Meschers
Just a 10 minute drive away are several sandy coves with shallow waters – Plages des Nonnes, Plage des Vergnes and Plage de Suzac. Swimming is really only possible at high tide – at low tide, the water stays at mid-calf height for ages! All are ideal for families with small children.
St Georges de Didonne
A long sandy beach, with parking along the seafront. Follow the coast road from Meschers. Again high-tide is best but the beach can get crowded. It's more activity-orientated tham Meschers, with sailing dinghies & sand yachts, and a bike/rollerblade track, as well as an adventure park in the pines at the south end for budding Tarzans!
Royan
Another long main beach and several smaller ones north of the town. Pontaillac is the chic-est, with shops & restaurants facing the smart esplanade & Casino. Parking can be difficult - it's best to park one block back, or on one of the smaller roads off the Corniche. Pontaillac is home to the local surf school - it picks up swells but is more sheltered from wind than Grand Cote or the Cote Sauvage.
Nauzan & St Palais
Busy family orientated coves similar to Meschers, but with more restaurants (see Restaurants page) and shops.
Grand Cote
North of St Palais – restaurants at the south end, dunes & pines behind the beach. Great for novice surfers & body-boarders when Pontaillac is flat.
Cote Sauvage
A one-hour trip up the bypass, then past La Palymre & its zoo, brings you to miles of dunes with occasional car parks & snack bars. Or you can cycle from St Palais on the cycle track through the pine forest. When the surf is more than 1 metre, rips make this a spot for experienced surfers only. When the surf is flat elsewhere, & the wind is in the east or non-existant, you may find pristine 2- 3 foot waves. As well as excellent surf, the beaches here are much less crowded then the "town" beaches. The lifeguarded beaches are Phare de Coubre and la Bouverie.
Soulac
There are great beaches across the other side of the Gironde. Why not take the ferry from Royan as foot passengers, & rent a bike opposite the ferry terminal at Pointe de Grave? Then take the 5 mile cycle track (piste cyclable) through the forest to Soulac, a mini-Arcachon, with beach restaurants and good shops. Or stop off on the way for a picnic at one of the quieter beaches. Soulac 1900, the first weekend in June, turns the clock back a century. Everyone dresses the part and there's even a steam train from Bordeaux.