Beach Houses in France

Table of Contents

• At a glance: What should you know about renting a beach house in France?
• Beach houses in France: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring France: our top recommendations
• Activities: What are the top things to do and see in France?

• Coast-to-coast choice: Beach houses stretch from the Atlantic dunes of the Landes and Vendée to the Mediterranean shore, with Normandy and the Opal Coast in between.
• Space and gardens: Most sleep four to twelve guests and come with a garden or terrace, barbecue facilities and, on around a quarter of properties, a private pool.
• Pick your coastline: Surf and pine forest in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, tidal drama in Brittany and Normandy, warm swimming and long summers on the Côte d'Azur and in Corsica.
• Guests rate them highly: Our best-reviewed coastal stays sit at 9.8+ and above, praised for sea views, quiet villages and generous outdoor space.
• Plenty to do: Cross the sands to Mont-Saint-Michel, ride the Île de Ré cycle paths, land-sail in Brittany or kayak the Verdon Gorge inland from the Riviera.

France's beach houses range from timber-clad Atlantic cabins behind the Landes dunes to whitewashed Mediterranean houses with shuttered terraces, and from granite fishermen's houses in Brittany to airy family houses along the Vendée. Many sleep six or more, so they suit two families travelling together, and they sit alongside holiday homes across France, beach cottages and beach villas if you want something smaller or grander. Comfort levels are high and kitchens are properly equipped for self-catering. The features guests look for most are consistent right around the coast.

• Enclosed garden or sun terrace with barbecue
• Sea, dune or estuary views from the living space
• Private pool, as on our holiday homes with a pool
• Bike storage, surfboard racks and outdoor showers
• Wi-Fi, washing machine and parking on site

Beach access is usually a short walk or a five-minute drive, depending on the stretch of coast.

What are the best areas to stay in France?

For long sandy beaches and reliable surf, the Landes and Basque coast is hard to beat, while the sheltered island beaches of Île de Ré suit families with young children. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying on the French coast consistently mention three things: how much outdoor space they get for the money, how quiet the villages feel once the day trippers leave, and how close the water is. Ratings of 9.8+ are common along the Channel and Atlantic coasts, where hosts often live nearby and hand over local tips on tide times, markets and the best beach for the day's wind direction.

Here are our top-rated coastal places to stay in France from the past year:

1. Ile d'Er - 9.9+: Sleeps six near the Jaudy estuary at Kerbors in Bretagne, with a large garden and the north Brittany coast path minutes away.
2. Les Soliers - 9.8+: A short stroll from the chalk cliffs at Étretat in Normandy, with a peaceful garden and warm, well-informed hosts.
3. Seaside Gite with Fireplace & Internet - 9.8+: A seaside gîte at Vicq-sur-Mer on the Cotentin peninsula, with a fireplace for cooler evenings and pets welcome.

France has more than 3,400 kilometres of mainland coastline, from the Opal Coast and Normandy on the Channel to Brittany, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

🥗Where to eat in France?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Christopher Coutanceau is the best rated restaurant in France. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends Chez Hortense in France: it sits right on the dunes at Cap Ferret, and their mussels with garlic and parsley taste even better after a long afternoon on the beach.

1. Walk across the bay to Mont-Saint-Michel
2. Surf the Landes and Basque beaches
3. Cycle the lanes of Île de Ré
4. Try land sailing in Brittany
5. Swim the coves of Corsica
6. Climb the Dune du Pilat
7. Kayak the Verdon Gorge

1. Walk across the bay to Mont-Saint-Michel

   Set out from Bec d'Andaine on a guided low-tide crossing and walk barefoot over the shimmering sands towards the abbey, following the same route pilgrims have taken since the Middle Ages. The bay is famous for quicksand and a fast-returning tide, so a licensed guide is essential rather than optional. Allow around three hours for the six-kilometre round trip, and finish with galettes in Genêts or a drive on to Avranches for the wide view back over the bay.

2. Surf the Landes and Basque beaches

   The Atlantic coast between Biarritz and Mimizan is where French surfing began, and the beach breaks here suit everyone from first-timers to experienced riders. Schools in Hossegor, Seignosse and Capbreton run morning lessons before the wind picks up, and boards are easy to hire by the day. Between sessions, cycle the forest paths behind the dunes, eat grilled sardines at a beach shack, or drive inland for the Armagnac vineyards and the Wednesday market at Dax.

3. Cycle the lanes of Île de Ré

   Reached by bridge from La Rochelle, Île de Ré has more than a hundred kilometres of flat, well-signed cycle paths linking salt marshes, vineyards and whitewashed villages with green shutters. Ride from Saint-Martin-de-Ré, with its Vauban ramparts, out to the lighthouse at Phare des Baleines, stopping for oysters at Loix or an ice cream on the harbour. It is an easy day with children, and bike hire is available in every village on the island.

4. Try land sailing in Brittany

   Head for La Torche, a wide, windswept headland on Brittany's Bay of Audierne, where three-wheeled land yachts skim across the hard sand at surprising speed. Lessons take about two hours, include helmet and goggles, and are open to older children as well as adults, so it works well as a family outing on a breezy day. The same beach is a serious surf spot, so you can watch the waves afterwards over a crepe at one of the creperies just behind the car park.

5. Swim the coves of Corsica

   Corsica's coastline mixes long sandy stretches on the east with hidden granite coves in the south and west. Base yourself near Porto-Vecchio for Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, or head to the Gulf of Porto for the red cliffs of the Calanques de Piana. Boat trips run to the Scandola nature reserve, and the water stays warm well into September. Inland, the GR20 footpath climbs into pine forest and mountain pools if you want a break from the beach.

6. Climb the Dune du Pilat

   Europe's tallest sand dune rises more than a hundred metres above the Arcachon basin, and the staircase to the top takes about fifteen minutes. From the ridge you look out over the Banc d'Arguin sandbank on one side and an ocean of pine forest on the other, and the descent back down the seaward face is a fast, soft scramble. Come at sunset for the best light, then drive round to Arcachon or Cap Ferret for oysters straight from the basin.

7. Kayak the Verdon Gorge

   An hour inland from the Riviera, the Gorges du Verdon cut a turquoise canyon through limestone cliffs that tower several hundred metres above the water. Hire a kayak or pedalo at Lac de Sainte-Croix and paddle into the narrow entrance of the gorge, where the walls close in and the water turns a deep green. Marked walking routes such as the Sentier Blanc-Martel run high above, and the perched village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie makes a good lunch stop.