Can you recommend a nice beach town, France or Spain?

Try La Rochelle France or Granada Andalusia Spain.

Both have great history (Norman castles in Rochelle and Islamic or Catholic architecture in Spain)

Both have acres of National parks and nature reserves.

Beautiful coastlines.

Mountains inland in Andalusia. Mostly snow capped all year so skiing is an option.

I've re visited both and stayed in different places each time, and I've always found new beautiful things to see and do.

Look them up to get an idea for yourself.

Two of my absolute favourites here in France would be St Jean de Luz on the south-west coast and Collioure in the south-east. Both are handy for day trips into Spain.

I second St. Jean de Luz. If you don't want to go too far, la Baule is nice (and surrounding towns and villages which are cheaper). It is in south facing Brittany so a bit warmer.
The Ile d'Oleron is lovely, but the traffic in high season is off-putting.
I've done all of these as family holidays.

Pampelonne Beach near St Tropez was spectacular from what I remember. Away from all the glitz and glamour of that part of France however, I also really like Arcachon, pretty town in sout west France, famous for its sand dunes and of course sandy beaches. The Ile de Re near La Rochelle and Benodet in Britanny both fantastic and smart but quite honestly, so many great seaside places in France, spoilt for choice.

In Spain if you want to escape the Costas, San Sebastian is an amazing place with a sandy beach, the weather can be a bit ify, but it's real Spain without the English pubs and full English breakfasts around every corner and famed for its restaurants.

We are going to Cadiz in a couple of months, never been there before, hoping for some culture, authentic Spain, great food and a sandy beach.

Good luck in your quest Splug.

Great thread Splug, I will watch the replies with interest.

My recommendation is Aix en Provence, in southern France, quite close to Marseille. It might not quite fit your bill as it’s not a beach town, though it’s on a river.

Lots of culture, nice food, lovely cafes and a frequent breeze to dispel the heat.

Thanks all, plenty to start researching!

I had thought of La Rochelle but my daughter is less than keen on the idea as it reminds her of GCSE French (her school text book was set there) - although I'm told it's lovely. I've also been recommended La Trinite in Brittany by another friend.

St Jean de Luz and San Sebastian also sound very appealing, as does Aix en Provence - I do love a river!

Thank you all

Dinard is beautiful. In fact I love all of Northern France , Brittany, Quimper, St. Malo---all along the coast. A sail along the river Rance from Dinan to Dinard is beautiful.

A part of France worth exploring.

I have been to all the places mentioned and they are all lovely. There is so much to see everywhere and just being abroad, doing every day things such as shopping and using public transport make it an adventure.

It's about the family being together mainly, so don't travel too far - the thought of a gruelling return journey with small children and/or older people will spoil the enjoyment. Make sure you get a really nice, spacious house and budget for that rather than for the travel.

So Normandy or Brittany would be ideal.

If you're happy travelling a bit further and are going to be staying longer, even then I wouldn't go much further than about 2/3 of the way down the Bay of Biscay. Arcachon fits that bill.

Do make sure you read up on the place you are going to. I have been lackadaisical about this in the past and have been annoyed when I got back home to find out that we missed out on something unique and special because we didn't know about it at the time.

I agree with comments about Brittany being suitable for all generations. It's close to ferry ports, not too hot, safe beaches, interesting culture and great food. We have a house in Dinard and understand what you are saying about wanting a smart resort with large beaches. I would suggest Carnac Plage in the Morbihan or maybe Concarneau in Finistère although it is not as classy.

Thank you! We do love Brittany, although have had holidays there with not much sun (understatement) and I think there is a general pull further south, for that reason. But I will look into those suggestions. And Ellianne - lucky you! I would certainly want to go back one day.

Bandol in Cotes-D'Azur; really nice beach, the town is walkable with plenty of shops and restaurants. It is also a great rose wine area. We also stayed in La Ciotat for a few days. Nice beach as well, but we liked Bandol better.

I will have a look at other recommended towns for future reference.

You're right Splug we do get our fair share of rain in Brittany! Temperatures are only a bit warmer than UK resorts.
Bandol is pretty and handy for Marseille airport. We stayed at Les Issambres where the beaches are bigger. It's easy to get the boat over to Saint Tropez.
Aix en Provence is a busy town if you like sitting in cafés but no beach.
We thought La Rochelle was uninspiring but the townBordeaux itself is interesting.
Alternatively on the Atlantic coast Pornic is nice and a bit warmer than Brittany.

I'll go now before I start sounding like a French guide book! J'adore la belle France.

Bandol has a train station which is handy for day trips if you don’t want to drive every day.

Benodet in Brittany is a beautiful, relaxing seaside town. We have been a couple of times and love it.

We spent a week in Santander, Spain last summer and loved it. It proved to be a welcome change from the Costas. It’s definitely a holiday resort but geared more to Spanish tourists. Lots of beaches, cafes, bars, restaurants and good public transport although we found it very easy to get around on foot. The only draw back, if you are looking for really hot weather, you would need to look elsewhere. Brittany ferries sail there from the UK which makes a nice start to a holiday,

Humm I’ve just booked my summer holiday in a villa (return visit) in the South of France in a lovely little place basically undiscovered by the English ( or really anyone else but the French) so I’m not sharing.

You don’t say how old the dgc are but it can be very hot right down in the South. We had two summer holidays in Bandol in a villa with pool above the town but walking distance if you’re fit ( and it’s not too hot). Great sandy beaches and safe swimming, boat trips, plenty of cafes and restaurants by the marina. As said above, good train service east and west - had a day in Marseille. Amazing vineyards to visit - not just the rose, Bandol rouge is to die for.

South Britanny is good if you have young children with quieter resorts, Benodêt, Carnac for the amazing prehistoric standing stones, larger towns such as Quimper and a nice climate and it is not too far to travel.

There are other places a bit further south in the Vendeé where the weather could be warmer and right down at the bottom of that coast near to the Spanish border.

Collioure, South East coast short drive to Spanish border. Beautiful town. The drive down gives breathtaking views. Yes, it's a holiday destination for sure, but far more French holiday makers than Brits IME. I love it. Had the best Poire Belle Helene ever overlooking the beach