By With nore than 2,000 miles of coastline, there’s more to beaches in France than just tourist hotspots like St-Tropez and Antibes. The sea-covered landscape varies from chic urban harbours to quaint fishing villages.
While this variety means there’s a French coastal town that will please everybody, it can be difficult to choose the right spot for you.
Fortunately, Jessie Moore, a luxury travel expert from Pocket Wanderings, revealed the “best utterly charming seaside resort” in France on her blog.
With a population of just 4,603, Trouville-sur-Mer is “somewhat underrated” when compared to its neighbours like Deauville and Honfleur. The lively and popular holiday destination boasts a large, clean beach that is “gloriously sandy”.
Jessie marked this charming town as “one of the best” in Northern France thanks to its landscape of the stunning beach and rolling hills “bursting with natural life”.
While Trouville-sur-Mer’s history dates back several hundred years, the town has grown and developed as a seaside resort.
But it still boasts an active fishing port, bringing fresh catch to the town’s famous fish market.
Originally wrapped in a wooden exterior back in 1844, the market was turned to a lovely néo-norman style following an architectural competition to choose the final design in 1937. It was re-built in this exact style after it was decimated by a fire in 2006.
If you want to enjoy some more shopping, the boardwalk, which dates to the 19th century, is the perfect spot to dip in and out of flea markets and shops.
When strolling through the charming streets of Trouville-sur-Mer, don’t forget to look out for the Town Hall, built in Louis XIII style, and the ‘Escalier du serpent’, which is a series of 100 steps taking you up to the heights of Trouville and offering fabulous views of the town and the sea below.
Moore explained that while the sea is “chillier than you’ll find in the French Riviera”, the town’s still a “wonderful place to visit in the summer”.
As well as the array of sea-based activities and sports, you can also try your hand at horse riding and golf when visiting Trouville-sur-Mer. For countryside enthusiasts, there are also a couple of marked trails that can be explored on foot.
However, if you still want to have a swim and don’t fancy the sea temperature, the town also offers large heated pools near the beach located both indoors and outdoors.
Furthermore, Trouville-sur-Mer is easily reachable from the UK by car, with the fastest journey from Dover to the town taking just four hours and 31 minutes.
