Shhh…the Best Beaches in Brittany (From a Local’s Viewpoint)

We love Brittany for lots of things, but the quality of the beaches in Brittany is truly second to none. From quiet secluded bays to bustling tourist hotspots, the best beaches in Brittany are all favourites to different people for different reasons. Here are our personal favourite beaches in Brittany’s Finistere so that you too might be able to enjoy this blissful coastal haven with the advantageous knowledge only a local would know…

Our holiday accommodation at Pont Aven makes the ideal base for exploring the local beaches. At the end of the day, you can come home, freshen up, and walk to one of the many fine restaurants.

The Best Beaches in Brittany

Some of the most beautiful beaches are to be found in Finistére Sud. The waters are often calm and warm and stretching for kilometres it is always possible to find your own private creek even in the height of summer.

Tahiti Plage

Best For: White Sand and Blue Sea

Why: A glorious long sandy beach with lovely views and tranquil waters.  The name says it all, but it is perhaps its’ connection to Gauguin and his connections to the area around Pont Aven that led to it being named Tahiti. Not far from our holiday apartments at Kermaria in Pont Aven. This beach is a firm favourite. Backed by pines and wide enough to feel spacious even in the busiest seasons. The sand is soft and very nearly white, and the sea so often sparkles turquoise.

Rospico, Nevez

Best For: Families, the calm waters, and easy going atmosphere

Why: This beach is a jewel with its’ deep sandy bay and nestled between the low cliffs, this is a firm favourite for lazy summer days and early evening dips. The restaurant overlooking the beach is a great place for an evening apero, or dine and watch the sun go down.

La Pointe de Trevignon

Best For: Watching sunsets, turquoise waters, and finding your own creek between the rocky outcrops.

Why: There are endless bays and white sand inlets, punctuated by beautiful granite rocks either side of the Pointe de Trevignon. The perfect beaches to watch the sunset and maybe slip into one of the nearby restaurants or bars for a glass of rosé and a bite to eat to round off the day.

Plage De Kerrou

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best For: Family Friendly and Surf Classes

Why: Beautiful sandy beach on the southern coast of Finistere, family friendly and gently shelving, with interesting rock formations. There is surf school when the waves are up.

 

Baie des Trepasses

Best For: The views

Why: Coined ‘the beach at the end of the world’, this is one of Brittany’s most beautiful beaches with awe-inspiring views stretching as far as the eye can see. Baie des Trespasses is surrounded on each side by the stunning coastal scenery of the Pointe du Raz and Pointe du Van. This beautiful bay is a favourite with surfers who covet the good beachbreak with long rides and easy waves for all abilities that stretch right across the bay.

Plage de Theolen

Best For: Rockpooling
Why: This little bay is the epitome of what a beach should look like; sheltered rocky outcrops, golden sand and a small traditional 100 year old buvette (mini French bistro) serving up hot and cold drinks and simple snacks to satiate hungry tummies after a day at the beach. Children will love coming here to explore the mini-universes to be found in the numerous rockpools all year around.

Pors Peron

Best For: Privacy
Why: Pors Peron is a beautiful unspoilt sandy cove which overlooks the bay of Douarnenez. Set in an area of natural beauty, Pors Peron beach is safe for swimming, and there are also opportunities for bodyboarding when the tides are right. During low tide the water tends to be calmer and safer, but this gorgeous secluded cove will prove a favourite, and is the perfect place to enjoy a scrumptious family picnic whilst enjoying your seaside holiday in Brittany!

Saint Tugen

Best For: Surf!
Why: This is easily the best beach break around and is less crowded than other breaks in the Baie d’Audierne. The swell is huge so take care if swimming (and the currents can be strong too), but the Saint Tugen beach is lifeguarded in the summer time so it is protected and flagged. The golden sand and turquoise waters makes this beach an absolute favourite of ours.

St Evette

Best For: Watersports
Why: If getting out and exploring the local area atop the water is your thing, St Evette is one of the best beaches in Brittany for watersports. Whether you want to try sailing, windsurfing, kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, this gently sloping beach has the best conditions for on-the-water activities, and has a scattering of snack bars too.  This gorgeous beach is also the departure point for the Ile de Sein which lays 5 miles off the Pointe du Raz and is arguably Brittany’s most unusual island (because it’s entirely flat!).

Lostmarc’h

Best For: Location
Why: We’ve visited our fair share of beaches over the years, but Lostmarc’h is easily one of our favourite in the whole world. Set in stunning coastal scenery, Lostmarc’h beach is a beautiful sandy beach which is totally unspoilt and boasting great surf to boot. Limited parking means it never gets crowded, and it is popular with surfers, the odd naturist and families. It is one of those beaches where you truly feel like you have escaped!

Plage de L’ile Vierge

Best For: Natural beauty
Why: Once ranked ‘7^th Most Beautiful Beach in Europe’, and in the world’s top 20, Plage de L’ile Vierge’ boasts high white cliffs and pristine turquoise waters which glimmer in the sunlight, making this gorgeous beach entirely befitting of its title (but we think first would be more apt!). Pine trees frame a perfect secluded bay and the steep climb down is rewarded by a sublime Mediterranean experience without all the crowds. One the best beaches in Brittany without a doubt…

La Torche

Best For: A kaleidoscope of flowers
Why: La Torche is the end of Audierne Bay and the longest beach in the area. La Torche is one of the most well-known surfing spots in Brittany and waves here are the most consistent in the area. The rip current to the left of the beach makes it easy to get out to the back and surfers revel in the great conditions all year round. Windsurfing and surf competitions are often held here and it is also easy to book surf lessons, should the mood take you. It is also one of the best places to come in mid-winter to watch the sea at its most wild and stormy. In late March and early April the fields behind are ablaze with the colour of tulips and hyacinths. This area is still low key and authentic, and a definite ‘must visit’ when on holiday in Brittany!

Benodet

Best For: Sunshine and cocktails
Why: Benodet is infamous as a Breton beach destination and is a firm family favourite. Almost a perfect crescent of golden sand is backed by a wooden boardwalk with ice cream shops and restaurants. Even though Benodet is probably the busiest beach on this stretch of coastline, it remains a small and charming tourist centre and we are sure the sun shines here all year round! Try a cocktail from the bar of the Alhambra or cross the river to the Cafe de la Cale for a local favourite and a view to die for! Benodet beach is also the start point for boat trips up the River Odet, or out to the Glenan Islands and yet more splendid beaches.

Ile Tudy

Best For: Warm waters
Why: This sheltered beach has reputedly got the warmest waters of the area. Calm, gently shelving, and south facing it is ideal for those first forays into the sea for those not accustomed to the cooler waters of the Breton coastline. The village of Ile-Tudy has a host of bars and cafes for refreshments, and the footpath behind the beach stretches all the way to Sainte Marine. This beautiful family beach in Brittany, with its fine sand and turquoise sea, has lifeguards in summer and there are showers and a car park nearby. It’s the perfect family beach!