10 Best Summer Destinations in France for Romantic Streets, Beaches, and History

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France is a dream for summer holidays, offering so much more than just city breaks. When looking for the best summer festinations in France, many of us imagine coastal towns where we can enjoy the perfect combination of romantic streets, beaches, and history. It’s about finding those places where lazy beach days can be paired easily with exploring charming streets, historical sites, or vibrant local markets.

From the glamour of the Mediterranean coast to the wild beauty of the Atlantic shores and the unique character of its islands, France provides a diverse range of seaside experiences. You can find bustling resorts, quiet coves, historic port towns, and everything in between. Let’s explore ten destinations where you can soak up the French summer ambiance beautifully.

Nice

Nice is the vibrant heart of the French Riviera, gracefully curving around the Bay of Angels (‘Baie des Anges’). Its famous ‘Promenade des Anglais’ is perfect for a stroll alongside the long, pebbly beach. While the beaches are more stone than sand right in the city, the azure water is incredibly inviting for a dip, and private beach clubs offer comfortable lounging.

Beyond the shore, Nice has a rich cultural side. Lose yourself in the narrow, colourful streets of the Old Town (‘Vieux Nice’), with its lively markets like the ‘Cours Saleya’ flower and food market. Art lovers will appreciate museums dedicated to Matisse and Chagall, who were drawn to the city’s unique light. Nice also serves as a fantastic base for exploring other Riviera gems, easily reachable by train or bus.

Saint-Tropez

Synonymous with glamour and stunning beaches, Saint-Tropez still retains its charm as a former fishing village, especially outside the peak summer frenzy. The harbour, filled with everything from small fishing boats to enormous yachts, is the town’s focal point. The nearby ‘Pampelonne’ beach is legendary – a long stretch of golden sand dotted with famous beach clubs, but also with public sections where anyone can relax.

Explore the town’s pastel-coloured streets, browse chic boutiques, or soak up the atmosphere in the ‘Place des Lices’ where locals play pétanque under the plane trees. For a dose of culture, the ‘Musée de l’Annonciade’, housed in a former chapel, showcases an impressive collection of post-Impressionist art. The light here attracted many artists, and you can see why.

Cassis

Nestled between Marseille and Toulon, Cassis is a picturesque fishing port known for its stunning natural surroundings, particularly the ‘Calanques’. These dramatic fjord-like inlets feature towering white limestone cliffs plunging into turquoise water, with small, often pebbly beaches tucked away at their ends. You can explore them by hiking or, more easily, by taking a boat tour from the harbour.

The town itself is delightful, with pastel houses lining the harbour, filled with restaurants serving fresh seafood. Cassis is also renowned for its white wine, produced from vineyards overlooking the sea – it’s one of the earliest designated wine regions in France. It offers a more relaxed Provençal vibe compared to the bustling Riviera further east.

Biarritz

On France’s southwestern Atlantic coast, Biarritz blends Belle Époque elegance with a cool surfing vibe. The ‘Grande Plage’ is the main beach, right in the heart of the town, popular for sunbathing and swimming. However, Biarritz is famous as the birthplace of surfing in Europe, and beaches like ‘Côte des Basques’ attract surfers from around the world.

Beyond the waves, Biarritz boasts grand architecture, including the iconic ‘Hôtel du Palais’ (originally built for Empress Eugénie) and the lighthouse offering panoramic views. You can feel the strong Basque influence in the culture, food (like gateau Basque), and the striped linens found in shops. The covered market, ‘Les Halles’, is a fantastic spot to sample local delicacies.

Île de Ré

Just off La Rochelle, connected by a bridge, the Île de Ré is an island escape famed for its relaxed atmosphere, charming villages, and long sandy beaches. It’s incredibly popular with French families. Cycling is the best way to get around, with extensive networks of flat paths winding through salt marshes, vineyards, and pine forests, linking villages like the fortified ‘Saint-Martin-de-Ré’ (a UNESCO site) and the lovely harbour of ‘La Flotte’.

The island’s Atlantic beaches are often wide and sandy, backed by dunes – great for families and water sports. Culturally, oyster farming is a big part of life here, and you can visit oyster huts (‘cabanes’) to sample them fresh from the sea. The island enforces strict building codes, ensuring the villages retain their traditional whitewashed look with green or blue shutters.

Corsica

Known as the ‘Island of Beauty’, Corsica offers an incredible mix of stunning beaches and rugged mountain landscapes. Southern spots like Porto-Vecchio boast famous beaches such as ‘Palombaggia’ and ‘Santa Giulia’, known for their fine white sand, clear turquoise waters, and picturesque umbrella pines. The island’s coastline is incredibly diverse, from dramatic cliffs around Bonifacio to quieter coves further north.

Culturally, Corsica feels distinct from mainland France, with its own language, music, and traditions. Ajaccio, the capital, is the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, and you can visit his family home, ‘Maison Bonaparte’. Inland, hiking trails crisscross the mountains, revealing ancient villages and breathtaking views. Exploring by car is recommended to appreciate the island’s varied scenery.

Montpellier

While not directly on the coast, the vibrant university city of Montpellier is just a short tram or bus ride away from lovely Mediterranean beaches like ‘Palavas-les-Flots’ and ‘Carnon’. This gives you the option of easy beach days combined with exploring a dynamic city brimming with history and culture. The city centre itself is largely pedestrianised, centred around the grand ‘Place de la Comédie’.

Montpellier has a beautiful historic core, the ‘Écusson’, with medieval streets, elegant mansions, and hidden squares. It boasts the oldest operating medical school in the Western world and a renowned botanical garden, the ‘Jardin des plantes’. The city’s youthful energy means plenty of cafes, bars, and cultural events throughout the summer. It offers a great mix if you want city life close to the sea.

La Rochelle

This historic port city on the Atlantic coast has a wonderfully preserved harbour entrance guarded by three medieval towers. Strolling around the ‘Vieux Port’ (Old Harbour) is a must. While La Rochelle doesn’t have large beaches right in the centre, several smaller ones are nearby, and the bridge to the Île de Ré makes accessing its sandy stretches very easy.

The city centre is full of arcaded streets, half-timbered houses, and a bustling market. Key attractions include the impressive Aquarium, one of the best in Europe, and maritime museums that reflect its seafaring past. La Rochelle has a strong environmental focus, with pioneering public bike-sharing schemes and electric sea buses.

Saint-Malo

Located in Brittany, Saint-Malo is famous for its impressive walled city, known as ‘Intra-Muros’ (within the walls). Walking along the ramparts offers fantastic views of the English Channel and the surrounding beaches. The tides here are some of the highest in Europe, dramatically changing the landscape between high and low tide, revealing vast expanses of sand.

Inside the walls, you can explore cobblestone streets packed with shops, creperies, and restaurants specialising in seafood. Saint-Malo has a rich maritime history linked to explorers and privateers (‘corsairs’). Just offshore are several small islands accessible at low tide, including ‘Grand Bé’, where the writer Chateaubriand is buried.

Arcachon

Situated on the edge of a large bay (‘Bassin d’Arcachon’) on the Atlantic coast, Arcachon is famous for two things: oysters and the nearby ‘Dune du Pilat’. This dune is the tallest sand dune in Europe, offering incredible panoramic views over the bay, the ocean, and the vast pine forests inland. The town itself has lovely sandy beaches right on the calm bay waters.

Arcachon is divided into four ‘quarters’ named after the seasons, with the ‘Ville d’Hiver’ (Winter Town) known for its extravagant Belle Époque villas. The bay is dotted with traditional oyster farming villages like ‘Cap Ferret’ (reachable by ferry), where you can enjoy fresh oysters at waterside shacks. It’s a unique environment, blending forest, dune, and bay experiences.