French Coastline by Van

It’s been a dream to go on a road trip around France, but mysteriously we always end up driving  though the West coast of this beautiful country aaaaaaaand that’s it. Will it ever change? We’ll see.

I am sure I do not have to advertise France and I am also sure that you all know that it is not only about Paris, baguettes and cheese. There is a great surfing culture, beautiful beaches, awesome waves and great people visiting on top. We’ve met a group of young surfers from Ireland, who came over for a week, they were wild camping in tents and catching waves whenever possible. This kind of passion inspires  folks who are long time out of their twenties as well.

To be honest, we’ve met so many inspiring people and we had so many great conversations, that it made me realise, that road tripping is not only about seeing places… it is about understanding nature and people, getting to know yourself better, listening to stories which inspire you to improve yourself and your way of living. At least this is what I get out of it. It is easy to focus on our everyday obligations and work so much, that even during our days off we forget to stop focussing on it and enjoy our free time. This is where visiting France makes it easier as well.

I do not know many French people, but the ones I do know enjoy their leisure time a lot.  Also, I love observing French on holiday. They do not go to a restaurant just to eat lunch, they enjoy their time over there as well. When they drink morning coffee, it is not about coffee, it is about the time spent on it. It is obviously a subjective opinion, not covered with a proof and it could have been a random observation, but hey, it made me think a lot.  

This time we stopped in a few incredible places, which everyone should see. My one tip would be – do not travel here during the summer time if you don’t have to. Why? Because a whole world plus a whole France wants to be there in the summer time. It’s a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. French coastline is a very popular area and there are many reasons why. 

To start with there are Guérande salt marshes. Oh, these are so beautiful! I definitely recommend going there for the sunset or sunrise if you are an early bird. The reflection of the colorful sky looks magical. In the area there is a free stop for campers, so you can easily stay for a night.

Aquitaine has a beautiful beach area and it is great for surfing as well.

Quiberon – this is a place you need to visit. I actually had to work as my guys were walking around, but life is life. I did manage to see a bit though, and I am glad I did.

Cabaret sur Mer – so unique and so breathtaking.

Mont-Saint-Michel – this is not a secret place, but definitely a breathtaking one. I went there an hour before a sunrise, which wasn’t so easy, because you need to walk quite a long distance from the closest parking for campers. Thankfully, I had a longboard, but a bike can be helpful as well. This was one of these early mornings, when I realised that it was better to get up 3 hours later. Why? Because the whole area was covered in such a thick fog, that it was impossible to see anything. I spent these hours sitting on my board and reading a book 😀 In the end it was a time well spent. I was very excited that there is a legal stop for campers near by. It is paid, but still, it turns out to be way cheaper than coming to a hotel and paying for a parking of a regular car.

Saint Jouin Bruneval – beautiful lighthouse and a great spot to stay for lunch or for a night. We’ve met some beautiful people over there. I highly recommend viewing during the sunset. You can walk to a small secluded beach and enjoy some quiet time. Unless you travel with kids, of courses. Then nothing is quiet.