Beach
Plage du Portuais
Erquy · Côtes-d’Armor
In the heart of the protected Cap d’Erquy site, Le Portuais is a wild beach about 300 m long, reached after a walk on the trails, with no facilities, loved for its peace, swimming and shore fishing.
- Suggested time
- 2 to 4 hours including the walk
- Type of place
- Small wild beach on Cap d’Erquy, reached on foot
- Atmosphere
- Wild, secret, peaceful and typical of Cap d’Erquy
- Getting there
- Cap d’Erquy, 22430 Erquy. On foot along the trails of the protected site, with no direct road access to the beach.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 5/10
- As a couple
- 10/10
- With friends
- 8/10
- Solo
- 10/10
- With a dog
- 1/10
- Reduced mobility
- 1/10
These scores are calculated from what the page records: official rating, facilities, difficulty, duration and location. They are a guide, not a substitute for contacting the venue, especially about accessibility.
About
Le Portuais is hidden in the heart of the protected Cap d’Erquy site. The town itself points out that its wild status partly comes from its less obvious access: you have to walk and scramble to reach this ribbon of sand about 300 metres long. Once there, the setting is remarkably unspoilt, among heathland, pink sandstone and coastal paths. The beach is used for swimming and shore fishing, but no facilities are listed in its bathing profile. Water quality is monitored by the town and the ARS. Pets are not allowed. Since 2024, metal detectors have been banned and all Erquy beaches are smoke-free.
What you will see
- A wild sandy beach.
Practical information
- Getting there
- Cap d’Erquy, 22430 Erquy; on foot along the trails of the protected site, with no direct road access to the beach
- Services
- Parking only at the start of the trail
- Parking
- Can be very busy in July and August and on sunny weekends
- Pets
- Not allowed
- Accessibility
- Not suitable for pushchairs
- Lifeguarded swimming
- No first-aid post
- With family
- Not well suited to young children, given the access and lack of services
- Water quality
- Monitored by the ARS and the town in 2026
- Tides
- Very strong influence; at low tide, a foreshore good for shore fishing; at high tide, less beach
- Length
- About 300 m
- Activities
- Careful swimming, shore fishing, hiking, photography, lazing
- Rules
- Smoke-free beach; metal detectors banned since 2024
- Safety
- No lifeguards, the walk in requires good shoes, watch the rising tide, do not eat shellfish without a health check, bring water and be self-sufficient
- Best time
- For calm, the morning; for walking, dry weather; for shore fishing, low tide with a safety margin; for photos, mid-tide
- Photography
- The path above the beach, the rocky ends, the top of the access path; late afternoon light
- Ideal for
- Peace and quiet, couples, hiking, careful swimming, shore fishing, photography
- Nearby
- Cap d’Erquy, Lourtuais, the Lac Bleu, the port of Erquy, the Plage du Centre, the GR34
Tips on the spot
- Check the tide times before you go, and download them for offline use.
- Check the marine weather, swell and wind.
- Read the signs at the entrance and respect the flags and instructions.
- Choose the lifeguarded area when there is one, and do not overestimate your swimming level.
- Watch children at all times, and set a family meeting point.
Show 7 more tipsHide
- Check the water quality in season, and do not swim if there is a ban.
- Arrive early in July and August; June and September are quieter.
- Use sun cream even when the sky is hazy, and keep a windproof layer.
- Respect the dunes and vegetation, and take all your litter home.
- If in doubt about conditions, do not swim.
- Wear good shoes and bring water: there are no services.
- Combine the beach with a walk around Cap d’Erquy and the Lac Bleu.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of beach is it?
Small wild beach on Cap d’Erquy, reached on foot.
Why come here?
A beach you have to earn, ideal for those looking for peace in the heathland of Cap d’Erquy, but with no first-aid post, no services and a more physical access than the town beaches.
How much time should I allow?
2 to 4 hours including the walk.
What is the atmosphere like?
Wild, secret, peaceful and typical of Cap d’Erquy.
How do I get to the beach?
On foot only, along the trails of the protected Cap d’Erquy site.
Are there any facilities?
No, there are no services or first-aid post: bring water.
See also the beaches in Erquy.
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Read in the journal
- RankingThe most beautiful beaches in Côtes-d’ArmorSaint-Guirec and Trestraou in Perros-Guirec, Coz-Pors, the Plage Bonaparte, Val-André and Cap d’Erquy: our selection of the most beautiful beaches in Côtes-d’Armor.
- DepartmentWhat to do in Côtes-d’ArmorThe Pink Granite Coast, Cap Fréhel, Bréhat: the most photographed department in Brittany, and what you really see there.
- ChristmasWhat to do in Côtes-d’Armor during the Christmas holidaysDinan in winter, scallops, the birds of the bay and Cap Fréhel in the wind: our ideas for the 2026 Christmas holidays in Côtes-d’Armor.
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Photographs: Thérèse Gaigé · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons