The Atlantic Coast

The weather and beaches are more wild on France’s west coast. Sand dunes and pine forests surround vast swaths of sand. The Ile de Ré, just off the coast of La Rochelle, is the quintessential French holiday island, complete with cute antique shops, oyster shacks, and beach horseback riding; this is where chic Parisians go for the weekend. The beaches in Cap Ferret are even wilder and quieter, with the highest sand dunes in Europe tumbling down to a dark blue Atlantic Ocean dotted with white sailboats. And down in Biarritz, where France meets Spain, the beautiful beaches of the Basque coast are popular with surfers and a quieter type of A-lister.