When we open the window from our hotel room and look out over the golden beach and the sparkling sea, we immediately understand why the seaside resort The Baule is so popular with the French. The beach spreads out like a perfect crescent along the Atlantic coast and stretches almost nine kilometers in a west-east direction. We spend three days here during our trip in southern Brittany and would have liked to stay longer, even though the weather in Brittany rarely promises constant sun.
The Baule
Unlike glamorous Trouville in Normandy, which also emerged as a seaside resort in the 19th century, La Baule has a different vibe. Elegant, but more relaxed. Much of the atmosphere that greets visitors today was created in the 1930s, when the town's villas, hotels and promenade attracted holidaymakers from Paris. It's easy to imagine how guests once strolled along the bay with parasols and elegant summer dresses, as captivated by the view as we are now.
From our windows we see the sun rise over the bay while the seagulls scream and the coffee is served on the breakfast terrace. It is quiet here. The area consists mostly of private villas and apartments, which makes the stay peaceful and quiet. Maybe a little too quiet and peaceful, since there are no shops or restaurants right next door.
La Baule formally has not just one beach, but actually four. The largest is The Great Beach of La Baule – the 5 km long beach located in the center of La Baule. We live at Benoit Beach, directly west of La Grande Plage. I don't really know where the border is between the beaches and why the same beach has different names, but one thing is for sure. The beach is equally nice and well-maintained everywhere. Some parts of Plage de Benoit have lifeguards and there are toilets, beach volleyball and water sports equipment for rent.
We stay at a mid-range hotel at the western end of the bay, at Plage de Benoit, near the small neighboring town of Le Pouliguen. There is a center in La Baule, where the main street is lined with both restaurants and shops. But it takes almost 40 minutes to walk there. When we want a little more hustle and bustle, we instead take a walk across the bridge to the neighboring town of Le Pouliguen.
Pouliguen
In Pouliguen we find a different character than La Baule – smaller, more genuine and with an everyday life that does not revolve around tourism and shopping as much. The port is the heart of the city, where sailboats sway with the tide, the evening market fills the quay with life and the restaurants serve fresh seafood on a continuous line.
Every evening we walk there for dinner. The small restaurants offer mussels, oysters and crêpes, often accompanied by a glass of cider or local wine. Here, in the homeland of the crêpe, it is hard to resist a classic galette – a hearty pancake made of buckwheat flour filled with melted cheese and ham. It is always accompanied by dry apple cider in small round cups. The dinner is of course finished with a sweet crêpe, preferably with apple and a splash of calvados – a perfect end to the evening.
Food festivals and even more seafood
One evening we accidentally find ourselves in the middle of Breton Festival, a local food festival in Le Pouliguen where mussels and crêpes take centre stage. We sit at a long table under a large tent, and freshly cooked mussels are served at a brisk pace from huge pots. The atmosphere is simple and warm – families with children, older couples and young people sit side by side. A glass of wine costs two euros, cider the same. It all feels casual and communal – a reminder that the best experiences don’t have to be expensive.
Excursions, weather and the Breton soul
Days in La Baule are filled with excursions along the winding roads of Brittany. We walk among ancient standing stones at Carnac, visit historic villages and see how salt is still harvested by hand in the salt pans of Guérande. The landscape alternates between open moors, green meadows and dramatic coastal cliffs and at times it almost feels like being in northern Britain. The Celtic road signs and clear heritage give the area its very own identity.
Although La Baule and Le Pouliguen now formally belong to the Loire-Atlantique region, the soul still feels genuinely Breton. There is a charm here that is based on everyday life rather than surface – a place where you can enjoy quiet mornings, good food and a vibrant local culture. Anyone looking for a peaceful but eventful holiday will easily find home here. As long as you are not afraid of a refreshing dip – the Atlantic is never warm enough for a hot tub like me.
The weather changes between sun and rain, but that's part of the Brittany experience. Brittany is rarely uncomfortably hot, not even in summer. The sun invites you to walk along the beach, while the rain gives the landscape a special depth and tranquility. Every day feels different - and it's this variation that makes the place and the area so interesting. One morning a lady sits with her umbrella on the beach looking out over the sea in the drizzle, the next day we're sitting outside in the sun having breakfast. Same view, same place, but completely different experiences. It's this mix that makes Brittany a place you'll want to go back to.
Travel to La Baule and Le Pouliguen
La Baule and Le Pouliguen are located at the bottom of the Brittany peninsula, about eighty kilometers west of Nantes. There is a high-speed train from Paris to La Baule in about three hours, but to really experience the surroundings, the best way to get around is by car.
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