Top 20 of Brittany’s most beautiful beaches for swimming this summer

If your escapades along the French coastline take you as far as Brittany, you’re bound to come to the ultimate question: what if the most beautiful beaches in France were in Brittany?

If you’re looking for a collection of iconic beaches – such as Trois-Curés, Goas Treiz and Fogeo – or the more confidential ones, follow us on our quest along the region’s sublime coasts. There, where a shy but ever-present sun highlights all the beauty of the waves, the constant breeze and the endless stretches of sand perfect for your trips with friends or family. Make the most of your holidays in Brittany with our selection of the 20 most beautiful beaches in Brittany.

What are the best beaches in Brittany for swimming this summer?

Côte d’Armor, Goas Treiz Beach – Trebeurden

photo credit Côtes d’Armor tourisme

Tread the sands of this open-air theatre! This fantastic beach offers breathtaking views of the Breton open sea and horizon, where the azure blues of the sky and sea are one and the same. In the evening, the beach takes on a purplish hue, and the lavender glints mixed with the colours of the sunset are a spectacle in themselves on the pink granite coast.

Côte d’Armor, Pissot Beach – Pleneuf val André

photo credit Youtube le bigot 22

The delicate curve of this crescent-shaped beach will win you over at first sight. Admire its fabulous gradation of colours, from sapphire to coral to emerald. You’ll also be surrounded by cliffs of verdant white stone. To walk along this beach, head between the large beach at Pléneuf Val André and the port at Dahouët, a real feast for the eyes.

Côte d’Armor, Quatre Vaulx beach – St Cast-le-Guildo

photo credit Côte d’Armor tourisme

Nestling in the bay of Arguenon, the Quatre Vaulx beach waits patiently for low tide to reveal all its splendour. With its stretch of sand and bouchot forests, this beach is the perfect setting for water sports and activities. Horse-riding is by far the local favourite. Go there early in the morning, to have this crescent of sand and greenery all to yourself. At first light, only the sound of hooves and waves will disturb the ambient calm.

Côte d’Armor, Saint-Michel beach – Erquy

photo credit La marinière en Voyage

This vast beach on the edge of Cap d’Erquy is a mix of stone and cool tones, beautifully dotted with pebbles and pink sandstone rocks. A symphony of colours awaits you here, against a citrus-coloured sky.

Finistère, Trois-Curés beach – Plougonvelin – Pointe de Saint-Mathieu

photo credit The body guard

Getting into a postcard has never been so easy. This miniature oasis with its maritime pines is a metropolitan version of Caribbean beaches. The colours of the surrounding landscape oscillate between cyan, turquoise, azure and cerulean. There’s something to inspire everyone from painting enthusiasts to visiting photographers. This beach is located on the corniche between Trez-Hir and Bertheaume. With its intimate atmosphere and small sandy areas nestling between the rock faces, you’ll agree that this beach has more of a cove feel to it. After all, that’s what makes it so charming!

Finistère, Tahiti beach – Carantec

photo credit Pinterest

The unique panorama of this sandy beach brings together caramel-coloured sand and “charon blue” water. This wild paradise is hidden between the famous points of the Bay of Morlaix, the Cosmeur and Pen al Lann. Nestling in a lush landscape, this cove is sheltered by a barrier of pine trees and moorland. As a result, it can only be reached via the Douaniers path. On arrival, you’ll be sheltered from the wind and prying eyes. If you’re looking for peace and relaxation, this is the place to go.

Finistère, Corréjou beach – Camaret-sur-mer

photo credit Actu.fr

This is the beach for boat lovers. From its immense carpet of fine sand, let yourself be lulled by the roll of the countless boats that call the harbour home. There’s something bewitching about the daily spectacle of sailing. Watch the colourful regattas, the fishing boats, the commercial vessels and the French Navy.

Finistère, Saint-Nicolas beach – Glénan archipelago

photo credit Fouesnant-les-glénan

Head to the Glénan archipelago to discover the magnificent beach of Saint-Nicolas. A bed of golden sand will guide you down to the translucent waters. It’s a real picture bathed in constant sunshine. Divers have seized its full potential and invest its rich waters to swim in the seaweed forest. Plump sea bass and sea bream live there in hiding to shelter from natural predators…

Finistère, l’île vierge beach – Crozon peninsula

photo credit Le petit globe trotteur

Relax on this unspoilt beach on the Crozon peninsula. This postcard is the most difficult to get to, but it’s well worth the effort. On arrival, you’ll discover one of the most sublime pebble beaches in France. The immaculate cobbles will propel you into a Marseilles cove. To avoid so much effort, you can also take a boat out to relax or enjoy gentle sports such as kayaking. The local caves are a great playground for tourists.

Finistère, Plage des Amiets – Cléder

photo credit Guide du routard

This is one of the sandy jewels in the north of Finistère. This welcoming beach is supervised every day in summer. A frog pool not far away attracts many families. At high tide, it is a reservoir suitable for children. The area is surrounded by laughter, innocence and, all in all, a very friendly atmosphere. Accessible at low tide, the frog pond becomes an introductory fishing pond.

Finistère, Fond de la Baie beach – Locquirec

photo credit Morlaix

The name of this beach takes the mystery out of its configuration. Its stretch of white sand lies at the end of a rigorously protected cove that closes the bay of Locquirec. When the tide comes back in, the water will be warm and easy to swim in. Low tide offers a vast area to discover. Certainly more vast than elsewhere in the region. As you sail around the boats lying on their sides, you’ll spot the fishermen on foot.

Morbihan, Grands Sables beach – Ile de Groix

photo credit Sortir en Bretagne

If you’re visiting Morbihan, this beach is absolutely unique in Europe. The curve of the sand describes a circular arc around the eastern tip of the island of Groix. The phenomenon dates back to the 17th century. Since 1989, the Grands Sables beach has shifted by around ten metres every year. As a result, map after map of the island shows a different location for the Grands Sables on the coast!

Morbihan, Fogeo beach – Arzon – port du Crouesty – port Navalo

photo credit Observatoire citoyen du littoral Morbihannais

Be struck by the striking contrast of colours on this bright, relaxing beach. The turquoise, not to say limpid, sea will be a source of great serenity! Stretching out on the white sand, you can also admire the green, flower-filled dunes that line the beach and give Fogeo the look of a tropical bay.

Morbihan, Grande plage de Carnac – Carnac

photo credit Office de tourisme de Carnac

Tread the fine sand of the largest of Carnac’s five beaches. Facing due south, it’s the ideal place for a long sunbath with the whole family. You’ll love the charm of the striped beach huts, which give this beach a postcard look. During the summer months, swimming is supervised and water sports are in full swing. For the comfort of all, the site has been awarded the “tourisme et handicap” (tourism and disability) label since 2007.

Morbihan, Port-Donnant beach – Belle-Île-en-Mer

photo credit Sortir Le Télégramme

Head for the wild coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer to reach the beach at Donnant. The sand here is peppered with large, jagged black rocks. Be careful when swimming, which can quickly become dangerous in strong currents. On the other hand, it’s heaven on earth for surfers! If you’re not a surfer, you can picnic and watch them.

Morbihan, la Plage de la Mine d’Or – Penestin

photo credit France 3 Régions – Franceinfo

This majestic beach is overlooked by a spectacular 15-metre-high cliff. At dusk, this golden belt seems to burst into flames. The stone is tinted ochre and a deep yellow. Marvel at this site at sunset and enjoy the warm waters as you watch the sportsmen and women and the paragliding flights.

Morbihan, the coves of the island of Houat

photo credit One Two Trips

Come to the island of Houat, a rendezvous for lovers of unspoilt nature. Here, the locals live simply, slowly, from tourism and fishing. So you’ll feel a sense of balance. And that’s what travellers come here for: balance. So make the most of this exceptional site, where the wilderness is still unspoilt and still very wild.

Morbihan, the Grande Plage of Ile aux Moines

photo credit Gîte de France Morbihan

Ile aux Moines has nothing to envy the other islands in the Gulf. As proof, many painters and writers have spent time here. On the island, you’ll find magnificent beaches like this one and a multitude of beautiful walks to enjoy. There’s plenty to keep the non-conformist traveller happy, with its mix of culture, idleness and sporting activities.

Ille-et-Vilaine, l’Ecluse beach – Dinard

photo credit World Beach Guide

At the end of the day, a soft light illuminates the Pointe du Moulinet. It is here, between the two points of Moulinet and Malouine, that Plage de l’Ecluse nestles. As evening falls, a palette of warm ochre tones is set against the emerald blue of the waters. The sand turns gold and offers a breathtaking view of the island of Cézembre and its Belle Époque architecture.

Also worth a visit: Coz Pors beach and its famous rocks sculpted by the elements, a large beach of fine sand next to the marine aquarium to the west of Ile Renote, or the point of the Beg Meil semaphore, which shelters superb little coves hiding magnificent little beaches of fine sand along the customs path.