With its 2700 km of coastline, the region is home to hundreds of beaches with a unique atmosphere: none is like another, so much the diversity of the landscapes is amazing! The tip of Penmarc'h marks the beginning of northern Brittany, stretching to Mont Saint-Michel. Family-friendly, sporty, pretty to eat, here are our 5 favorite beaches.
Beach of the dunes of Sainte-Marguerite (Finistère)
Very white sand, translucent water, islets on the horizon: the tropical illusion is almost perfect. Calm, wild and uncrowded, the dunes of Sainte-Marguerite will delight contemplatives and sportsmen, who will find there an enchanting playground or idleness. The fragile dune ridge planted with marmalade and wild orchids emerges in the middle of a granite coast agitated by a fabulous rocky chaos - the abers Wrac'h and Benoît are very close: in this preserved place, nature is welcoming , and we observe it with happiness.
How to get there ?
From Paris to Brest, count 4 hours by TGV, or in 5h30 by car (then follow Brest-Gouesnou-Bourg-Blanc-Lannilis-Landéda, then the route d'Ar Vourc'h). By bus from Brest, take line 20 to Landéda (1 hour journey to be booked with carsdesabers.com).
Where to eat?
The Vioben , in the port of Aber Wrac'h, for its artisanal fish and especially its lobster.
Le Vioben, 30 Ar Palud, 29870 Landéda. Phone. : 02 98 04 96 77.
To read also: Crozon, Ouessant, Morlaix ... North Finistère, it looks like the South
Sables-d'Or-les-Pins beach (Côtes d'Armor)
The magnificent beaches which follow one another between the famous Cap Fréhel and Pléneuf-Val-André know their apotheosis in Sables-d'Or, which Etienne Daho sings with nostalgia in his hit Tombé pour la France . This vast expanse of blond sand stretches for nearly 3 kilometers in front of the eponymous seaside resort (born in 1920, it was never completed due to the financial crisis ten years later), and forms an astonishing turquoise-colored lagoon which delights great people. and small. The water is particularly clear, the scent of dune vegetation mingles with that of pines, and you can always find a quiet spot to spread out your towel.
How to get there ?
From Paris, in 2h30 by TGV to Saint-Brieuc or Lamballe, then in 25 minutes by car or 1 hour by bus. Parking is in the parking lot in front of the beach.
Where to eat?
La Potinière , a pleasant restaurant by the sea which has recently had a facelift. Chef Denis Froca worked with Olivier Roellinger as well as with Rachel Gesbert in Rennes.
4 allée des Acacias, 22240 Sables-d'Or-les-Pins. Phone. : 02 96 41 54 69.
Read also: Where to go this summer in Brittany? Our ten favorite hotels on the Armorican Peninsula
Sillon Beach (Ille-et-Vilaine)
About 3 km long, Sillon beach is the link between the city center of Saint-Malo Paramé, a seaside district with elegant Malvinas villas from the last century. CRTB / GUILLAUDEAU Donatienne
It's a world in itself, one can spend hours observing as the sea rises and falls. With its 3 kilometers long, this urban but emblematic beach stretches at the foot of the ramparts of Saint-Malo, a vibrant corsair city that we visit all year round: it is a delight for families, groups of teenagers, lovers of snow sports (boarders, kitesurfers and surfers), swimmers, fishermen on foot… and tourists of course. The walk along the superb villas overlooking the seawall is a delight, and you never tire of the view of the fortified islets of the bay, where dozens of sailboats gracefully evolve.
How to get there ?
From Paris, in 2h15 by TGV, or in 3h30 by car. Parking is in the streets around the beach, but is not obvious in summer.
Where to eat?
Le Comptoir Breizh Café , in Saint-Malo. It is not a novelty but we always return with pleasure for its astonishing Japanese pancakes.
The Breizh Café counter, 6 rue de l'orme, 35400 Saint-Malo. Phone. : 02 99 56 96 08.
Read also: 48 hours in Saint-Malo, for the charm and softness of the sea air
Pen Hat Beach (Finistère)
Between Toulinguet and Pen Hir, and facing due west, Pen Hat beach is the most exposed in Camaret-sur-Mer. CRTB / Thibault Poriel
The Crozon peninsula is notably famous for sheltering one of the most beautiful coves in the world: that of the Virgin Island, a true Mediterranean postcard ... Unfortunately closed in 2020 to the public, because its overcrowding weakens it. Very close, the wild Pen Hat beach, in Camaret-sur-Mer, offers a breathtaking alternative, in a more Breton style; the atmosphere is powerfully evocative, with the Toulinguet lighthouse house (1848) and the semaphore which dominate it. Swimming is prohibited there because of the baïnes (at low tide, you can cool off in small natural pools) , but surfers frequent it.
How to get there ?
From Paris to Brest, count 4 hours by TGV then an hour by road to Camaret-sur-Mer, or 6h30 by car in all. From Camaret, follow rue du Toulinguet: 150 meters after the second big bend, take the road on the left, to the car park near the beach.
Where to eat?
Hostellerie de la Mer , the best restaurant on the peninsula. In the kitchen, chef Jacques Frappier, a follower of gourmet regional cuisine.
Hostellerie de la Mer, 11 quai du Fret, 29160 Crozon. Phone. : 02 98 27 61 90.
Read also: From Concarneau to Pont-Aven via the Glénans: our essentials in this end of Finistère
Saint-Guirec Beach (Côtes d'Armor)
Saint-Guirec beach is located in the village of Ploumanac'h, famous for its pink granite rocks. CRTB / BERTHIER Emmanuel
On the sublime Côte de Granit Rose, the village of Ploumanac'h is a must-see. It is absolutely necessary to walk on its Customs path to admire its lighthouse, its manor, and its phantasmagoric granite formations. The small beach of Saint-Guirec offers a harmonious concentration of this coastline straight out of a fairy tale: its 11th century oratory, which bathes in water at high tide, gives it a crazy cachet. In the past, young girls pricked her nose with needles: if they remained planted until the next tide, they were sure to get married within a year!
How to get there ?
From Paris to Lannion, in 3 hours by TGV, or in 5 hours by car. Ploumanac'h, in the town of Perros-Guirec, is 10 km from Lannion. Bus line E allows you to travel between Lannion and Trégastel via Perros-Guirec. Parking near the beach.
Where to eat?
La Maison de Marie , a friendly address for lovers of local dishes; at the adjoining Café, breakfast is served until 11 a.m. and desserts from 4 p.m.
La Maison de Marie, 24 rue Gabriel Vicaire, 22700 Perros-Guirec. Phone. : 02 96 49 05 96.
Read also: Le Castel Beau Site in Perros-Guirec, the expert opinion of Le Figaro
