the Bay of Fundy in Canada.
Finistère
This is the department of extremes: white sand and turquoise water in the Bay of Morlaix or at the Pointe de Trévignon, Atlantic swell on the west coast. The southern beaches, in the Bay of Concarneau and around Bénodet, are the most sheltered and family friendly.
The beaches of Finistère
BeachLa Torche BeachPlomeur · 3 hours to a full dayIn Plomeur, La Torche stretches about 2 km of white sand facing due west in a Natura 2000 site, with world-famous surfing, lifeguarded swimming in summer, surf schools, the GR34 and strong currents.
BeachBaie des TrépassésCléden-Cap-Sizun · 2 to 5 hours, a full day with a hikeBetween the Pointe du Raz and the Pointe du Van, the Baie des Trépassés is a huge sandy beach exposed to the Atlantic, known for surfing, its waves, its panorama and swimming that calls for real care.
BeachPlage des Blancs SablonsLe Conquet · 3 hours to a full dayIn Le Conquet, Les Blancs Sablons is a huge beach of pale sand facing the Iroise Sea, with a Blue Flag, much loved for swimming, walking, surfing and wide open spaces.
BeachPlage de MorgatCrozon · 3 hours to a full dayIn Crozon, Morgat brings together several family beach areas in a sheltered cove on the bay of Douarnenez, with wheelchair access, Tiralos, a marina, restaurants, a sailing centre and excellent water quality in 2025.
BeachPlage de Tahiti, RaguénezNévez · 3 hours to a full dayIn Névez, Tahiti is the most spectacular end of the great Raguénez beach, with white sand, turquoise water, green cliffs, the GR34 and views of the Île de Raguénez and the Île Verte.
BeachLe Dossen BeachSantec · 3 hours to a full dayIn Santec, Le Dossen is the town’s great sporty and family beach, known for surfing, kitesurfing, long tides and walking out to the Île de Sieck at low tide.
BeachPors Carn BeachPenmarc’h · 3 hours to a full dayIn Penmarc’h, Pors Carn opens the bay of Audierne with about 2 km of fine sand facing north-west, a protected natural setting much loved by surfers, lifeguarded in summer and with the Handiplage label.
BeachPlage des Sables BlancsConcarneau · 3 hours to a full dayNorth of the town centre, Les Sables Blancs is Concarneau’s great family beach, lifeguarded in summer and accessible thanks to two Tiralos.
Morbihan
Morbihan has the gentlest waters in Brittany, because the Gulf and Quiberon Bay are enclosed. The Quiberon peninsula shows both faces within two kilometres: the wild coast to the west, where swimming is forbidden in places, and the fine sand beaches to the east.
The beaches of Morbihan
BeachCarnac Grande PlageCarnac · 3 hours to a full dayAt Carnac-Plage, two kilometres of south-facing fine sand offer lifeguarded swimming, two beach clubs, water sports, facilities for disabled visitors, restaurants and a seafront promenade.
BeachGrande Plage de QuiberonQuiberon · 3 hours to a full dayIn the heart of Quiberon, this 900 m south-facing beach combines fine sand, a promenade, restaurants, summer lifeguards, a kids’ club, showers, toilets and facilities for disabled visitors.
BeachPlage des Grands SablesÎle de Groix · 3 hours to a full dayOn Groix, Les Grands Sables is an exceptional convex beach of fine white sand, lifeguarded in summer, known for moving with the currents and storms.
BeachDonnant BeachBelle-Île-en-Mer · 3 to 5 hours, a full day with a hikeIn Bangor, Donnant is a cove more than 350 m long facing due west, overlooked by huge dunes, known for its rollers, its surf schools and lifeguarded swimming in July and August.
BeachPlage de la Mine d’OrPénestin · 3 hours to a full dayIn Pénestin, the Mine d’Or is a long beach of about 2 km overlooked by listed ochre cliffs, known for its unique landscape, paragliding, walking and swimming.
BeachPlage des Grands Sables, secteur LocmariaLocmaria · 2 h 30 to half a dayThe Locmaria side of Les Grands Sables, on the east coast of Groix, reached by a path, with white sand, clear water and the Sables Rouges close by.- BeachPlage de SuscinioSarzeau · 3 hours to a full dayIn Sarzeau, Suscinio lies in a bay several kilometres long lined with dunes, right next to the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, with excellent water quality and no lifeguards.
- BeachPlage de KerhillioErdeven · 3 hours to a full dayIn Erdeven, Kerhillio is the town’s best-known beach: a vast ribbon of fine sand, lifeguarded in summer, with wheelchair access, and surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and sand yachting in designated zones.
Côtes-d’Armor
The Pink Granite Coast is the most photographed in Brittany, and it deserves it: the granite boulders of Ploumanac’h and Trégastel have no equivalent in France. Further east, the Emerald Coast alternates capes and coves up to Cap Fréhel.
The beaches of Côtes-d’Armor
BeachSaint-Guirec BeachPloumanac’h / Perros-Guirec · 2 hours to half a dayIn Ploumanac’h, Saint-Guirec is a small sandy beach nestled in pink granite, lifeguarded in season, with a beach club, restaurants, shops, an oratory and direct access to the customs officers’ path.
BeachPlage de TrestraouPerros-Guirec · 3 hours to a full dayIn Perros-Guirec, Trestraou is the resort’s big lively beach, with a promenade, casino, restaurants, sailing centre, surfing, events and summer lifeguards.
BeachPlage du Coz-PorsTrégastel · 3 hours to a full dayIn Trégastel, Coz-Pors is a spectacular beach surrounded by pink granite boulders such as the Dé, the Tas de Crêpes and the Sorcière, lifeguarded in July and August and equipped with a Hippocampe beach wheelchair.
BeachPlage Bonaparte, Anse CochatPlouha · 2 to 4 hours, longer with the GR34 and the memorial siteIn Plouha, Bonaparte beach, formerly the Anse Cochat, combines a big sandy beach at low tide, spectacular cliffs, a tunnel cut through the rock and the memory of the Shelburn network.
BeachPlage du Val-AndréPléneuf-Val-André · 3 hours to a full dayIn Pléneuf-Val-André, the great beach stretches for about 2 to 2.5 km of fine sand, sheltered from the wind, lined with a seafront promenade, lifeguarded in summer and equipped with a Tiralo.
BeachGrande Plage de Saint-Cast-le-GuildoSaint-Cast-le-Guildo · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Cast-le-Guildo, nearly 2 km of fine sand line the Les Mielles quarter, with lifeguarded swimming in summer, water sports, beach clubs, showers, wheelchair access and a promenade to the harbour.
BeachPlage de l’Anse du CrocFréhel · 3 hours to a full dayIn Pléhérel-Plage, the Anse du Croc unrolls about 800 m of fine sand in front of a vast dune system, with a view of Cap Fréhel, lifeguarded swimming in summer, a Tiralo and direct access to the GR34.
BeachPlage de TrestelTrévou-Tréguignec · 3 hours to a full dayIn Trévou-Tréguignec, Trestel is a large and lively beach of fine sand, popular for swimming, surfing, beach volleyball, summer events and improved wheelchair access.
Ille-et-Vilaine
The coastline is short, about forty kilometres from Cancale to Le Verger, but it has the biggest tides in Europe. The Sillon beach in Saint-Malo is the best known: three kilometres of sand and oak breakwaters that take the full force of the waves in winter.
The beaches of Ille-et-Vilaine
BeachSillon BeachSaint-Malo · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Malo, the Sillon stretches nearly 3 km of sand between Intra-Muros and Paramé, with a historic sea wall, breakwaters, lifeguarded swimming, restaurants, a shower, drinking water, a kids’ club and two Hippocampe beach wheelchairs in summer.
BeachL’Écluse BeachDinard · 3 hours to a full dayIn the heart of Dinard, L’Écluse combines fine sand, an open-air seawater pool, kids’ clubs, the Wishbone Club, the casino, terraces, summer lifeguards and excellent facilities for disabled visitors.
BeachLongchamp BeachSaint-Lunaire · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Lunaire, Longchamp is the town’s largest beach, facing north-west, known for surfing, lined with managed dunes and a stepped sea wall, with lifeguards in season, a first aid post and a Hippocampe beach wheelchair.
BeachGrande SalinetteSaint-Briac-sur-Mer · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, the Grande Salinette is a west-facing beach of fine sand lined with white beach huts, facing the Château du Nessay, lifeguarded in summer and ideal for families.
BeachAnse du GuesclinSaint-Coulomb · 3 to 5 hours, a full day with the GR34In Saint-Coulomb, the Anse du Guesclin is a large beach of fine sand in front of a dune ridge, with the Fort du Guesclin on its islet, reachable on foot only when the tide allows.
BeachPlage de Port-MerCancale · 3 hours to a full dayIn Cancale, Port-Mer is a large family beach sheltered from the prevailing winds, lined with restaurants and a big water sports centre, with a shower, drinking water, toilets, a kids’ club and a Hippocampe chair.
Only six municipalities share this coastline: the list is short because the coast is too.
Loire-Atlantique
The Bay of La Baule stretches nine kilometres from Pornichet to Le Pouliguen, about five of them continuous beach: one of the longest in Europe, and one of the few where you can swim without looking for shelter. To the west, the wild coast of Le Croisic and Batz-sur-Mer offers the opposite: rocks, coves and westerly wind.
The beaches of Loire-Atlantique
BeachLa Baule BeachLa Baule-Escoublac · 3 hours to a full day, longer to walk the whole bayFrom Pornichet to Le Pouliguen, the bay of La Baule stretches about 9 km of fine sand, with lifeguarded sections, beach clubs, water sports, walks, facilities for disabled visitors and water quality monitored all summer.
BeachPlage de Monsieur HulotSaint-Nazaire · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Marc-sur-Mer, the Monsieur Hulot beach combines sand, a jetty, rocks, a historic hotel, a statue of Jacques Tati, the Blue Flag, summer lifeguards and two Tiralo beach wheelchairs.
BeachPlage des LibrairesPornichet · 3 hours to a full dayIn Pornichet, Les Libraires is a large urban beach lifeguarded in summer, the only beach in Loire-Atlantique with the Handiplage level 4 label, with beach clubs, adapted access and a lively seafront.
BeachPlage de la NoëveillardPornic · 3 hours to a full dayNext to the marina in Pornic, La Noëveillard is a lively urban beach of fine golden sand with historic beach huts, a beach club, the Blue Flag and the Handiplage label.
BeachPlage du NauLe Pouliguen · 3 hours to a full dayBetween the harbour jetty and the town hall of Le Pouliguen, Le Nau is a Blue Flag family beach, lifeguarded in summer and wheelchair accessible, with a Tiralo, showers, toilets, beach clubs, volleyball, beach huts and shore fishing at low tide.
BeachPlage de Port-LinLe Croisic · 2 h 30 to a full dayIn Le Croisic, Port-Lin is the town’s main beach, a sandy cove lined with seaside villas, lifeguarded in season, with a kids’ club, showers, toilets and excellent water quality.
BeachPlage de l’OcéanSaint-Brevin-les-Pins · 3 hours to a full dayIn Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, the Plage de l’Océan offers fine sand, dunes, lifeguarded swimming in July and August, a Tiralo, a Hippocampe chair, a beach club, play areas, a water sports centre, restaurants and free parking.
BeachPlage ValentinBatz-sur-Mer · 3 hours to a full dayIn Batz-sur-Mer, Valentin is the resort’s largest beach, with about 740 m of fine sand, summer lifeguards, places to eat, two toilet blocks, a sailing school, a wheelchair mat and amphibious chairs.
When to swim
The sea reaches its peak in August, around eighteen degrees, and stays at seventeen in September. That is cold if you come from the Mediterranean, and mild if you live here. June and September are the two best months: the days are long, the water has kept its warmth, and the car parks are not full.