Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches

You can’t go wrong when a top 10 list is actually put together by individuals who are true experts in their field.  The “Top 10 Beaches in France – the expert’s choice“, published by the Guardian (guardian.co.uk), were chosen by people who know their beaches.  I especially like that the best beach for water sports was chosen by a world champion funboarder; “the best naturist” (read: nude) beach was selected by someone who literally wrote the book on the subject; and that the best beach for children was really picked by an 8 year old!

“The Top 10 beaches in France – the experts’ choice” has something for everyone!

French Riviera (Original work by Markus Bernet, from Wikimedia Commons)

Are you a glamorous movie star or simply into star-gazing? Well then, the sheltered Paloma Plage on the French Riviera is your place in the sun.  It’s apparently the beach where the rich and famous arrive in the bay on their mega yachts.   Paloma Plage comes highly recommended for celebrity-spotting by the Clé d’Or (Gold Key) and Concierge at a luxury hotel in Monte Carlo.

The best beach for diving, L’Ile de Riou in Marseille, was chosen by the secretary general of the main diver training organization of France (the Fédération Française d’Etude et de Sport Sous-Marin, or FFESSM for short). That’s one impressive endorsement! L’Ile de Riou is ideal for swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. It’s a small beach, and it’s only accessible via boat.

The best beach for motor homes and campervans is Plage de Ménéham, Brittany.  Here, in Ménéham, you’ll find white sand beaches and dunes with plenty of opportunities for coastal walks. As an added bonus, overnight parking is free year round for motor home and campervans. Plage de Ménéham is recommended by the editor of a travel book on “Aires” (loosely translated: tourist stopovers) in France.

The best beach for families is a beautifully maintained five mile (8 km) stretch of uncrowded golden sand on the Mediterranean Sea.  Argelès Plage has clear blue water, a shady two mile tree-lined promenade, and the beautiful  Pyrenees Mountains as a backdrop.  It sounds like the on-site beach club for kids is just the icing on the cake for Argelès Plage!

The remaining Top 10 Beaches in France, chosen by “connaisseurs des plages” (beach connoisseurs), are:

Beaulieu-sur-Mer, French Riviera – Best for children

Beaulieu-sur-Mer, French Riviera (By ReqEngineer, from Wikimedia Commons)

Porto-Pollo – Best in Corsica

Baie d’Audierne, Brittany – Best Breton beach

Euronat, Côte d’Argent, Aquitaine – Best naturist  Oh là là!

Plage de l’Almanarre, Hyères, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur – Best for watersports

Côte Sauvage, Poitou-Charentes – Best wild beach

Check out the article on France’s Top 10 Beaches at the Guardian for more info, photos and links.     Bon voyage!

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