Beach
Plage de Pen Bron
La Turballe · Loire-Atlantique
In La Turballe, Pen Bron extends the Grande Falaise beach to the Pointe de Pen Bron, with fine sand, Conservatoire du littoral dunes, a Blue Flag, free parking and no lifeguard.
- Suggested time
- 2 h 30 to a full day
- Type of place
- Large natural beach without lifeguards at the foot of a protected dune area
- Atmosphere
- Natural, dune-backed, calm and protected
- Getting there
- Pen Bron, 44420 La Turballe. Free parking and access via the coastal path or the cycle path.
Who this place suits
- With family
- 7/10
- As a couple
- 10/10
- With friends
- 9/10
- Solo
- 10/10
- With a dog
- 5/10
- Reduced mobility
- 6/10
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
Pen Bron beach directly extends the Grande Falaise to the south-west, up to the entrance of the Pointe de Pen Bron. It runs along a vast protected dune area owned by the Conservatoire du littoral. Here the setting grows wilder: maritime pines, dunes, sand and the coastal path shape the landscape. Water quality is rated excellent and stable for several years, and the beach holds the Blue Flag. Pen Bron is not lifeguarded. It does have free parking, bike parking and pushchair access. Animals are allowed outside the season but banned from 15 June to 15 September. Picking plants on the dune is forbidden, and visitors must stay on the footpaths to protect the flora. The beach is a great extension to a day in La Turballe, or a destination in its own right for lovers of wide open spaces.
What you will see
- A large beach of fine sand.
- The Pen Bron dunes.
Practical information
- Getting there
- Pen Bron, 44420 La Turballe; free parking and access via the coastal path or the cycle path
- Services
- 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
- Pushchair access
- Lifeguarded swimming
- Not lifeguarded
- With family
- Possible only with extra vigilance
- Water quality
- Excellent and stable for several years
- Tides
- Strong influence; at low tide, a very wide beach for walking; at high tide, swimming is closer to the dunes
- Activities
- Careful swimming, walking, cycling, photography, nature watching, picnics
- Safety
- No lifeguard, stay on the dune paths, pick nothing in the protected area, watch children at all times, check the wind and swell before swimming
- Best time
- For calm, early morning; for walking, low tide; for photos, late afternoon, spring and September
- Photography
- The dune from authorised paths, the beach towards the headland, the coastal path; late-afternoon light
- Ideal for
- Calm, walking, cycling, photography, nature, picnics
- Nearby
- The Pointe de Pen Bron, the Grande Falaise, Le Croisic, La Turballe harbour, the Guérande salt marshes, the Traict du Croisic
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 by bike along the cycle path.
- Stay on the footpaths to protect the dunes.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of beach is it?
Large natural beach without lifeguards at the foot of a protected dune area.
Why come here?
La Turballe’s nature beach, ideal for long walks, cycling, photography and calm, in a protected dune area where preserving the site comes before facilities.
How much time should I allow?
2 h 30 to a full day.
What is the atmosphere like?
Natural, dune-backed, calm and protected.
Is swimming lifeguarded?
No, Pen Bron is not lifeguarded.
Are dogs allowed?
Outside the season only: they are banned from 15 June to 15 September.
Stay in La Turballe
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Traveller reviews
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Photograph: Jibi44 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons