Erquy - A hidden gem in Britanny
Picture this, a small seaside village in France, that has one of the lowest temperature during one of France's toughest heatwave while remaining one of the less crowded place in the area.
This place exists and it's one of the most relaxing place I've been to, it's called Erquy and it's definitely a place you need to stop by if you're visiting Britanny especially during summer.
If your goal is to enjoy your time while chilling and relaxing it's definitely the place for you with everything it has.
The beaches
There are a few different beaches in Erquy and you will surely find one that fits your criterias.
1. Plage des montiers
Situated right in front of the second harbor and next to a camping it's surprisingly one of the less crowded beaches with a really easy access by car and by walk.
If you go there during low tide you can go on long walks towards the neighboring city of Sable-d'or-les-pins or visit the Saint Michel's small island️.
It's also the ideal place if you want to go canoeing, kayaking, paddling or sailing with a catamaran or a sailboard as there are not a lot of waves. There is even a little lagoon where you can go during high tide, it looks beautiful when the sun is setting.
If you have children they will be really happy to play there with all the different kind of sands and small streams of water. The surface of the beach is mostly flat and one part of the beach is under surveillance by lifeguards so it's a relatively safe place for kids or people that don't know how to swim very well.
2. Plage du bourg
If you're staying in the city center or enjoy having easy access to street food places and restaurants then this beach is made for you.
It's more crowded than the previous one but it's also way easier to access it by car as you can park directly in the city center.
Boats lovers will really enjoy their time there as it's in front of the main harbor which contains a lot of sail boats with some really old ones that have been restored.
3. Plage du Portuais & plage de Lourtuais
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Those two are beaches in the wild that you can only access by walk, they are more exposed to the wind and the sea current which makes them a bit more uncomfortable for swimming beginners as there are a lot more waves.
Kids love to play in the waves and the landscape around the area is really beautiful, but those beaches are a bit more crowded nonetheless.
The city center
The port
This is the heart of the city, especially during the summer. If you're looking for some fun or for a nice walk spending an evening in the port is a really nice idea.
In the summer there is an arcade where you can play (or watch others play!) some games like UFO-catchers for example.
You will also find a lot of restaurants and street-food selling places there.
The market
On saturday mornings, in the city center, there is a market filled stalls selling various foods, clothes and other things. The food products are fresh and high quality, they're made by local farmers and fishermen.
In terms of food expect to find all of the classic things aswell as seafoods (oysters, lobsters, crabs, mussels, ...) and local specialties that you must absolutely try like galettes, salted butter caramel candies or local cakes from Britanny.
Food
The best restaurants and places to get food are mostly located on the port which is perfect to enjoy the view of the sea especially especially in the evening, here is a list of some of the best ones.
Restaurants
Chez Sylvie
Chez Sylvie is a cute mix between a café and a restaurant where you can eat brunch, go for teatime or eat dinner at with galettes & crepes which are local specialties from Britanny.
Les Terre-Neuvas
A restaurant serving seafood and fishes based dish within a mid-price range. They make really delicious dishes which I recommend.
Street food
Ty'papo - Ice creams
The ice creams sold in this shop are not too expensive and are really good, the shop is situated in the harbor, in front of the lighthouse which you can walk to while eating your food.
Mignon - Ice creams & churros
They own food stalls since 1880 in various cities in the area and sell churros, ice creams and other sugary things. In Erquy their shop is situated in the port, next to the arcade.
Activities around Erquy
Outside of beach-related activities there are a few things you can do around Erquy.
Sailing on a classical boat
Sainte Jeanne is an old boat which has been restored and is now offering sailing tours to people with departure in Erquy's harbor.
Casino
In the neighboring city of Sable-d'or-les-pins you can find a casino with a restaurant inside, on some occasions there are also tiny concert with a dancing area. It has a great atmosphere overall.
Don't be mistaken it remains a small place filled with only a few slot machines and one real blackjack table (opposed to electronic ones) at the time of visiting.
Hiking in "Le sentier des douaniers"
The "Sentier des douaniers" also named GR34 is a 420km hiking path alongside the coast of Britanny and you can go through a section of the path in Erquy. It also goes through two different capes the "Cap d'erquy" and "Cap Fréhel" which give a really nice view on the sea.
Malido's Labyrinth
A few minutes away in the countryside Malido's farm has opened a labyrinth that they built through one of their fields. The labyrinth is filled with riddles and challenges, perfect for kids.
Karting
GP Karting's circuit is situated 20 minutes away in the countryside. If you're a travelling with a group of young adults it might be a great activity where you can compete with each other and show off your racing skills.
Conclusion
From my experience I would say it is absolutely mandatory to have a car and be able to drive from place to place unless you stay at a camping near the beach and don't want to do anything.
I stayed in here for 3 days and it was some of the most relaxing time I have had in while, the lack of crowd helped me to disconnect with everything going on in my life and it was a really refreshing experience.