Beach
Plage de la Grande Falaise
La Turballe · Loire-Atlantique
South of the port of La Turballe, the Grande Falaise stretches for about 2 km of fine sand, with lifeguarded swimming, toilets, showers, free parking, bike parking and a natural link to Pen Bron.
- Suggested time
- 3 hours to a full day
- Type of place
- Large lifeguarded fine-sand cove south of La Turballe
- Atmosphere
- Family-friendly, vast, natural and relaxed
- Getting there
- Boulevard de la Grande Falaise, La Croix de l’Anse, 44420 La Turballe.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 10/10
- As a couple
- 9/10
- With friends
- 10/10
- Solo
- 9/10
- With a dog
- 5/10
- Reduced mobility
- 7/10
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
The Grande Falaise lies south of La Turballe marina and extends the Plage des Bretons towards Pen Bron. It forms a beautiful cove of fine sand about two kilometres long. Its main appeal is its versatility: big enough for families even in high season, it is also good for walking, running, beach games and long walks to the Pen Bron dunes. A lifeguard post covers a swimming area in season. The beach has a toilet block with showers, free car parks and bike parking. Water quality is described as excellent and stable for several years. Dogs are allowed outside summer but banned from 15 June to 15 September by municipal order. The coastal path easily extends the visit to Pen Bron, whose dunes are protected and part of Natura 2000.
What you will see
- A large fine-sand cove.
Practical information
- Getting there
- Boulevard de la Grande Falaise, La Croix de l’Anse, 44420 La Turballe
- Services
- First-aid post in season, toilets, showers, free parking, bike parking
- Parking
- Can be very busy in July and August and on sunny weekends
- Pets
- Allowed outside the season; banned from 15 June to 15 September
- Accessibility
- Suitable for pushchairs, according to the tourist office
- Lifeguarded swimming
- Lifeguard post in season
- With family
- Very suitable
- Water quality
- Excellent and stable, according to the tourist office
- Tides
- Strong influence; at low tide, a very wide stretch of sand and a long walk; at high tide, the water comes closer to the top of the beach
- Length
- About 2 km
- Activities
- Swimming, walks, running, cycling nearby, beach games, photography
- Safety
- Stay in the lifeguarded area, do not enter the Pen Bron dunes off the paths, watch children on a wide foreshore, check the tide times, respect any water sports areas
- Best time
- With family, during summer lifeguard hours; for calm, early morning; for walking, low tide; for photos, late afternoon
- Photography
- Towards Pen Bron, the top of the beach at low tide, the coastal path; morning or late afternoon light
- Ideal for
- Families, lifeguarded swimming, walking, cycling, lazing, a full day
- Nearby
- Pen Bron, the Plage des Bretons, the port of La Turballe, Le Croisic, the Guérande salt marshes, the Pointe de Pen Bron
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.
- Walk south along the coastal path to the Pen Bron dunes.
- Use the free car parks or come by bike.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of beach is it?
Large lifeguarded fine-sand cove south of La Turballe.
Why come here?
A big, airy family beach, perfect for swimming, walking, cycling and long days by the water, with a direct link to the protected Pen Bron dunes.
How much time should I allow?
3 hours to a full day.
What is the atmosphere like?
Family-friendly, vast, natural and relaxed.
Is the beach lifeguarded?
Yes, there is a lifeguard post in season.
Are dogs allowed?
Outside summer only; they are banned from 15 June to 15 September.
Stay in La Turballe
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Read in the journal
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- DepartmentWhat to do in Loire-AtlantiqueNantes, La Baule, the Guérande salt marshes: the department with the most places in our guide, between the Loire and the Atlantic.
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Traveller reviews
Nobody has reviewed this place yet.
Photographs: Hassane Bourhane · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Jibi44 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

