Brittany is the second most popular beach destination for French holidays after the Mediterranean, even surpassing Normandy. But with more than 2,000 kilometers of coastline, you can always get away from the crowds of visitors who come here on vacation.
Brittany has everything you could wish for: long white sand beaches, rocky coves lined with small pools of fish and shellfish, while a coastline of cliffs drops dramatically on the waves of the sea. It is known for some of the best and freshest fish and seafood restaurants among the French seaside resorts. Brittany is perfect for a summer vacation, but it’s also a wonderfully romantic stretch of coastline during winter, when waves hit the shoreline and stories of shipwrecks and smugglers come to mind.
Bretons are deeply independent, a people with a strong Celtic culture. They are proud of the beaches of Brittany. You will find the best place for a vacation to get away from it all.
Here is a guide map of the best beaches in Brittany that stretch along the coast. Start with the rocky headlands in Northern Cap Brittany, such as Cap d’Erquy, where the cliffs plunge into the sea. Next, visit surfing beaches to the west and south before heading to the more sheltered bays in the south of the Quiberon Peninsula.
Cap d’Erquy
To the west of Saint-Malo and east of St-Brieuc, in northern Brittany, Cap d’Erquy is a small stretch of coastline with nine beaches. It is rugged and beautiful, with pink sandstone cliffs that plunge into the sea. It is also a nature reserve, so there are plenty of local flora and fauna for walkers along the coast. For many, Cap d’Erquy sums up Brittany.
If you are there with your family, try the protected Plage de Caroual; If you are feeling adventurous, walk along the cliff where you will discover the trails that go down through the pines and gorse to small hidden beaches. The Cap d’Erquy is well known to the French, although curiously ignored by many other nationalities.
Bay of Lannion
Along the charming and precise Pink Granite Coast, you will find the Baie de Lannion beach known as the Grand Plage of Goas Lagorn, protected enough for families with young children. Keep them happy with a number of activities, from windsurfing to kayaking. The stretch of beach stretches along the North Brittany Cap between the Celtic towns of Lannion and Trébeurden.
Meneham
Directly west of Roscoff, you reach Ménéham via a single track road north of Kerlouan. The cliff top village is an extraordinary site with its stone houses built between huge rocks that make the place look like a maniacal fight between two giants in northern Finisterre. You can go up to the rocky beach or drive to Brignogan-Plages to the east.
Audierne Bay
On the west coast of Finistere, at Pointe du Raz, the Bay of Audierne is a 30-kilometer-long spit of land, which rises at the extreme south end. The westernmost beach, the Baie des Trépassés, feels like the end of the world. Looking out onto the Ile de Sein, then beyond, this seems to be the perfect spot for surfers riding the long Atlantic waves.
Wild side
The Quiberon Peninsula is a glorious long, sandy stretch that juts out into the ocean. In Saint-Pierre-Quiberon you will find the two beaches of Penthièvre Plages. The west-looking beach facing the might of the Atlantic is the place for adventurers. La Grande Plage, which stretches between Plouharnel and Penthièvre on the east side, is perfect if you want to sail on the sand. Facing the Bay of Quiberon, this part of southern Brittany is also ideal for families. The boardwalk that runs between the two beaches has many shops and restaurants for that break after swimming.
Beautiful island
Take the ferry from Quiberon to Belle-Ile, the largest island in Brittany and famous for its associations with The Three Musketeers and Dumas’ The Man in the Iron Mask. It is a beautiful place with wonderful beaches, particularly les Grand Sables which faces east towards France. There are some small towns: fortified Le Palais, Sauzon and the interior of Bangor.
La Baule-Escaoublac
Facing Belle-Île but a little further south on the Guerande peninsula, La Baule-Escoublac is particularly popular with a long white sand beach that stretches the entire length of the Baie de la Baule. There are many opportunities for various sports, including fast and furious jet ski rides.
