Inspiration

Nicky’s pick of France’s beach houses

Sawday's Expert

5 min read

There are fewer things in life better than hearing lapping waves from your bed and walking down to a beach at the bottom of your garden. Our Loire-based France expert, Nicky de Bouille, has chosen some great beach holidays in France, for sunset drinks and fire pits with stars and surf.

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Coastal

Le Sémaphore de Lervily, Finistère

Loll on velvet sofas or wrap up warm on the patio; the ocean views surprise and delight you as you open the door. This former lighthouse-keeper’s cottage is a lovely retreat, with a kitchen fit for chefs and a panorama from every window. This popular seaside port has a sailing school in summer and a market on Saturdays and Wednesdays. As for beaches, the Plage de Trescadec, safe for families, is five minutes down the coastal path, with sands, swims, and lifeguards in summer. St Tugen beach, set among wild, protected sand dunes, is an hour’s walk but worth every step. In the evenings, light the fire pit outside or snuggle up on a sofa beneath the great glass roof – as beach villas in France go, you can’t get much better than this.

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La Maison des Oliviers, Hérault

This stylishly simple cottage lies in the heart of the old fishing port of Méze. It’s an all season place to stay with so much to discover and delight locally throughout the year. Come in late summer to enjoy the quieter sandy beaches and a spot of swimming or sailing, or in winter for coastal walks and nearby Montpellier’s galleries and museums. Whenever you arrive you can look forward to owner Rob’s warm welcome and wine, croissants on the terrace overlooking the sea, and the promise of excellent shellfish from the restaurants on your doorstep.

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Alba Marina, Corse du Sud

As you’d expect from an island, Corsica is home to some superb beach villas. You won’t beat the views from Alba Marina’s hillside setting. Looking out at sparkling ocean as you unwind by the pool is simply wonderful. It’s informal and fun, a place for family and friends to gather and socialise. Inside, vast windows let the sunshine pour in, whilst roomy bedrooms are dotted around with their own terraces. Outside, there’s ample space to dine and entertain among palms and olive trees. You can expect sunshine on most days, so nip down to the beach for a morning swim, go kayaking around the coves, try paddle boarding at sunset or take it easy, knowing it’ll all still be there tomorrow.

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La Maison du Pêcheur, Hérault

I know some people love the large and luxurious but for me this charming cottage is all you need to experience France beach life. It’s a long way up Sète’s emblematic Mont St Clair but the rewards are huge and you get a genuinely special blend of beach and hills. Enjoy long views over the boats and oyster beds and, with the pines at your back and an ever-refreshing sea breeze. In the terraced garden, choose between a book in the pine-shaded hammock, a card game on the back terrace or dinner for all at the front. Sète is a short drive away and a real treasure-trove. A pretty harbour and great fish market, a fine museum, excellent theatre and boats for hire.

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24 Rue Bellevue, Pyrénées-Orientales

This pretty little bolthole invites you to be part of magical Collioure, not just a tourist. The apartment is in the village’s picture-perfect pedestrian street, with a festival of bougainvillea and geraniums. Once home to a legendary colony of artists, Collioure lies on the south coast of France, boasting beautiful Mediterranean vibes. Your pot-planted terrace will set you up for a true classic of laid-back French beach holiday, with glorious views of the bay and a courtyard for alfresco suppers. It’s a stones throw to the water’s edge and a walk to the local beaches, so try your hand at water sports or just sit back with a book. There are a myriad of medieval sites nearby, as well as bikes to hire and vineyards to tour so you’ll never get bored.

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Maison Pléneuf-Val-André, Côtes-d’Armor

This is one of the best seaside properties we’ve seen. It’s a super spot for a family holiday – a stone’s throw from the promenade and wide beach for swimming, sailing, people watching and bustle, or if the weather is bad retreat to your turn-of-the-century villa with its large and light rooms, well-supplied games room, and fabulous kitchen. I felt like I’d landed on the set of a Jacques Tati film in this lovely quiet Belle Époch neighbourhood!

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Vive la France

This article is part of Vive la France, the home of inspiring itineraries and stories from travel writers and our team, to help you plan your next French adventure.

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Nicky deBouille

Sawday's Expert

Nicky has gone from roots in the mountains of New Zealand to her home in an 18th century merchant's house on the banks of the Loire. Armed with an eccentric soundtrack from Bach to Radiohead via Beirut and Herbie Hancock, she goes on the road for weeks at a time, in search of new special places. What matters most to her is connecting with the owner, because it's the person that creates the place. She loves that she can give them an alternative to booking.com, and they love the fact that she's "gone native".

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