8 places to enjoy the sea in spring in France

Voted ‘most beautiful beach in France’ at the 2019 Travellers' Choice Awards, Palombaggia beach in Porto-Vecchio is a little paradise on the sea. Facing the Cerbicales islands, it stretches over 1.5km of fine white sand. Bordered by umbrella pines, it's the ideal spot in Corsica to daydream while waiting for the summer. And as an added bonus, the crystal-clear waters have nothing to envy the Caribbean.

In 1966, Claude Lelouch made the Planks famous the world over with the film ‘Un homme et une femme’. A chic promenade par excellence, Deauville's famous boardwalk runs alongside 450 beach huts named after American film stars. Facing a field of multicoloured parasols, the sun plays with the clouds and the grey-blue reflections of the North Sea, like an impressionist canvas that you'll never tire of admiring...

Star of the Côte d'Azur beaches, Pampelonne boasts some of the trendiest beach restaurants in Saint-Tropez. It's a place to relax before the champagne and rosé flow freely to the sound of the latest DJs, and party-goers from all over the world gather here to dance the summer away. A place to be... at least once in your life!

Set in pink granite, this little cove of white sand is a natural gem. At high tide, the water surrounds the Saint-Guirec oratory. You'll need to do a few fathoms to reach one of Brittany's most beautiful architectural monuments. Not far away is another treasure: the Château de Costaérès.

Over 12 kilometres long, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is a great success not only for its location (less than 2 hours from Paris, Lille and London) but also for its many facilities, which appeal to sports enthusiasts, families and strollers alike. And while sand yachting is one of its flagship activities, there are plenty of events on offer in Le Touquet all year round.

In a way, it's Porquerolles' secret beach! Although Notre-Dame is one of the island's largest beaches, it is also much less popular due to its relatively difficult access (unless you have sea legs). Bordered by a beautiful pine forest, it's well worth the trip with its turquoise waters and immaculate white sand. Not to mention its protection from the Mistral and easterly winds.

Did you know that the Dune du Pilat is the most popular beach in France on Instagram? It's also the most fascinating. At 110 metres high, it's the largest dune in Europe. Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Landes de Gascogne forest, the Dune du Pilat faces the tip of Cap Ferret and is the gateway to the Arcachon Basin. A protected site, elevated to the rank of natural monument, that will fill your eyes with wonder...

Seignosse is one of the most popular spots for surfers. Just a stone's throw from Biarritz, the Estagnots beach is one of the most beautiful in the south-west! Although its rollers sometimes prevent you from swimming, it's a great place for board sports. Some even say that it has an air of California about it...