EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

There is something very surreal about emerging from the Brière to the coast at LA BAULE - an imposing, moneyed landscape where the dunes are no longer bonded together with scrub and pines, but with massive apartment buildings and luxury hotels. Sited on the long stretch of dunes that links the former island of Le Croisic to the mainland, it owes its existence to a storm in 1779 that engulfed the old town of Escoublac in silt from the Loire, and thereby created a wonderful crescent of sandy beach.

Neither La Baule's permanence nor its affluence seems in any doubt these days. It is a resort that very firmly imagines itself in the south of France: around the crab-shaped bay, bronzed nymphettes and would-be Clint Eastwoods ride across the sands into the sunset against a backdrop of cruising lifeguards, horse-dung removers and fantastically priced cocktails. It can be fun if you feel like a break from the more subdued Breton attractions - and the beach is undeniably impressive. It's not a place to imagine you're going to enjoy strolling around in search of hidden charms; the back streets have an oddly rural feel, but hold nothing of any interest.

La Baule has two gare SNCF s, the barely used La-Baule-les-Pins, and the main La-Baule-Escoublac near the tourist office on place Rhin-et-Danube, where the TGVs from Paris arrive. The gare routière is at 4 place de la Victoire (tel 02.40.60.25.58). Full details on staying in La Baule can be had from the tourist office , away from the seafront at 8 place de la Victoire (mid-May to mid-Sept daily 9am-7.30pm; rest of year Mon-Sat 9.30am-noon & 2-6pm; tel 02.40.24.34.44), or from the local Web site www.pays-blanc.com .

Few of the hotels are cheap, particularly in high season, and in low season more than half are closed. The cheapest options are near the main gare SNCF , less than 1km from the beach. These include Le Clémenceau , 42 av Clémenceau (tel 02.40.60.21.33; 220-300F/¬34-46; closed Dec), and the Marini , 22 av Clémenceau (tel 02.40.60.23.29; 220-300F/¬34-46). The finest of the many local campsites , 2km back from the beach, is the four-star La Roseraie , 20 av Sohier (tel 02.40.60.46.66, la-roserie@post.club-internet.fr ; closed Oct-March).