The 25+ Best Brittany Beaches

By | Last Updated:

Set on the extreme northwestern corner of France, Brittany is unsurprisingly rugged in places. However, this is only part of the story, and with over 700 miles of coastline there is a wonderful variety of beaches to choose from. Whether you are looking for the ideal family friendly beach holiday or to explore uncrowded surf spots Brittany's shores are well worth a visit.

In the north-west you will find deserted, hidden sandy coves nestled amongst the craggy granite. Further south there are wide white sand beaches stretching for miles and sheltered estuary-side beaches backed by picturesque villages.

  • 1. Plage de L'ile Vierge // Finistère

    Plage de L'ile Vierge
    © Frédérique Voisin-Demery / CC BY

    Quite possibly the most stunning beach in Brittany, if not France, Plage de L'ile Vierge was once voted the "7th Most Beautiful beach in Europe". Set on the sheltered eastern side of Brittany's Crozon Peninsula the beach here is mostly pebbles backed by high white cliffs to which pine trees cling. The water here is a crystal clear turquoise - unfortunately it's about as cold as it looks! This… read more »

  • 2. St Malo Grande Plage // Ille-et-Vilaine

    St Malo Grande Plage
    © Pline / CC BY

    Stretching from the Intra Muros (walled town) to Pointe de Rochebonne the aptly named "Big beach" consists of over 2 kilometres of gently sloping golden sand. This north facing beach can be divided up into several sections, the longest, and most popular of which is the Plage du Sillon which backs onto St Malo itself. Further along, at Parame is the Plage la Hoguette followed by Plage de Rochebonne at the… read more »

  • 3. Baie de Trépassés // Finistère

    Baie de Trépassés
    charlotteinaustralia
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    The beautiful unspoilt beach of Baie de Trépassés is tucked away behind the rugged Pointe du Raz, France's most westerly point. These jagged 70 metre cliffs not only provide a stunning backdrop but help protect the beach from the south-westerly winds. However, there is no getting away from the fact this is an exposed beach which often faces the full wrath of the Atlantic Ocean. The wide sandy beach is flanked by… read more »

  • 4. Plage de Morgat // Finistère

    Plage de Morgat
    GFreihalter

    Set on a sheltered section of the picturesque Crozon peninsula, the wide golden sand Plage de Morgat is one of the finest in Finistère. The beach is backed by the popular little holiday town of the same name. Once a sardine port, the village of Morgat grew into an elegant seaside resort over the 19th century and many fine beachfront buildings still exist from this period.

    The beach itself is over… read more »

  • 5. Lostmarc'h // Finistère

    Lostmarc'h
    © Louboutinj / CC BY

    This sandy, Atlantic facing beach sits on the Crozon Peninsula barely a kilometer away from the Plage de L'ile Vierge on the opposite coast, yet the beaches could hardly be more different. You won't find any shelter from the ocean swells here and there are no trees to the back of the beach, just windswept dunes and heather strewn cliffs.

    Lostmarc'h is well known as a surf spot, picking up… read more »

  • 6. Plage Baluden // Morbihan

    Plage Baluden
    © Frédérique Voisin-Demery / CC BY

    The Plage Baluden is located on the south coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer in the same bay as the bigger Plage d'Herlin. The beach here is somewhat smaller than its neighbour but arguably even prettier. Fine golden sand and clear blue water with gently sloping gassy dunes to the rear.

    Sheltered by rocky outcrops to either side this little cove is sheltered from much of the wind and waves. However, the currents on… read more »

  • 7. La Plage Saint Guirec // Côtes-d'Armor

    La Plage Saint Guirec
    Great for:
    • Swimming

    Saint Guirec Beach in Ploumanac'h, one of France's most attractive villages, has a length of around 200 metres (700 feet) and a depth that makes it more than just a ribbon of fine golden sand. Dotted with large boulders which typify the region's coastline, it has a good balance between tranquil seclusion and access to facilities that make it a family favourite.

    While popular with bird watchers and hikers, it's also… read more »

  • 8. Île-Tudy // Finistère

    Île-Tudy

    Set just across the River Odet from the popular beach resort of Bénodet is this great crescent of white sand beach, backed by low dunes and lapped by clear blue ocean. Stretching nearly 5km from the upmarket yachty village of Sainte Marine to the sleepy seaside village of Île-Tudy this is well known as one of the best family friendly beaches in Brittany.

    The ample sand here gently slopes into… read more »

  • 9. Plage de Pen Hat // Finistère

    Plage de Pen Hat
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    The beach of Pen Hat is one of the most exposed on the Crozon Peninsula. Facing directly into the full force of the Atlantic Ocean the rolling waves can be very impressive. Whilst this is often great news for the surfers it adds to the beaches already dangerous reputation for swimming. In fact bathing here is prohibited due to the presence of what are locally referred to as "baïnes" - these… read more »

  • 10. Plage de l'Écluse - Dinard // Ille-et-Vilaine

    Plage de l'Écluse - Dinard
    © chisloup / CC BY

    The seaside resort of Dinard still retains much of its belle-époque charm leading to it being referred to as the "pearl of the Emerald Coast" by some. Dotted with literally hundreds of elegant turn-of-the-century villas and a number of grand hotels the town makes a fantastic backdrop to some wonderful sandy beaches.

    Of Dinard's four main beaches it is the Plage de l'Écluse that stands out. A broad crescent of gently sloping sand, this… read more »

  • 11. Plage du Môle - St Malo // Ille-et-Vilaine

    Plage du Môle - St Malo

    Plage du Mole is the southernmost of St Malo's beaches. The name comes from the french word for breakwater (not the small furry animal) and the beach sits in the shelter of the Mole des Noires jetty which protects the entrance to the main harbour behind. There are good views across the bay towards Dinard less than 1 km away.

    This small sandy beach is seperated from neighbouring Plage de Bon… read more »

  • 12. Plage d'Herlin // Morbihan

    Plage d'Herlin
    © Patrice78500 / CC BY

    The sandy cove of Plage d'Herlin lies on the south coast of the island of Belle Île. It was formed by the confluence of three river valleys and is now a beautiful beach protected from the wind by low cliffs to all sides.

    Plage d'Herlin is a popular family beach and does get reasonably busy during the summer holidays. There is usually plenty of room though and the beach manages to retain some… read more »

  • 13. Plage de Kloukoury // Finistère

    Plage de Kloukoury

    This secluded little beach is backed by the extensive sand dunes of Sainte Marguerite in Landéda. It sits towards the end of the Penn Enez headland and is almost always quiet. 

    Despite the lack of crowds this is a beautiful sandy crescent of sand backed by the gently sloping grassy dunes. There are views out over the numerous rocky islands that sit off the coast here. It is also a great spot to… read more »

  • 14. Plage de la Torche // Finistère

    Plage de la Torche
    Schorle
    Great for:
    • Fishing
    • Surfing
    • Kitesurfing

    Situated on one of the most westerly headlands in mainland France, La Torche takes the full impact of the Atlantic weather. This wide, open crescent of fine sand is particularly windswept and has a truly wild feel to it with just sand dunes and fields beyond.

    With all the wind and waves that batter the beach at La Torche it is perhaps unsurprising it is one of the premiere windsurf spots… read more »

  • 15. La Palue // Finistère

    La Palue
    Jeanne Menjoulet
    Great for:
    • Surfing

    Loved by those seeking out the wilder reaches of France's Atlantic coast, Plage de la Palue lies on the western side of Brittany's Crozon Peninsula, close to its southernmost point of Cape de la Chèvre. Its wide expanse of yellow sand provides a powerful contrast to the crisp blues of the Atlantic, and the low cliffs that book end either side of the beach and create an atmosphere of seclusion.

    Facing… read more »