Your trip to Brittany is just around the corner. But where are you going to take a dip? Here’s a rundown of Brittany’s most beautiful beaches!
The Brittany region is coveted for its seascapes, its famous gastronomy and, of course, its long beaches. So the question is: what are the most beautiful beaches in Brittany? How can you make the most of a holiday in Brittany without spending some time by the water? If the weather permits – and it happens more often than the cliché of a rainy Brittany suggests – take some time out to visit the beaches. Sink your toes into the Breton sand, sometimes fine, sometimes thick, and let them taste the salt water, sometimes warm, sometimes icy.
Some of Brittany’s beaches are also home to unique flora and fauna, from rare seabirds to sometimes invasive seaweed. That’s what makes this region so charming. As well as its colors, rocky reefs, steep cliffs and even sea spray. It’s a region with a lot to offer, starting with the beauty of its beaches. Are you ready to discover our selection of the most beautiful beaches in Brittany?
1. Pointe de la Torche (Finistère)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – C. Nass
Pointe de la Torche is a beach in Brittany that’s well worth a visit. If other places are sheltered from the wind, this is not the case. As a result, you’ll be able to watch magnificent waves, surfers, kitesurfers and windsurfers. But it’s still a pleasant place to swim and relax. With its fine sand, dunes and uninterrupted views over a clear horizon, Pointe de la Torche has it all!
Also, in spring, discover the multicolored tulips blooming by the thousands in the surrounding fields.
2. Saint-Michel beach and the montiers (Côtes-d’Armor)
Photo credit: Wikipedia – Jmhullot
In addition to its stretches of fine sand, the heavenly colors of its water and its granite rocks, Saint-Michel beach has a nice surprise in store: an islet.
Accessible at low tide via a pebble path, the islet of Saint-Michel adds an extra touch of character to this Brittany beach. Spend a quiet moment before venturing out onto the islet. That said, beware of the rising tide! If you ever find yourself stranded, warn and wait for help, and don’t take any unnecessary risks.
3. Sillon beach Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Oleg Anisimov
It forms the Grande plage with the Hoguette and Rochebonne beaches. While its proximity to the road may bother some, the fact remains that the Sillon beach is magnificent. Indeed, at low tide, its length is almost as great as its width.
What’s more, it overlooks the city’s waterfront and the old town of Saint-Malo, a local tourist landmark. Summer or winter, there are beaches in Brittany that are always crowded, and this is one of them.
4. Mine d’Or beach (Morbihan)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – David Eims
Without doubt, the most attractive colors of the Morbihan coastline can be found on this beach. In fact, the cliffs that line the beach range in color from ochre to gold, hence the beach’s name. It’s worth noting that these cliffs were the fruit of high hopes, and were therefore exploited as gold mines in the 19th century.
Closed due to insufficient yield, they are now home to this beautiful two-kilometer-long beach in Brittany, whose charm is best revealed at sunset.
5. Île Vierge beach (Finistère)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – andre quinou
Certainly the wildest cove on the Crozon peninsula, the Ile Vierge beach is a must-see. With its natural colors, white pebbles and pine trees, you’d think you were in the south of France, in a Mediterranean cove. But you’re actually on a beach in Brittany!
Access is more difficult by land than by sea, giving it an added attraction as a coastal treasure.
Please note : the beach is closed until further notice, so check before you go.
6. La Comtesse beach (Côtes-d’Armor)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – gdela
Bordered by the Île de la Comtesse to its left, this long beach in Brittany has an unmistakable charm thanks to the cabins that line it. It’s also famous for the white fences along its edges. It’s the ideal place to relax and enjoy the marine atmosphere of Saint-Quay-Portrieux.
The more adventurous can reach the Pointe du Sémaphore on foot, from the beach and rocks, or by following part of the GR®34.
7. Grands Sables beach (Morbihan)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Pascale Gueret
As well as being the longest beach on the Ile de Groix, it has a number of special features that make it one of the most beautiful in Brittany.
Firstly, it’s not shaped like a trough, like most beaches, but like a hump. This is due to two inverted ocean currents that run along the coastline. Secondly, it has two different types of sand: « classic » white and red, due to the garnet in the grains. A very pleasant beach, it’s quite busy in summer.
8. Treac’h Er Goured beach (Morbihan)
Photo credit: Wikimedia – rene boulay
It is located on theisland of Houat, itself part of the Morbihan region.
Plage du Gouret, better known by its Breton name Treac’h Er Goured, is the island’s most popular beach. And its beauty is matched only by its length. In fact, two kilometers of fine sand stretch out, bordered by a green dune, protecting the beach from the wind. Very quiet, it’s an ideal place to relax and have a good time.
9. Bon Secours beach (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Valery Rokhin
Located at the foot of the ramparts of Saint-Malo, Bon Secours beach is a veritable paradise. It features a natural seawater pool and diving board, accessible even at low tide.
You can also discover the islet of Grand Bé, where the writer Chateaubriand is buried, and Petit Bé, with its 17th-century fort.
We recommend access at low tide. In addition to all this, enjoy the city at the end of the day!
10. Trévignon beach (Finistère)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – carlos martin diaz
On the outskirts of the Pointe de Trévignon lies the beach of the same name. A long stretch of fine sand, Trévignon beach is a true paradise on Earth. It’s the ideal place to spend a good time, enjoy the peace and quiet of the surrounding countryside and take in some color.
Windsurfers and kitesurfers will be delighted, as the wind off the tip of Finistère can pull them along without too many problems. And don’t hesitate to venture as far as Château de Trévignon, just a stone’s throw away.
11. Coz-Pors beach (Côtes-d’Armor)
Photo credit: Shutterstock – Andrea Einaudi
It’s one of Brittany’s beaches that epitomizes the Pink Granite Coast, one of the most beautiful places in France.
Immense granite boulders are scattered along the golden sandy shoreline… but also in the water. These are accessible at low tide, for the more curious among you. The beach at Coz-Porz is perfect for relaxing, picnicking with the family and discovering the many secrets of the granite rocks.
12. Herlin beach (Morbihan)
Photo Credit: Flickr -(vincent desjardins)
Belle-Île-en-Mer lives up to the poetry sung by Laurent Voulzy.
Cliffs, green, sandy, rocky stretches and wild nature are all there for the taking. For a little bit of paradise, we invite you to visit Plage d’Herlin, one of Brittany’s most beautiful beaches. Here, you’ll find crystal-clear turquoise waters, fine sand and protective cliffs. A veritable jewel-case carved into a bay, it’s a must-see on the Breton island.
13. Ile Saint-Nicolas beach (Finistère)
Photo credit: Wikipedia – Vberger
How can we rank Brittany’s most beautiful beaches without mentioning the Glénan Archipelago? A true paradise, the Glénan Archipelago boasts many idyllic spots, including beaches and waters the color of a tropical lagoon.
Among them, the beach on Île Saint-Nicolas stands out for its beauty. Cut into two pieces, but linked by a fine sandbank, this beach is a postcard in itself. Just be sure to tell your recipients that you’re in Brittany and not the Seychelles !
So what are you waiting for to discover the beaches of Brittany?