The most beautiful beaches in Loire-Atlantique

Attempting to explore the Loire-Atlantique coastline is to be amazed by the beauty and diversity of its beaches. From Pornic à La Baule, via Saint-Brevin or Piriac-sur-Mer, you can enjoy the most beautiful beaches in Loire-Atlantique for your seaside holidays. 

Beaches for family relaxation

For the perfect family holiday in Loire-Atlantique, you can spend some great days on the beach. The coastline abounds with bays and stretches of sand where you can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, and delight young and old alike with sand games and swimming. You'll also benefit from the best facilities and supervision of bathers during the summer.Beaches that are easy to access by car, with nearby car parks open throughout the day.

If you're staying in the northern part of the department,  Saint-Nazaire, you can spend your day at the beach under the watchful eye of Monsieur Hulot. At the foot of the pretty village of Saint-Marc-sur-Mer, Monsieur Hulot's beach is a haven where families côtoe in peace and quiet, with children enjoying stories and adventures in the sand and on the rocks. 

After your visit to the Guérande salt marshes, savour the océan à Batz-sur-Mer from the Saint-Michel beach. Its pier and yellow huts provide an ideal backdrop for ice cream cones and sand traps.The small port of Lérat à Piriac-sur-mer with its old sardine factory and its false airs of Brittany will transport you to a more typical Loire-Atlantique côté. The neighbouring beach, with its fine sand and south-facing slope, is very sheltered.

Also enjoy the balneac spirit that makes the Loire-Atlantique coast so charming. You'll find Pornichet-style villas along the Plage de Sainte-Marguerite. It has retained its romantic charm and discreet, highly appreciated by the locals. 

On the southern coast of Loire-Atlantique, Pornic and the Côte de Jade are renowned for boasting some of the finest beaches in the Loire-Atlantique region, nestling in the coves of the wild coastline. And you won't want to miss diving into the incomparable colour of their waters. Learn about this unique coastline from the tranquil Plage de la Birochère, for example, which is friendly and accessible for the whole family. You'll also fall under the spell of its cliffside beach huts.

La Grande Plage de La Bernerie-en-Retz is one of the most popular spots for families in Loire-Atlantique. The reason for this is its pool, which is open all day, and its facilities for children. You'll love this multiplicity of activities and its ideal location just a stone's throw from the town centre of this charming former fishing village.

Hair in the wild 

If you're looking for peace and quiet during your stay, you can opt for more secluded beaches. The Loire-Atlantique region has a number of pre-served beaches in the heart of natural areas that will delight you.These more secluded beaches are accessible via coastal paths, but never far from a car park. The isolation requires a little effort that you won't regret!

During your holiday on the Côte de Jade, discover the charm of the Marais de Lyarne and Lancastria beach in Les Moutiers-en-Retz. Behind the dune lies a line of peaks between which you can easily place your towel. At low tide, shellfish and crustaceans can be found for those who love fishing. The Loire-Atlantique region has gastronomic treasures to offer its holidaymakers, and seafood is one of them.

At Pornic at the weekend or on holiday, you can élo away from the town and immerse yourself in the calm of the wild coast as far as the Plage de l’Etang. A veritable haven of tranquillity facing the ocean, time stands still here and can only be measured by the gentle sound of the waves.If you're heading to Guérande, don't miss the Pen-Bron peninsula. This fully serviced forested headland offers a long beach of fine sand during the summer months, where only the wind blows.

More to the north, the well-known village of Quimiac boasts rather confidential beaches, some of the most beautiful in Loire-Atlantique. Put your towel down on the beach at Lanséria and enjoy the softness of the sand. The clarity of the water here makes for a most pleasant swim.

Enjoy the natural setting of the Presqu’île du Croisic on the beaches of Saint Goustan and Castouillet. Just a stone's throw from the port, you'll find peace and rejuvenation, protected by the rocks that make up this wild coastline. 

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Outdoors beaches 

Want to take a breath of fresh air near Nantes for a weekend or a week? The Loire-Atlantique shoreline is sure to satisfy. 

Cited as one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the bay of La Baule will welcome you without delay with the charm of Europe’s longest beach. Opposite the town (parking is limited and fee-paying throughout the summer), lazing about, beach bars and sports clubs combine to offer you a variety of experiences and exceptional moments. You can also take advantage of the equally attractive beaches of the neighbouring towns of Pornichet and Le Pouliguen, which close off the bay on either side of La Baule.

At Saint-Brevin, appreciate the shoreline à l’infinite. This seaside resort in the Loire-Atlantique region offers large, easy-to-access beaches and a wide range of activities: Take a rest on the sand near Le Pointeau, go for a walk near the Forêt de la Pierre Attelée or try your hand at sand yachting on Plage de l’Océan. The Serpent d'Océan is a huge aluminium sculpture, 130m long in total and set on a beach’at the exit of the estuary’Saint-Brévin: definitelyéto cover with your own eyes, the structure that fascinates young and old is not, however, located on the best beach for swimming. 

The nearby plage Gohaud à Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef will also be the scene of some great iodised moments, with paragliders launching from the cliff and soaring across the landscape. You should also come at the end of the day to enjoy the unique sunsets that can be seen here.

So which beach will be your holiday destination in Loire-Atlantique? Discover all our seaside accommodation to reserve your future holiday! And for those who are more attracted to the fresh waters than the Atlantic ocean, the department also abounds in rivers, marshes and lakes to swim in and enjoy water-based leisure activities! 

Said photos: @ALamoureux

Text credits: Ma Vie en Loire-Atlantique