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Looking at going on the Eurostar into France this august. We would like a quiet coastal town ideally to chill in for a week so must have exploring opps close by, good food, wife pregnant so not boozy (for me yes :-))
any other areas?
Before the 15th it will be busy everywhere, quiet and coastal town don't go together. Food will be pretty good everywhere if your budget stretches beyond fast food. You don't say what sort of accomodation you're looking for. I'll suggest a seafront flat in St Jean de Luz on the assumption you're minted. Explore on foot or using trains along the coast. St Sebastian for a day.
St Jean, quiet not:
airbnb type accommodation - certainly not minted!!
north western btw
I use Booking rather than airbnb in France. If you do use airbnb don't be surprised if your host cancels.
Trégastel
A few years ago we got the train to La Rochelle and then the local bus service from the station over to Île de Ré, it's a beautiful spot. Either La Rochelle if you want things a bit busier or Île de Ré if you want a more relaxing week would be really nice.
Le Crotoy is quaint and pretty and hugely rammed in the summer. But generally the Baie de Somme is very nice we're fairly likely to head there on our way back from the Cevennes later in the summer.
Ile de noirmoutier is up the coast from Ile de re, similar vibe. Lazy pine fringed beaches, foodie culture, nice rural rides, shellfish, sailing. Bit like the French version of Norfolk.
that sound samazing!
Actually, no car might be a bit of a bind in noirmoutier. There are bike hire places and it's all flat, depending on how pregnant the wife is!
If your wife is able to cycle a bit, Ile de re is a great shout. There are paths over the whole island and it's completely flat.
Actually, no car might be a bit of a bind in noirmoutier. There are bike hire places and it’s all flat, depending on how pregnant the wife is!
But it's windy, and in August the roads are busy. Noirmoutier is nothing like as pleasant as Ile de Ré - especially in the height of summer. The coastal and quieter wooded areas are very nice, but Noirmoutier as a whole is not; a lot of the cycle tracks become a <1m wide lane by the side of a busy road if you're trying to get round the island and to/from the mainland is a jam if you want to visit things on the mainland (and there isn't particularly much to visit on the island, despite it being fairly large).
We like the sarzeau/ arzon area which is an “island” on the south side of the entrance to the golfe du morbihan. There a coupe of nice little coastal towns, old bits, marina bits, markets, nice coastal paths and a decent cycle network about the place.