We have recently returned from our first trip to Paris and are looking forward to our next. We are pretty set on Paris with what and when we want to do things during our next stay, but we would really like to incorporate a stay at a great beach location in the south of France for some rest and relaxation after Paris. Can anyone recommend a good beach location? Our main goal would be relaxation. We do like a good beach with easy access to town.
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Hello Kell82,
I went to the South of France/Cote D%26#39;Azur this summer for the first time. One trip was to Villefranche Sur Mer in May, and the other trip was to Cannes in June. Both trips originated in Paris ; for Villefranche I took a TGV train with one local (SNCF connection) to the town and for Cannes I took Easy Jet with a more complicated connection to Cannes.
Of the two, Villefranche was definitely more %26#39;relaxing%26#39;. It is a much smaller town (than Cannes) perched on the edge of a steep hill and is really quaint, beautiful and charming. Has an Italian feel to it and the beach is right there at your feet! The water there was clean, clear and it had a somewhat sandy beach. To get an idea of what it looks like, here are some pics on the Flickr website:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=villefranche+sur+mer
There is also a forum here on TA if you want more detailed info from the locals there.
For more of a %26#39;scene%26#39;, Cannes really fit the bill but this time around i went with friends who had rented a great house and we also rented scooters for the week to get around. Was just as fun as Villefranche but more upscale, spread out and expensive. If you like cabana boys bringing you drinks while you sunbathe than this is your place.
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Thanks blueskyholidy...this sounds just what the doctor ordered....I will do my research.....Cannes doesn%26#39;t sound like what we are looking for but the other location sounds great!
Thanks again......off to another forum on TA
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A five hour (approx) train ride will get you to Biarritz. This is along the Atlantic ocean (south west France/ Basque country). It has great beaches (which can get packed in July/Aug). It can have great waves and so is definitely a fav of surfers. Napolean built a lovely structure (Eugenie Palace) for his Eugenie (now Hotel du Palais) that is along the main beach. The coastal area is scenic and quite low key. There is also a casino, that I did not check out, but fyi.
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Thanks Cybee, I will check out that destination as well.......you bring up a interesting fact...that it is on the Atlantic Ocean....Here in the States there is a big difference between being on the Atlantic side versus the Pacific side and even in the Caribbean..being on the Caribbean side of an island versus the Atlantic side......I wonder what/if any the differences would be in this situation....Atlantic side versus Med. side...anyone have any insight?
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What type of beach/sea are you looking for ?
In the south, you have the choice between the mediterranean sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Well, if you want to see lots of people gathering on small beaches, and enjoying baths in a polluted sea, chose the mediterranean (also known as the Côte d%26#39;Azur).
If you prefer big waves, wide and large beaches (although with sometimes dangerous bathing conditions), less people, I would advise you the beaches of the %26quot;Côte Landaise%26quot;. That goes from south of Bordeaux to Biarritz.
But the Côte d%26#39;Azur has a living atmosphere (people, landscapes, ...) the Atlantic cost does not have. So it is very hard to decide. It really depends on what you want to do.
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I went to France in July/August this summer and we rode bycicles from Bordeaux to San Jean de Luz. We camped along the way and all of the coastal towns are lovely. The bike pistes are excellant and you can get maps at all the visitor centers. The camp grounds range from municipal to five star. We stayed at all levels of accomodations and were pleased with almost every experience. We arrived at San Jean de Luz for the last four days of our trip. The beach is incredible, warm water, water front restaurants, and shops. It was easy access and trains and buses are easy to use for day trips. We stayed at charming boutique hotel called the Maria Christina. I would definetly go there again. This is the south-west part of France and very close to Spain if you want to travel there for a day.
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I spent a week in Monaco in November 2005- certainly too cold for swimming and beaches but a good chance to have a look around. So thought I would share my observations - may help you to choose a preferred location.
Cannes, Antibes Monaco and Menton all have sandy beaches for swimming, Nice is rocky. Beaches are all in front of the town and backed by major roads and are likely to be very crowded in the high summer. The roads are also major traffic routes along the Cotes dÁzur so expect a busy backdrop to any beach experience. But if you want proximity to shops, bars, restaurants, fancy hotels etc then these places offer this. I think some of the beaches charge for access and for sun umbrellas, seats etc.
Cannes and Monaco - very much the designer shops and the gin palace yachts. Good to observe how the rich and famous live!.
Nice appeared to cater for greater range of tourists in terms of price and proximity or otherwise to the beaches. Certainly it is the commercial and major transport hub for the area. So if you want to go inland to visit places without having your own transport, then the buses going up into the villages in from the coast all leave from Nice. Also more %26quot;day to day%26quot; shops and various museums.
I particularly liked Menton - good sandy beaches, backed by an interesting town. Close to the Italian border if you want to go for a trip there.
In between these towns/cities are a number of small communites etc Roquebrune Cap Martin, Saint Jean-Cap Ferrat, Villefranche sur Mer which would offer more relaxing holiday opportunities. From memory the beaches are smaller sandy coves tucked in along a rocky coast. Easy to walk down to from villa, pension, small hotel etc.
Cotes dÁzur is served by a good local train and bus system. I used both managed to get from Menton in the east to Cannes in the west on day trips from Monaco.
I came down from a week in Paris to Monaco by TGV. From memory the TGV stops at Cannes, Nice, Monaco before terminating at Menton. If you are going to any of the smaller villages, then you would need to transfer to the local trains. - easy to do.
Hope this helps. Happy to answer any further questions. Kenyonkid.
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I loved Collioure in Med. area this past summer. ( I like it best of the Med. beaches such Nice, St. Tropez, Juan les Pins.) The weather was much warmer there than in our other favorite Biarritz and St. Jean du Luz. This year the Med. area was much warmer and not as rainy as the Atlantic coast areas.
I also love Brest and Quiberon areas and the beach areas of St. Malo and Dinan, Le Havre, Honfleur, Deauville and Trouville, LaRochelle area had great beaches, Ile d%26#39;Re, Arcahon was nice but very crowded.
There are so many great beach areas!
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I went to school in Montpellier for 6 months. That town rocked. It%26#39;s on the TGV line, and a quick 20 minute bus ride the beaches - Palavas. I%26#39;d love to retire there.
Very livable %26amp; entertaining town. Check it out.
ot-montpellier.fr/affaires/…index.php
www.enjoy-montpellier.com/Web/Accueil_GB/
virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Lang…
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=montpellier+france
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=palavas+france%26amp;m=text
logassist.com/english/villes/montpellier.asp
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St Jean de Luz.
For a splurge, the Grand Hotel. Budget--the Plage or the Bellair, which are also right on the beach.
We enjoy dinners hosted by Alain and Anna at Le Portua on rue Republique, one of several good restaurants to choose from.
No car needed, in fact a car is probably a liability. It is very compact--the town, the port and the beach. About 5 hours from Paris on the train.
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