Best Beach: Plage du Débarquement
July 15, 2014
Le Débarquement beach isn't for everyone.
Why? It is a pebble beach, not a sandy one. What's more, pebbles here are large rolling ones, more like rounded rocks which makes it impossible to comfortably lay down and lounge on the beach with just a towel. And getting out of the water back to the beach is a wobbling stumble upwards.
So why did the Plade du Débarquement at Le Dramont make it to our list of favorites?
- Its large pebbles keep the some of the crowds at bay. This evening on July 15th, the beach felt deserted and we had no trouble finding space to spread out. Note that this is likely to change as the summer rolls foward all the way to mid-August as the beach is close to a number of campgrounds.
- Its seaside promenade along the rocky shores further out towards the Poussaï port makes for a great seaside stroll or a longer exporatory hike.
- It offers showers, public bathrooms and large shaded picnic area. A reasonable beach-side restaurant called Restaurant La Plage de l'Ile d'Or serves salads & burgers and a 'Plat du Jour" that will not tear your wallet to pieces (currently 10€ for a very generous daily special - children's menu available).
- Next to the restaurant, a friendly outfit rents out stand-up paddles, pedal boats and kayaks for added fun. They rent plush transats with mattress and parasol too. Open in July & August.
- There's plenty of FREE parking in the large open lot above the beach (when it isn't overly crowded, of course).
- The water is the clearest I have seen thus far this season along the coast. Probably, once again, thanks to the pebbles. Pebbles can be nice.
Tips?
- Bring your water shoes as you will appreciate them for comfort getting in & out of the water.
- If you have young children or generally prefer the added safety of a lifeguard, stay in the designated swimming area which is fairly narrow in the centre of the beach.
- The beach can whip up waves and froth on windy days as it is open to the sea.
Where is La Plage du Débarquement?
Plage du Débarquement at Le Dramont sits between the resort towns of Saint-Raphael and Agay.
For specific location & directions, take a look at the below Google map.
More Info
Restaurant de la Plage de l'ile d'Or. Phone: 04 94 83 00 06.
Cabane de Plage for kayak, stand-up paddles, pedal boats & transat rentals. Open in July & August only. Phone: 06 37 23 50 50
Interested in discovering the Western French Riviera on foot through short half-day hikes? Take a look at this hiking guide: