Beach
Plage de Bonne Source
Pornichet · Loire-Atlantique
In Pornichet, Bonne Source is a long fine-sand beach dotted with rocks, popular for swimming, shore fishing, skimboarding, bodyboarding and the coastal path to Saint-Nazaire.
- Suggested time
- 3 hours to a full day
- Type of place
- Long sand and rock beach, family-friendly and popular for shore fishing
- Atmosphere
- Natural, family-friendly, sporty and peaceful
- Getting there
- Avenue de Bonne Source, 44380 Pornichet. Car parks and bike parking nearby.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 10/10
- As a couple
- 9/10
- With friends
- 10/10
- Solo
- 10/10
- With a dog
- 5/10
- Reduced mobility
- 8/10
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
Bonne Source beach stretches east of the centre of Pornichet, between the Pointe du Bé and the Bel Air club area. It mixes a long strip of fine sand with rocky areas uncovered at low tide. These rocks make Bonne Source a popular shore fishing spot, with mussels, limpets and periwinkles. The beach also attracts skimboarders and bodyboarders. The coastal path laid out on the dunes continues for about fifteen kilometres to Saint-Nazaire. In summer, the beach is lifeguarded and a beach club runs near the first-aid post. The 2026 water monitoring ran from 10 June to 15 September. The 2026 results published were compliant, and the 2025 rating was excellent. The site has showers, drinking water, toilets, a first-aid post and an equipped access to the water. Dogs are banned in summer but allowed on a lead from 15 September to 15 June.
What you will see
- A long fine-sand beach with rocky areas.
- A coastal path to Saint-Nazaire of about 15 km.
Practical information
- Getting there
- Avenue de Bonne Source, 44380 Pornichet; car parks and bike parking nearby
- Services
- First-aid post, beach club (Bel Air), parking nearby, toilets, showers, drinking water
- Parking
- Can be very busy in July and August and on sunny weekends
- Pets
- Banned in summer; allowed on a lead from 15 September to 15 June
- Accessibility
- Accessible with assistance
- Lifeguarded swimming
- Lifeguarded in summer
- Water quality
- Checks from 10 June to 15 September 2026, excellent, published results compliant
- Tides
- Strong influence; at low tide, rocks and foreshore exposed; at high tide, the water is closer
- Activities
- Swimming, shore fishing (mussels, limpets, periwinkles), skimboarding, bodyboarding, walks, jogging, beach club
- Safety
- Follow the first-aid post’s instructions, watch children near the rocks, check shore fishing advice after heavy rain, respect the board sports areas, watch the rising tide
- Best time
- With family, during lifeguard hours; for shore fishing, low tide; for calm, early morning; for walking, all year
- Photography
- The Pointe du Bé, the coastal path, the rocky foreshore, late afternoon
- Ideal for
- Families, shore fishing, skimboarding, bodyboarding, swimming, walks
- Nearby
- The Pointe du Bé, the Château des Tourelles, Sainte-Marguerite, Les Libraires beach, the port of Pornichet
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.
- Come at low tide to go shore fishing on the rocks.
- Walk the coastal path on the dunes towards Saint-Nazaire.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of beach is it?
Long sand and rock beach, family-friendly and popular for shore fishing.
Why come here?
A more natural, less urban beach than Les Libraires, ideal for mixing lifeguarded swimming, shore fishing, board sports and a long coastal walk.
How much time should I allow?
3 hours to a full day.
What is the atmosphere like?
Natural, family-friendly, sporty and peaceful.
Is the beach lifeguarded?
Yes, in summer.
Can I go shore fishing?
Yes, on the rocks at low tide: mussels, limpets and periwinkles.
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Traveller reviews
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Photographs: Voyages etc... · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Gzen92 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons