Beach
Grande Plage de Tharon
Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef · Loire-Atlantique
In Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, the Grande Plage de Tharon stretches for more than a kilometre of fine sand, with summer lifeguards, a Tiralo, a beach club, a water sports centre, sand yachting, shore fishing, toilets and free parking.
- Suggested time
- 3 hours to a full day
- Type of place
- Large Blue Flag family beach, lifeguarded, sporty and wheelchair accessible
- Atmosphere
- Family-friendly, sporty, lively and very Côte de Jade
- Getting there
- Boulevard de l’Océan, Tharon-Plage, 44730 Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef. Free car parks nearby.
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
- 10/10
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 Plage de Tharon is the iconic beach of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef. It stretches for more than a kilometre of fine sand and is large enough to keep some space even on busy summer days. The northern part is reserved for water sports such as sailing, sand yachting, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. The beach is lifeguarded in season and has a first-aid post, a marked swimming zone, toilets, a Tiralo, wheelchair access via a tarmac slope, a beach club in July and August, bars, brasseries and the La Cormorane water sports centre. It holds the Blue Flag and is smoke-free. Shore fishing is popular here: periwinkles, cockles, shrimps and mussels, subject to health rules and quotas. The many parking spaces are free all year. Animals are allowed from mid-September to mid-June under conditions, and banned in the summer season.
What you will see
- More than a kilometre long.
- A large beach of fine sand.
Practical information
- Getting there
- Boulevard de l’Océan, Tharon-Plage, 44730 Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef; free car parks nearby
- Services
- First-aid post, toilets in season, free parking all year, beach club (July and August), bar, water sports centre (La Cormorane), beach hut hire
- Parking
- Can be very busy in July and August and on sunny weekends
- Pets
- Allowed from mid-September to mid-June under conditions; banned in the summer season
- Accessibility
- Wheelchair access, Tiralo
- Lifeguarded swimming
- Lifeguarded in season, marked swimming zone
- With family
- Very well suited
- Water quality
- Regular testing in season
- Tides
- Very strong influence; at low tide, a very large area for shore fishing and sand yachting; at high tide, swimming is closer
- Length
- More than a kilometre
- Activities
- Swimming, sand yachting, sailing, SUP, kayaking, shore fishing, kids’ club
- Safety
- Respect the northern water sports zone, follow the first-aid post’s instructions, watch children on the wide foreshore, check shore fishing alerts, respect the sand yachting zones
- Best time
- With family, during summer lifeguard cover; low tide; for shore fishing, spring tides after checking the health rules; for photos, late afternoon
- Photography
- The Pêcherie Bleue, the top of the beach, the dunes from authorised access points; sunset light
- Ideal for
- Families, people with reduced mobility, sand yachting, sailing, SUP, kayaking, shore fishing
- Nearby
- The Pêcherie Bleue, the centre of Tharon-Plage, Gohaud, Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef
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.
- Check the health alerts before shore fishing.
- Photograph the Pêcherie Bleue at sunset.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of beach is it?
Large Blue Flag family beach, lifeguarded, sporty and wheelchair accessible.
Why come here?
The big family and sporty beach of the Côte de Jade, very complete for a full day thanks to its services, its Blue Flag, its water sports and its accessibility.
How much time should I allow?
3 hours to a full day.
What is the atmosphere like?
Family-friendly, sporty, lively and very Côte de Jade.
Is swimming lifeguarded?
Yes, in season, with a marked swimming zone.
Are dogs allowed?
From mid-September to mid-June under conditions; they are banned in summer.
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Traveller reviews
Nobody has reviewed this place yet.
Photographs: Zeisterre · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons