August holiday - France

[mike80]

Looking to plan a holiday for the first couple of weeks of August, and quite fancy France again, so looking for any recommendations.

We've been to Brittany the past couple of years, and enjoy the overnight ferry + having our own car to explore, plus beaches for my daughter. We also like staying somewhere self catering and quiet, we had a great little house last year with two bedrooms and a garden.

I'm happy to drive further (have driven to the the south of France in a day a couple of times for work), so will consider anywhere really.

So hit me with your suggestions for places with nice beaches, nice selection of restaurants, not overly touristy, nice towns / cities to explore a short driving distance away.

Last year we stayed in Carnac which we really liked.

Thanks!

[omniflow]

Just a little bit further south to the Cote Sauvage.

Just south of the Ile de Oleron there's a lovely stretch of beach about 8 miles long. Atlantic waves and backed by sand dunes. The only bad bit is trudging back to the car through soft sand after a long day at the beach. Even in mid-summer you will be able to find a spot at least 20 yards away from anyone else.

There's a fabulous zoo at La Palmyre.

Plenty of places to stay - loads and loads of French holiday homes there.

[Rob 131 Sport]

We stayed at La Grande Terrasse Chatelaillon Plage, close to La Rochelle that I could thoroughly recommend. It’s an easy run from St. Malo and there is plenty to do in the area.

It may also be worth having a couple of days in St. Malo as it’s a lovely City.

[mikef]

Similar to Châtelaillon-Plage, with a great fish market and plenty of restaurants, you could look at Pornichet, a sort of southern extension to La Baule. Lots of sea-view appartments for rent by owners, usually with private car parks behind

[smifffymoto]

Definitely stick to the coast,inland in August can be bloody hot and miserable.

[blueg33]

August is the month the French masses go on holiday. End of July will be less busy.

If you are prepared to driver a bit further, look at places around Archchon. Great Atlantic beaches, calm Archchon lagoon, biggest and dunes in Europe, Bordeaux, wines, oysters, etc

[rlw]

Noirmoutier is well worth a look and great for kids. Essentially there's SFA to do but sit on the beach and watch it raining on the mainland.

[GreatGranny]

Il de Re?

Mate went there a few years ago and loved it.
It was early September so quieter than August but the beaches are huge so shouldn't be too crowded.

[WestyCarl]

We like the West Coast, Biaritz (or St Jean-du luz if you like something smaller)

Not as busy or commerical as the south of France, great beaches with waves for playing in. The Pyrenees or San-Sebastian only an hour or so away if you fancy a change for a day.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

The Charente is a very nice area. La Rochelle on the coast, and some lovely places a little further inland.

[mike80]

Thanks everyone, some good suggestions to explore.

[PositronicRay]

rlw said:

Noirmoutier is well worth a look and great for kids. Essentially there's SFA to do but sit on the beach and watch it raining on the mainland.

Another vote ♧♧♧♧

[Griffith4ever]

If you can forgo the beach, ditch the car and fly to carcassonne. Hire one there.

[towser44]

We hired a villa with pool in Provence in the first week of August last year. First time we've driven abroad, as we wanted to take the dog. Stayed about 10 miles from Mont Ventoux so I got to cycle up that, which was ace. Can't say it was particularly busy and we had no delays on the roads, bar a couple of points on the way back North on the return leg (particularly Lyon). Weather was great, but the breeze (and pool) meant at no point was unbearable.

We split the journey, so did Cheshire to Dover overnight to get a 5am ferry to Calais, then stopped in Tours first night. Then second day did Tours to Lyon and third day Lyon to the villa. Coming back did a in hindsight too long a stint to Reims for a night, the Reims to Calais for the ferry, an afternoon in Deal before a night at Dartford before driving home the next day.

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

[NickXX]

Explored a lot of France and visited the Vendee (West Coast) in 2022 and 2023. Fantastic part of France, especially for huge sandy beaches. You can pretty much cycle the whole length of the coast in the region along cycle paths.

[mike80]

towser44 said:

(particularly Lyon).

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

Yeah, I've driven to the Marseille area twice, and Lyon was the only real bad traffic I saw. Oddly, on the way down the satnav sent me through the middle, but on the way back round the outskirts, which was a lot better.

[Rob 131 Sport]

towser44 said:

We hired a villa with pool in Provence in the first week of August last year. First time we've driven abroad, as we wanted to take the dog. Stayed about 10 miles from Mont Ventoux so I got to cycle up that, which was ace. Can't say it was particularly busy and we had no delays on the roads, bar a couple of points on the way back North on the return leg (particularly Lyon). Weather was great, but the breeze (and pool) meant at no point was unbearable.

We split the journey, so did Cheshire to Dover overnight to get a 5am ferry to Calais, then stopped in Tours first night. Then second day did Tours to Lyon and third day Lyon to the villa. Coming back did a in hindsight too long a stint to Reims for a night, the Reims to Calais for the ferry, an afternoon in Deal before a night at Dartford before driving home the next day.

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

Edited by towser44 on Tuesday 9th January 21:16

I found doing Chester to Frejus really straightforward is Calais with an overnight stop in Reims on both legs. Driving from Cambrils or Tuscany to Chester with just 1 overnight stop was a bit more taxing.

Of all the cars I’ve done long trips in, the Mercedes E Class was the best.

[Legend83]

NickXX said:

Explored a lot of France and visited the Vendee (West Coast) in 2022 and 2023. Fantastic part of France, especially for huge sandy beaches. You can pretty much cycle the whole length of the coast in the region along cycle paths.

We did the Vendee for the second time last August - avoid Les Sables d'Olonne, it's just too busy. Head to Saint-Gilles-Croix de-Vie and Bretignolles-sur-Mer for quiet unspoilt beaches (and free car parks!).

Then we did a week inland in the Loire which is our favorite place in the world. We stayed near Montreuil Bellay and Saumur, both wonderful places. Don't miss Puy-de-Fou!

[poosemon]

Slightly different, but have you considered lakes instead of seaside?

We've had a few great holidays around the Annecy / Lac du Bourget area. Lakes are pretty warm in August, well over 20 C so would be warmer then the beaches on the atlantic coast. We stayed both south of Annecy (Saint Jorioz) and also in Arith which was much higher up in a chalet type place with its own pool and was very quiet in the area and proper country side feel. There was a very short drive to a swimming lake which had a few slides and inflatable waterpark for the kids and had a pontoon for them to jump off.

Lots to do in the area and places to visit, be it Annecy, heading over to Chamonix - or just chiiling out.

Calais to there is a fairy easy drive.

[RC1807]

Legend83 said:

NickXX said:

Explored a lot of France and visited the Vendee (West Coast) in 2022 and 2023. Fantastic part of France, especially for huge sandy beaches. You can pretty much cycle the whole length of the coast in the region along cycle paths.

We did the Vendee for the second time last August - avoid Les Sables d'Olonne, it's just too busy. Head to Saint-Gilles-Croix de-Vie and Bretignolles-sur-Mer for quiet unspoilt beaches (and free car parks!).

Then we did a week inland in the Loire which is our favorite place in the world. We stayed near Montreuil Bellay and Saumur, both wonderful places. Don't miss Puy-de-Fou!

Visited the Vendée annually from 2002 to 2012. Rented a mobile home on a well equipped, family owned site, in La Tranche sur Mer. Very peaceful when we went early June each year. Used to love the walk along the prom to the bakery each morning.