The beaches and more of Les Sables d’Olonne !!!

Posted in Europe, Food and Wine, France

Once again, coming back from my road warrior trails in my belle France. This one is a first time as usually bypassed it south but glad finally stop by, its a gem, and we will be back, eventually,The town of Les Sables-d’Olonne is located in the Vendée department no, 85) in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of my belle France , Therefore, here is my take on the beaches and more of Les Sables d’Olonne !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The town of Les Sables-d’Olonne was formed on January 1, 2019, from the merger of the towns of Château-d’Olonne, Olonne-sur-Mer, and Les Sables-d’Olonne. The town is 42 km from La Roche sur Yon (see posts) from where we came from this time along the D160 road to the port and grande plage or big beach where we found free off street parking that was actually illegal but got away with a nice cop for free!! Otherwise 135 euro fine lol!! The town is 252 km from my current town,

The Les Sables-d’Olonne has a long coastal strip with nearly 12 km of beaches bordered by a departmental forest. To the south, the large beach and the entrance to the port are surrounded by the rocks of La Chaume and the strip of rock extending towards Talmont-Saint-Hilaire. For info, there are tourist office at Place Navarin, the one we went always a must, Then, other are at 36 Rue Nicot, 1 quai Alain Gerbault, and Place de la Jolie Sauniére,

The Grande Plage or big beach along the Promenade de l’Amiral Lafargue is one of the most beautiful fine sand beaches is offered without restraint; iodized fragrances, marine caresses, unexpected nuances, it will make you lose the North. The exceptional sunshine colors the landscapes all year round with a warm and intense light. Preferred stadium for all beach sports, waterslides constantly renewed with the tides. Smoking-free beach from April 1 to September 30. Sandbank – beach protected from NW and N winds. Experience: all surfers. Dogs allowed on a leash from October 1 to March 31.

This beach, considered the most beautiful in Europe, stretches for nearly 3 km, facing the embankment. A vast stretch of fine sand where it’s pleasant to stretch out and sunbathe. The vast beach of Les Sables d’Olonne is also known for its dizzying waves, making it one of the most popular destinations for surfers, who can be seen enjoying the thrill of riding the waves in both summer and winter. Called Le Remblai or embankment this strand is the archetype of France’s beach resorts, backing onto the town. The resort’s charming seafront has countless cafes and restaurants where you can sit on the terrace and enjoy a drink while soaking up the atmosphere. Various water sports are available for the more adventurous, as well as beach clubs for children. The beach is supervised during the summer months.

In the heart of one of the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World,” the Grande Plage is the resort’s central beach. Accessible from the town center, it’s close to all shops and amenities. Along the famous embankment, it stretches with fine sand, heading towards Château-d’Olonne. It’s a family beach: From July 1st until early September, swimming is supervised by SNSM lifeguards from 10h30 to 19h, every day. To make it easier to find children lost on the beach, identification bracelets are available free of charge at the first aid station. In summer, the Mickey Mouse Club offers children sports activities, games, and competitions on the beach. If you’re a water sports enthusiast, the beach is the place for you! Try tubing, surfing, wakefoiling, or foiling. Surfing and sailing schools are located on the beach to help you learn or improve your skills. Beach Entertainment Point: All summer long, Les Sables d’Olonne offers numerous beach activities, including beach volleyball tournaments, beach soccer, sand sculptures, Zumba parties, and beauty pageants. Meet near the central lifeguard station (Place Navarin). Strolling and Shopping: The Remblai, the pedestrian promenade that runs along the beach, allows you to enjoy the lively seafront. It’s a bit like the “Vendée Croisette.” Restaurants, bars, ice cream parlors, and boutiques invite you to stroll and shop. A pleasant experience both day and night. Tobacco-free beach: From April 1st to September 30th, the Grande Plage will be smoke-free. The town of Les Sables d’Olonne provides free beach chairs for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to move around the sand and enjoy swimming. Online reservations are required. The Grande Plage offers one of the most beautiful sunsets in Vendée. To take the perfect photo, wait for the golden hour, that magical moment when the light turns honey and the sky turns red.

There are other fine beaches here but no time to see them all this time, They are Plage de Tanchet beach is a surfer’s favorite. Near La Chaume, the Dombret Basin is a natural seawater pool (without the waves). For nature lovers, the wild beaches of La Paracou, Les Graviers, Sauveterre, and Les Granges are well mentioned!

As said earlier post, we came in to the Promenade de l’Amiral Lafargue right off the Grande Plage on the remblai or embankment, for a great start, We found easy parking right on the beach side and spent the morning walking around the area until hunger struck and we settle for the Brasserie Navarin, simply because it was right overlooking my car and did not know if the parking was legal or not, The restaurant offers unobstructed views of the ocean from its terrace, which comes alive in the morning for coffee. The setting is warm and inviting, with a short menu featuring typical brasserie dishes. It was a big surprise to find friendly service personnel always a plus for me and the fast , We ordered some drinks and I opted for the Île de Beauté rosé wine 50cl to share with one son while the other two had cocktails, The service and welcome was so nice we decided to eat there too, We all ordered moussels or moules mine with chorizo sauce of course! It was delicious all of it, All for 30 euros per person not bad considering it is a very prize beach resort, We will be back eventually,

Before leaving we went for the desserts and climb up the Place Navarin to Gelateria Amorino at Place de la Résistance , I know the brand from Paris where they began in 2002 on the île Saint-Louis ,These are artisanal ice creams made with respect for Italian tradition. The gelato is prepared with carefully selected ingredients of natural origin, without preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors, to preserve the authenticity of the flavors. At Amorino, each gelato is shaped with a spatula into a flower, a visual signature that enhances the pleasure of both the eyes and the palate. Two of my sons went for the milkshakes and another for the cone banana et praline chocolate, I did mine mango and chocolate! All delicious for about 11 euros per person, worth it indeed!!

In leaving we went to pick up the car across and voilà there was a cop waiting ready to issue a ticket for illegal parking! I talked him over as other have done the same and we were just leaving so he let us go, saving a nasty 135 euros fine!!

The town of Les Sables d’Olonne on the Grande Plage: https://www.lessablesdolonne.fr/plages/la-grande-plage-pnapdl085v50giyy/

My fav Plages TV site on the Grande Plage of Les Sables d’Olonne: https://www.plages.tv/detail/grande-plage-les-sables-d-olonne-85100

The official Brasserie Navarin: https://brasserie-navarin.fr/

The RestaurantGuru reviews on Brasserie Navarin: https://restaurantguru.com/Le-Navarin-Les-Sables-dOlonne

The official Amorino ,see Les Sables d’Olonne: https://www.amorino.com/storelocator

There you go folks, again, another gem of my belle France ! This is real country in a very popular area that needs to be seen, we will be back, eventually, Again, nice opportunity to see the town , good for the soul, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the beaches and more of Les Sables d’Olonne !!!  as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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