La Baule

France

La Baule, or La Baule-Escoublac, is a city in the département of Loire-Atlantique, in the region of Pays de la Loire, in France. It is one of the most popular and longest beaches on the French Atlantic coast, and it prides itself of being "one of the most beautiful beaches in Europe". It is bordered by the two smaller beach-towns of Le Pouliguen (which has given the name to the "Baie du Pouliguen") and Pornichet.

  • Tourism Office of La Baule, 8, place de la Victoire, BP 161, 44500 La Baule-Escoublac, +33 2 40 24 34 44. Jul–Aug: daily 09:30–19:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–12:30 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–12:30 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00 15:00–17:00.
  • Tourism Office of Pornichet, 3 boulevard de la République, BP 11, 44380 Pornichet, +33 2 40 61 33 33. Jul–Aug: M–Sa 09:15–19:00, Su 09:30–18:30; Apr–Jun: M–Sa 09:30–13:00 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00 14:00–18:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–13:00 14:00–17:30, closed on Sunday.

Tourism Office of La Baule, 8, place de la Victoire, BP 161, 44500 La Baule-Escoublac, +33 2 40 24 34 44. Jul–Aug: daily 09:30–19:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–12:30 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–12:30 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00 15:00–17:00.

Tourism Office of Pornichet, 3 boulevard de la République, BP 11, 44380 Pornichet, +33 2 40 61 33 33. Jul–Aug: M–Sa 09:15–19:00, Su 09:30–18:30; Apr–Jun: M–Sa 09:30–13:00 14:00–18:00, Su 10:00–13:00 14:00–18:00; Oct–Mar: M–Sa 10:00–13:00 14:00–17:30, closed on Sunday.

The beach is 8km long, and has fine, white sand, and very little waves. The best time to go there is July and August, when the water temperature gets to 20°C or more. The rest of the year, it is much colder.

When you want to go swimming near "plage Benoit" (west of the casino), you should check the tide schedule because when it is low, you can walk for half an hour and only get knee-deep in the water. Towards the centre and eastern side of the bay the beach is steeper, allowing swimming at low tide but producing more shore break.

  • Casino Barrière, 24, esplanade Lucien Barrière (near the beach, +33 2 40 11 48 28. Su–Th 09:00–03:00, F–Sa 09:00–04:00; Table games: 21:00–03:00 daily.

Casino Barrière, 24, esplanade Lucien Barrière (near the beach, +33 2 40 11 48 28. Su–Th 09:00–03:00, F–Sa 09:00–04:00; Table games: 21:00–03:00 daily.

The main shopping street, in the middle of La Baule, is the Avenue du Général de Gaulle.

Crêpes restaurant (crêperies) are numerous and cheap. Seafood is also a good choice: mussels, prawns, crab...

  • Le Bidule, 122, Avenue de Mazy, 44380 Pornichet (near the Pornichet train station, 5 min by foot from the beach, +33 2 40 61 03 54. Sep–Jun: Tu–Sa 10:00–13:30 & 17:30–21:00, Su 10:00–13:30, closed on Sunday afternoon and Monday; Jul–Aug: daily 10:00–13:30 & 17:30–21:00. The Bidule has been a must-go for a drink before dinner for the last 40 years.

Le Bidule, 122, Avenue de Mazy, 44380 Pornichet (near the Pornichet train station, 5 min by foot from the beach, +33 2 40 61 03 54. Sep–Jun: Tu–Sa 10:00–13:30 & 17:30–21:00, Su 10:00–13:30, closed on Sunday afternoon and Monday; Jul–Aug: daily 10:00–13:30 & 17:30–21:00. The Bidule has been a must-go for a drink before dinner for the last 40 years.