From the star-studded glam of Cannes and St Tropez to the luscious landscape of the rural interior, visitors never take long to catch on, after all, relaxation is pretty high on the agenda here. Where : The beach near Beziers is a great all-rounder when it comes to french beaches — it is big enough to accommodate everyone without getting crowded. What to do : you will find something for everyone there, even for the nudists as there is a stretch of the beach towards the Twin rocks reserved to them. This beach is very central so you will find loads of cafes and restaurants nearby, but we highly recommend you hop on the ferry for a 10min ride to Hondarribia on the other side of the border for a nice seafood lunch. What to do : A perfect get-away if you want to avoid the busy beaches in Nice. Where: If you feel like going for something a little more exclusive on your South of France holiday, this beach is the place to be. What to do : A section of this stretch of this half-sand, half-pebble coast is reserved solely for the private use of the rich and beautiful, while the other half is available to everyone else. What to do: The main beach can get a little crowded and commercial at the best of times, but if you take a short walk you can still enjoy the quality clear waters and the stunning views of the Pyrenees without all the hustle and bustle — and right behind you is some equally picturesque grassland that helps block out the rest of the world. The town of Gruissan manages to strike the perfect balance between picturesque and lively. What to do: With a casino, marina and plenty of nightlife, adults will have plenty to keep them occupied.
The beaches of the Atlantic
The beaches of the Mediterranean
Please refresh the page and retry. As required, it has the lazy sunshine zest, two vast beaches of sand and shingle, unambiguous light and Alps dropping direct to the sea - but without the airhead assumptions of more ring-a-ding spots farther west. Wintering British nobles long ago set a tone, establishing gardens, good manners and Belle-Epoque elegance. These flourish on Mediterranean roots. The labyrinthine Latin old town climbs around Baroque churches steeply up its hill. Thus we have the best of all worlds - and art in the Jean Cocteau Museum, should the sand, sun and sea fail to supply an aesthetic challenge. To the south of Narbonne, the flat, unkempt Languedoc littoral suddenly sprouts the rocks of the Clape Massif. This is a most welcome development. Tucked in below the massif is the little town of Gruissan which has a proper old centre, spiralling out from its castle.
Étretat, Normandy
By Laura Silver for MailOnline. You've probably noticed an influx of hot dog legs, beach feet and dreamy sunsets on your Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds over the course of summer. Now one French beach is looking to put a stop to this with a ban on beach selfies. A section of The Garoupe, a popular beach in Southern France, is cracking down on people constantly boasting about their holidays to friends back at home by working with mobile network, Three, to create designated 'No Braggies Zones'. Scroll down for video. A spokesperson for the beach said: 'The Garoupe beaches are among the most glamorous and pristine beaches in all of France and we want people to be able to enjoy our exclusive beach in the moment, not spending the majority of their time bragging to their friends and family back home.
I'll be travelling in May with a companion who is a little bit fussy about wanting the warmest possible ocean swimming situation. We're looking at either Corsica or Sardinia but I'm open to other European locations with warm ocean swimming in May! Which of those two places might have the warmest water temperatures in mid-May? Any particular beaches in either of those places that you would recommend as being more likely to be warmer? He really loves beautiful beaches, so for our first trip to Europe together, I thought I'd try to find him some lovely and swimmable ones. We'll be renting a car. All suggestions so appreciated!
