La Baule-Escoublac
FranceCfa
© OpenStreetMap, CARTO
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Why visit
The vast white-sand beach is really exceptional, broad enough that even peak August doesn't feel crowded, with a long pedestrianised promenade. Cycle the salt-marsh tracks of Guérande for sea-salt tasting at the salt farms (the famous fleur de sel), tour the medieval walled town of Guérande, and take the boat to the wild Atlantic island of Belle-Île. Try galettes (savoury buckwheat crepes) and oysters from the nearby Croisic peninsula. La Baule has casinos, a thalassotherapy spa scene, and a yacht club.
When to avoid
August is busy and prices triple, the beach is huge but the restaurants and parking get tight. Outside summer (Sep to Apr) the town quiets considerably. Many seasonal restaurants close November through March. Atlantic weather is fickle, sunny mornings can become rainy afternoons. Sundays in France mean reduced shop hours. The TGV from Paris takes 3 hours but tickets sell out for August Saturdays.
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