7 Underrated Coastal Towns in France You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
France’s coastline is dotted with famous spots like Nice, Biarritz, and Saint-Tropez. But tucked in between the big names are small coastal towns that quietly hold onto their identity. Many of them escape the crowds.
Here’s a list worth bookmarking if you’re planning a slower, more curious trip.
1. Collioure (Occitanie)
Collioure sits just a few kilometers from Spain, with terracotta rooftops tumbling down to a small bay.
It was once a Catalan fishing village, and it still shows in the food, language, and rhythm of life. Fauvist painters like Matisse and Derain were drawn to its colors and light.
You’ll find a 17th-century fortress at the edge of the water, narrow lanes lined with painted shutters, and plenty of anchovy-based specialties served fresh by the sea.
Despite its charm, it’s far quieter than the towns farther up the coast.
2. Wimereux (Hauts-de-France)
Just north of Boulogne-sur-Mer, Wimereux feels like a forgotten Belle Époque postcard. Its seafront is lined with early 20th-century villas painted in pastel tones.
The town faces the English Channel, and the wide, often windy beach is popular with kite surfers and walkers more than sunbathers.
It’s an easy drive from Calais but rarely gets foreign tourists, which makes it a peaceful break if you’re exploring northern France or heading to the Opal Coast.
3. Menton (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur)
At the far southeastern edge of France, Menton often gets missed between Monaco and the Italian border.
It has an old town full of orange and yellow buildings stacked on steep slopes, a beach promenade, and gardens filled with citrus trees.
The microclimate is warmer and sunnier than even nearby Nice, which explains the lemon groves and the annual Fête du Citron.
The streets feel half-French, half-Italian, and much slower-paced than the Riviera’s flashier cities.
4. Le Conquet (Brittany – Finistère)
This is as far west as you can go in mainland France. Le Conquet faces the open Atlantic, with rocky headlands, lighthouses, and rough seas that crash against stone walls.
Ferries leave from there to the islands of Ouessant and Molène. The town itself is compact, with granite buildings, a small harbor, and a few cafés serving fresh crêpes and seafood.
The air always smells like salt. It’s not a beach resort but a unique place for dramatic walks and quiet evenings.
5. Saint-Valery-en-Caux (Normandy – Seine-Maritime)
This small town on the Alabaster Coast is wedged between cliffs and the sea, with a working harbor and a marina tucked into a narrow channel.
Unlike Étretat or Honfleur, it has very few tour buses. You’ll see locals fishing from the breakwater, older couples walking the quay, and signs of World War II history scattered around.
The cliffs stretch out in both directions, and the pebble beach is nearly always empty in the off-season.
It’s easy to reach from Rouen or Dieppe by car.
6. Leucate (Occitanie – Aude)
Leucate has a quiet old village perched on a hilltop, a windblown coastline, and wide beaches popular with windsurfers.
The town is part of the Narbonnaise regional park, so the surroundings are raw and undeveloped in places.
One side of town opens onto lagoons and oyster farms, the other onto the sea. At low tide, you can walk along cliffs with no one in sight.
In the village, there’s a central square where everything happens, from markets to concerts to pétanque games.
7. Île-Tudy (Brittany – Finistère)
It’s technically a peninsula now, but Île-Tudy still feels like a small island. The town faces the fishing port of Loctudy, with a narrow sandy beach stretching all the way to the dunes.
The main street is lined with whitewashed houses, blue shutters, and a handful of cafés. There’s little to do, and that’s the point. Locals ride bikes to the boulangerie, and kids play on the seawall.
The ocean is gentle, with long shallow entries, perfect for slow swims or beachcombing.