The most photographed beaches in France

Words by Georgina Groom-Rietschy

France’s shoreline shifts dramatically between chalk cliffs and windswept sands, sheltered turquoise bays and long sweeps of golden Riviera beach. The cinematic glamour of Cannes and the pine-fringed coves of Corsica have long drawn travellers in search of sun-soaked escapism. Yet beyond the big-hitting names lies secluded coves and tranquil bays that have inspired writers and film stars alike.

To uncover the beaches that dominated Popsa travellers’ camera rolls in 2025, we analysed millions of customer photos using a rigorous, data-led approach. Comparing the results against 2024 data, the top four held firm, but the mid-table told a different story. La Baule and Les Sables-d’Olonne both climbed two places, while a windswept northern shore famous for its seals and sand yachts made an unexpected appearance among France’s top ten photographed beaches for the first time.

To learn more about how the data was analysed and how the photo index scores were calculated, see the methodology at the end of this article.

The most photographed beaches in France

1. Plage de la Croisette, Cannes, Alpes-Maritimes

Photo index score: 100

Few beaches along the French Riviera are more synonymous with old-world glamour than Plage de la Croisette. Stretching along the sun-drenched Boulevard de la Croisette, this golden sweep of sand meets the azure waters of the Mediterranean, framed by grand Belle Époque palaces and storied hotels. Every May, it becomes the backdrop to the Cannes Film Festival, drawing filmmakers and Hollywood stars in their droves. When you've had your fill of Riviera sunshine, head uphill to Le Suquet, a charming neighbourhood with cobbled streets and coastal views. For a slower pace, Rue Meynadie offers a stellar lineup of delicatessens, cheesemongers and bakeries.

2. Plage de Pampelonne, Ramatuelle, Var

Photo index score: 86

Snaking along the edge of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, Pampelonne is the type of beach that defines a destination – think powder-soft sand, clear turquoise water and irresistible Riviera charm. French actress Brigitte Bardot put it on the map in 1955 during the filming of And God Created Woman, transforming the quiet stretch of coastline into one of the most stylish beaches in France. Today, Club 55 – originally a canteen for the film crew – remains one of the most sought-after spots on the sand. Post-swim and sunshine, go inland to the hilltop village of Ramatuelle, a medieval maze of winding streets and terracotta rooftops overlooking the bay.

3. Plage d'Étretat, Étretat, Seine-Maritime

Photo index score: 80

Just two hours from Paris, Étretat in Normandy is a great option for travellers seeking a wilder, quieter stretch of coast. The pebble beach is sandwiched between towering chalk cliffs, punctuated by dramatic arches and sea-carved rock needles rising above the Channel. Claude Monet was famously captivated by the coastline and created more than 80 paintings of Étretat – works now held in the Musée d’Orsay and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Clifftop trails deliver views year-round, with guillemots and kittiwakes nesting in the chalk faces below. Arrive at dusk, when the cliffs glow amber and the crowds begin to disperse.

4. Plage du Touquet, Le Touquet-Paris-Plage, Pas-de-Calais

Photo index score: 67

Le Touquet-Paris-Plage is northern France’s most storied seaside town, where Art Deco villas emerge from pine forests and sandy dunes seemingly roll endlessly. Once favoured by writers, film stars and the British elite – including Winston Churchill and Agatha Christie – the town retains its elegant spirit. Its vast west-facing beach extends nearly 7km, and at low tide becomes a playground for land yachts skimming at exhilarating speed, a sport associated with Le Touquet for more than a century. Behind the dunes, a protected nature reserve attracts migrating oystercatchers, nightjars and the occasional seal. Don’t miss the 1927 Art Deco covered market for oysters and regional cheeses, and pull up a chair at Pérard, an institution known for its delicious fish soup.

5. Plage de La Baule, La Baule-Escoublac, Loire-Atlantique

Photo index score: 63

Resting on a sheltered corner of the Atlantic coast an hour north of Nantes, La Baule is one of Europe’s longest beaches – and regularly tops best-of lists for good reason. The 9km arc of sand linking the harbour towns of Pornichet and Le Pouliguen is an all-rounder, where families settle into beach clubs, watersports enthusiasts take to kitesurfing and catamaran sailing, and vast tidal flats delight horse riders, joggers and land yachts. Just inland, the medieval walled town of Guérande is worth an afternoon wander, with its cobbled streets and shimmering salt marshes that produce the region’s sought-after fleur de sel.

6. Grande Plage des Sables d'Olonne, Les Sables-d'Olonne, Vendée

Photo index score: 63

You’ll most likely recognise Les Sables-d’Olonne as the start and finish point for the Vendée Globe, better known as the world’s toughest yacht race. Yet beyond the spectacle staged every four years, Grand Plage presents a stunning stretch of south-facing sand, blissfully sheltered from prevailing winds and ideal for swimming, surfing and long tidal walks. The town makes a great weekend destination, with a lively boulevard buzzing with bars, restaurants and boutiques. Gastropub Les Régates is a crowd-pleaser for its beachfront views and seafood platters, while the old fishing quarter La Chaume is just a short ferry across the harbour mouth and is worth a visit for its whitewashed cottages and laidback seafood shacks.

7. Plage de Cabourg, Cabourg, Calvados

Photo index score: 60

When a Parisian businessman transformed this rural fishing village into a fashionable weekend escape for well-heeled city dwellers, he got it exactly right. Cabourg remains one of France’s favourite seaside spots, with its sweep of golden sand framed by elegant Belle Époque architecture. Make The Grand Hôtel your base for its swish interiors – marble, velvet and light-filled, sea-facing rooms – and its literary legacy. French novelist Marcel Proust spent 500 nights overlooking the coast before immortalising the town as Balbec in his novel In Search of Lost Time. The beach is beautiful at every tide, with high water bringing swimmers, windsurfers and kitesurfers. Low tide draws golden hour photographers (the Promenade Marcel Proust is the best spot to position yourself for sunset snaps), cantering horses and locals shrimping.

8. Plage Castel, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes

Photo index score: 57

Anchored at the foot of Castle Hill at the eastern edge of the Promenade des Anglais, Castel Plage is a local hotspot for its broad sweep of pebbles lapped by the glistening Mediterranean and easy access to the old town. The beach is ideally sheltered from the easterly winds by the castle promontory, keeping the water noticeably calmer than elsewhere along the Riviera. Sure, it’s a pebble beach, but the calm, clear water more than makes up for the lack of sand. Grab a sunbed at the Castel Plage beach club – one of the oldest and most quietly stylish on the Côte d’Azur – and be sure to return in the evening for line-fresh fish and flavour-packed wines. Alternatively, skip through the old town arcades to Cours Saleya market and pick up bread, olives, local cheeses and charcuterie before returning to the pebbles to enjoy lunch alfresco.

9. Berck Plage, Berck, Pas-de-Calais

Photo index score: 56

A parade of pastel beach huts, rolling dunes and windswept sand set Berck-sur-Mer apart as one of northern France’s most spectacular seaside destinations. The beach is famously breezy thanks to its exposed position on the Channel, where prevailing south-westerly winds rarely let up. For that reason, it’s a year-round hub for kite surfers and sand yachters. And every April, the sky fills with colour during the town’s world-renowned kite festival, drawing professional flyers and beaming spectators to its shore. Head to the southern end of the beach and follow the Promenade Debeyre to Baie d’Authie, where colonies of grey harbour seals haul out on the sandbanks at low tide.

10. Plage de Palombaggia, Porto-Vecchio, Corse-du-Sud

Photo index score: 54

White sand, red granite rocks and towering umbrella pines set the scene at Corsica’s most beautiful beach. Curving along a sheltered stretch of the island’s southern coast, Palombaggia is divided into a series of coves by rocky headlines, while the water glows a breathtaking shade of turquoise – shallow, calm and ideal for snorkelling. Offshore, the protected Cerbicale Islands shimmer on the horizon, a seabird sanctuary reachable by boat from Porto-Vecchio. The beach fills quickly in summer, so arrive early or visit in late September, when the crowds begin to thin. Book a room at nearby Hotel Palombaggia, a refined boutique hotel enjoying a prime position in the hills above the bay, with a standout restaurant serving Corsican produce and fresh local seafood.

Methodology 

To determine the most photographed beaches in France, Popsa’s data science team analysed millions of photos uploaded by customers in 2025. Using location metadata, we identified images taken within the boundaries of French beaches and ranked them according to total photo volume.

Each beach was assigned a photo index score reflecting the relative volume of photos taken there compared with all other beaches in the dataset. Scores were then normalised on a scale of 0-100, with the most photographed beach used as the benchmark. The result is a ranking that reflects real traveller behaviour, highlighting not only where people visit, but also the places that most inspire them to capture their memories.