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If you are looking for the best beaches to spend time in near Paris, read on!
From the cliffs of Normandy, the UNESCO world heritage site Mont Saint-Michel, to the nearby Fort-Mahon Beach, you are spoiled for choice! It all depends on how much time you have, your preferences (historic sites/natural beauty/fishing ports), and whether you’d like to take a guided tour. Here are the best beaches for a day trip from Paris, France.
Table of contents
Fort-Mahon Beach
The Fort Mahon beach is one of the closest beaches from Paris. If you are pressed for travel time, it is the best beach for you! It is a great place to gather with a small group, enjoy the fabulous water activities here, and just have fun.
Some of the available activities are: catamaraning, paddleboarding, kayaking, sandyachting, and kite-flying! 🪁
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach but outside of lifeguard zones and residential areas. During bird nesting season, some areas are regulated. Please ask the Tourist Office for the most current information. Some small trails also allow dogs on a leash: the 2.5km Discovery Trail of Authie Dune, the 4km Fisherman Trail, the 4.5km Royon Trail, and the 3.1km Bas-Champs Trail Loop.
Travel time:
By train: 3 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A16
Le Crotoy Beach
A beautiful beach facing the Somme Bay, Le Crotoy beach is very lovely for families and nature lovers. It is suitable for walks by the beach and sunbathing. It is an excellent place to observe nature, you will be able to see animals such as seals, clams, crabs, and seabirds. Be careful of the high tides, it is not an ideal place for swimming as it can quickly get dangerous.
Dogs on a leash are allowed from the Allée de la Grève to the Maye car park (a 2km stretch). Dogs are prohibited on the beach in front of the built-up area from April 1st to October 31st. From November 11th to March 31st, they are allowed on all the beach except the Nature Reserve
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A16
Honfleur Beach
A beach full of pirates?! The Honfleur Beach is actually called the Plage du Butin. Yes, pirates used to hang out here! They lit bonfires on the beach to attract boats after dark- which they will then rob and plunder! 😱 Located in the coast of Normandy, the Butin Beach is it for Parisians wanting to go swimming.
The Nautical Club of Honfleur also has courses and lessons for catamaraning and J80 sailing. Other activities include sand yachting, sea walking, paddle boarding, and kayaking in the beaches of Normandy.
Leashed dogs are allowed in the off-season period from October to May. In June to September, dogs are not allowed on the beach promenade.
Travel time:
By train: 4.5 hours from Saint Lazare train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A13
Deauville Beach
The Deauville Beach, on the coast of the English Channel, is filled with water sports activities and is perfect for families who love sandcastles. Check the tides (look up the beach’s tides, for example “Trouville tides”) for a more enjoyable walk along the beach during low tide. This town also hosts the second biggest film festival in France after Cannes, the Deauville American Film Festival. No wonder this resort town is also filled with luxury boutiques and michelin-starred restaurants.
Summer is its high season, but it can get busy in spring and fall weekends as well. Leashed dogs are allowed on the Deauville Beach. But from March 15th to November 15th, dogs are not permitted on the beach from 10am-7pm.
Dogs on a leash are allowed on the Deauville beach. Note that from March 15th to November 15th, dogs are prohibited on the beach from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A16 (driving instructions)
Mont Saint-Michel
This beautiful island off the normandy coast is a UNESCO world heritage site. Its main attraction is the Abbey, which is surrounded by shops selling local food and souvenirs- almost like a small town within an island. A famous local restaurant-turned-biscuit brand is La Mere Poulard. The prices are on the high side, but you can dine in the historic B&B that has been around since 1888.
You can walk or ride the bus to Mont Saint Michel during the day. But during the high tides, the beach will be covered by seawater. It turns this enchanting island into a fairytale castle surrounded by the ocean- a magical view!
It is best to visit with a small-group tour, an option I also personally chose. Read my experience visiting Mont Saint-Michel with a guided tour here!
Dogs on a leash are allowed in the village, but not allowed in the abbey or the village parish church. Guide dogs, however, are allowed.
Travel time:
By train: 5 hours from Gare de Lyon train station
By car: 3.5 hours via A13 and A84
Omaha Beach
As one of the landing beaches in the D-day landings of World War II, Omaha Beach is a major attraction for a history buff. There is a war memorial and war museum available to visit and pay homage to. The Normandy American Cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer is located by the beach as an important reminder of this battle. In the cemetery’s visitor center, you would be able to find an exhibit with stories from the Allied forces who took part in this historic event.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach, but not in the swimming zone. The D-Day Omaha Museum welcomes four-legged companions.
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 3.5 hours via A13 (free parking available at the end of Avenue de la Libération)
Pointe du Hoc
La Pointe du Hoc is located 15 minutes’ drive away from Omaha Beach. This spot on the cliff is where the Nazis built an observation point, to keep tabs on the Allied forces landing on the historic D-day beaches. It is one of the historic sites that should be visited if you are around the area! Until this day, you can view the craters created by the bombs used in the Battle of Normandy.
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 3.5 hours via A13
Juno Beach
Juno Beach is a fine sandy beach located in the Normandy region. It is also a historic Canadian landings site during World War II and one of the historic D-day beaches. A museum, Juno Beach Centre, showcases interactive exhibits and historical facts about the Canadian military contributions to the war. The maple leaf-shaped building is closed during the month of January.
Small dogs are allowed in the Juno Beach Centre, but large dogs need to have reservation (only between 1-2 pm).
Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer
From July 1 to August 31, you can walk your dog at the east end and west end of the beach, outside the swimming area. Otherwise, they are allowed on the beach on a leash the rest of the year.
Courseulles-sur-Mer
Leashed dogs are allowd from Camping Cap Fun to Cale du Platon in Bernières-sur-Mer all year round.
From June 15th-September 15th, dogs on a leash are tolerated at low tide before 11:30 a.m. and after 6:30 p.m., in the East zone and the West zone.
Outside of these periods, dogs (even leashed dogs) are prohibited on the beaches and in the dunes of the Croix de Lorraine area.
Bernieres-sur-Mer
Leashed dogs are allowed outside of swimming areas. In July and August, dogs are prohibited on the sea wall between Place du Canada and the Platon slipway and on the sandy area in front and behind the beach cabins.
Travel time:
By train: 3 hours to Caen, then 30 minutes by car
By car: 3 hours via A13
Dieppe Beach
The Dieppe Beach is a great spot for swimming, windsurfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and more! The city of Dieppe also has a bi-annual international kite festival in September. More than 500,000 visitors come for this festival. This city is also famour for their herring and scallops. Visitors can also check out the Dieppe Castle, which is now a museum, and the lively market every Saturday saturday morning.
Dogs on leashes are allowed on the Dieppe Beach, but NOT during the summer (June 15th-September 15th)
Travel time:
By train: 3 hours from Saint Lazare train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A13
Etretat Beach
Etretat is a beautiful coastal town located in the Alabaster Coast (Côte d’Albâtre). It is lined with breathtakingly majestic cliffs called “Les Falaises” and pebbled beaches. Most visitors take the chance to explore and hike by the coast.
Art lovers would have the best time here. The stunning cliffs of Etretat has been an art inspiration for a long time, with its most famous paintings done by Gustave Courbet, Gustave Boudin, and Claude Monet. It is no wonder that Monet created more than 50 paintings around the site. He painted some of the same sites at different times of the day to capture the variations of sunlights.
High season is around the July-August summer months and during holiday weekends. Less crowd will be around during weekdays.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the promenade, but no dog is allowed on the beach or swimming area year-round.
Warning: Stay away from the edge of the Etretat cliffs, as the erosion can create unstable footings. Do not collect pebbles on the beach, as these protect against erosion.
Travel time:
By train: 4 hours from Saint Lazare train station (no direct trains, but SNCF train + bus tickets are available)
By car: 3 hours via A13 (free parking in the city entrance, Criquetot-l’Esneval (la Guezane). Foot path is available to Chemin des Haules)
Trouville Beach
As one of the first seaside resorts in France, Le Grand Plage de Trouville attracted French literary stars and painters. Flaubert, Proust, Boudin, and Claude Monet are some famous names that had commemorated Trouville into their works.
The famous attractions of Trouville includes the fish market, beach, and boardwalk. Walk along the 19th century mansions and, if you walk along far enough, discover the untouched beaches. The historical fish market is perfect for a seafood and wine combo.
You can rent parasols and beach chairs, get a bite to eat from local restaurants or grocery stores, kick back, and relax!
Dogs are allowed on the beach year-round, but only from 7 pm to 10 am. You can take your leashed dogs on the main boardwalk, Promenade Savignac.
Travel time:
By train: 3 hours from Saint Lazare train station
By car: 2-3 hours via A13
Le Touquet Beach
Le Touquet beach (Le Touquet Paris Plage) is close to the city center- and how lively it is! The city has many events during the year, such as Enduropale motorcycle racing and Le Touquet Beach Music Festival in August. As a family destination, the resort hosts fun competitions such as sandyachting and beach volleyball.
Dogs are prohibited on the Le Touquet Beach during tourist season (between March 15th to November 15th).
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A16
Veules-les-Roses
A commune in the coast of Normandy, Veules-les-Roses has a sand and pebble beach. It was voted as one of the most beautiful villages in France, and rightly so!
The beach is called Plage-Baignade Veules-les-Roses, and during the summer months it will have a paddling pool for little kids. It has a vast sandy area during low tide- perfect for sandcastle building for the family! Not up for swimming? That’s ok, you can hike the cliffs and appreciate the scenery.
Dogs are prohibited on the Veules-les-Roses Beach. Leashed dogs are allowed on the promenade.
Travel time:
By train: 4 hours from Saint Lazare train station
By car: 2-3 hours via A13
Cabourg
With the nickname “beach for the romantics”, Cabourg Beach is the perfect place for couples. The Cabourg Beach, filled with fine sand, is surrounded by a lovely pedestrian promenade, with a perfect view of the coasts and Le Havre. Other than romantic walks along the beach, it is also filled with water activities. Kayaking, paddleboarding, kitesurfing, even jet skiing!
If you are staying in the area, you can check out the Sunday markets as well. The local food and produce is fantastic, and you can immerse yourself in the bustling local scene.
Dogs are allowed in on the beach opposite the dunes at the Pointe de Cabourg year-round, but not in other beaches.
Travel time:
By train: 3 hours from Saint Lazare train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A13
Saint-Valery-sur-Somme
The Saint-Valery-sur-Somme beach is home to a big seal colony that you can view through your binoculars. This pebbled beach is surrounded by towering white cliffs, a magnificent sight to many.
The medieval town is lined with cobblestone streets and is chock-full of history and heritage. It is also where Joan of Arc was briefly imprisoned before being taken to Rouen.
Visit the market on Wednesday and Sunday mornings to discover local offerings! The Wednesday market opens at 8.30 am on Quai de l’Amiral Courbet, and the Sunday market opens at 7 am on Place des Pilotes and Quai du Romerel.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach, but not allowed on the coastal trail.
Travel time:
By train: 2.5 hours from Gare du Nord train station
By car: 2.5 hours via A16
P.S. = Download these travel apps before your trip to France! I also wrote more about my experience visiting Mont Saint-Michel from Paris.
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