Top 10 best places to camp by the sea in France

1. Saint-Jean-de-Monts in the Vendée

Located in the Vendée, on the Côte de Lumière, Saint-Jean-de-Monts is France's most popular coastal destination for camping. The commune is bordered by an eight-kilometre long beach which makes it a popular summer resort.

2. Les Mathes in Charente-Maritime

Here you will find supervised family beaches and stretches of wild coastline. There is no shortage of walks along the coast or even in the shade of the pine forests.

3. Agde in the Hérault

Famous for its naturist camps, Agde has other treasures to offer! This town in the Hérault department, in the Occitanie region, is the top Mediterranean destination in this ranking. Marco Polo nicknamed it "the Black Pearl of the Mediterranean" for its monuments built of basalt stone. This beautiful city steeped in history comes in third place in this ranking of destinations to go camping in 2021.

4. La Tremblade in Charente-Maritime

Close to Mathes, on the Arvert peninsula, opposite the island of Oléron, La Tremblade is the perfect destination for a holiday between sea and wilderness. A town in the south-west of France, located in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, it is a new destination on the Atlantic coast at the foot of the podium.

5. Biscarrosse in the Landes

Biscarrosse is a commune in the south-west of France, located in the Landes department. Nestled between two of the largest freshwater lakes in France, bordered by small marinas and fine sand, Biscarrosse stretches out in the shade of the pines to the ocean beaches.

The capital of hydraviation is a renowned seaside resort, particularly for its surf spots.

6. Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez in Vendée

After Saint Jean de Monts in first place, it is Saint Hilaire de Riez in sixth place, the department's second destination in the ranking, and still on the Côte de Lumière, on the Atlantic Ocean.

7. Vias in the Hérault

In seventh place in the ranking : Vias, a very pretty town on the Mediterranean, very close to Agde. With 5 km of fine sandy beach, plenty of water sports activities, the wild nature of the ponds, the banks of the Canal du Midi and the vineyards...

8. La Rochelle in Charente-Maritime

La Rochelle is the prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department. A fishing and trading port for centuries, life here is fully focused on the ocean, and today it is a popular seaside resort. The historic town centre is worth a visit with its old half-timbered buildings, not forgetting its proximity to the island of Ré.

9. Canet-en-Roussillon in the Pyrénées-Orientales

Canet-en-Roussillon is located in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the Occitanie region. Situated close to Perpignan and Spain but also to the Pyrenees, it is the ideal starting point for a holiday between mountains and beach.

10. Lacanau in Gironde

Last in the ranking, the town of Lacanau is not to be outdone, between lake and ocean, the fine sandy beaches stretch as far as the eye can see. For a gourmet and cultural getaway, Bordeaux is only an hour away by car.

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