🏖️ Top Normandy Beaches That Are Perfect with Kids

✔ Soft sandy beaches · ✔ Calm, shallow waters · ✔ Lifeguarded zones in summer
✔ Easy parking & promenades · ✔ Ice cream within reach · ✔ Happy kids, relaxed parents

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First published: October 2025

Last updated: January 2026

A quick, honest note before we start: beach days with kids rarely look like brochure photos. They look like sandy sandwiches, slightly soggy socks, and someone announcing they’re hungry five minutes after arrival. Luckily, Normandy beaches are very forgiving places 😄.

Looking for a sandy beach in Normandy with calm waters and local charm? You’re in the right place. Our pick of the best family beaches in Normandy highlights safe, spacious spots that are perfect for a relaxed day by the sea. Whether it’s your first time discovering the beaches of Normandy or a family tradition, these coastal gems promise simple, sandy joys.

Normandy’s coastline is one of France’s most family-friendly destinations — long sandy beaches, safe swimming areas, and charming seaside towns make it ideal for young children. Based at our family gîte in Nicorps, near Coutances, you’re just 20–40 minutes from some of the best family beaches in Normandy. Here’s our hand-picked list of top spots that combine gentle tides, wide sands, and that unmistakable Normandy magic.

One of the joys of beach days here is flexibility. You’re close enough to pop out for a few hours, head back if the weather shifts, or turn it into a full day with ice cream, a wander, and a very sandy car on the way home 🌊.

🌅 Hauteville-sur-Mer – Safe, Spacious & Supervised

Just 20 minutes from the gîte, Hauteville-sur-Mer is one of the safest and most popular family beaches in La Manche. The Plage de la Cale Sud offers a broad sandy bay with lifeguard supervision in July and August, accessible walkways for pushchairs and wheelchairs, and calm waters perfect for paddling. At low tide, kids can explore tidal pools, search for shells, and watch sand yachts racing across the beach. Dogs are welcome on leads during the summer season — a rare and very welcome bonus for pet-loving families 🐾.

Facilities include toilets, a small beach café, and the École de Voile (sailing school) for older children keen to try catamarans or paddleboarding. It’s easy to park, safe, clean, and quietly loved by locals all year round.

This is one of those beaches where everyone seems relaxed — no rushing, no loud music, just families settling in for a proper seaside day.

🏖️ Agon-Coutainville – Classic Normandy Seaside Fun

Agon-Coutainville is Normandy’s answer to the classic seaside resort — colourful beach huts, ice-cream kiosks, and a long promenade that’s pushchair-friendly. This is the nearest Blue Flag-standard beach, known for clean water and friendly lifeguards. At low tide, natural sea pools appear along the shore, perfect for toddlers and paddling. Families love hiring bikes, playing mini-golf, and visiting the children’s carousel by the promenade.

For lunch, stop at Les Dunes or La Plancha for relaxed seaside dining, or grab fish and chips to enjoy perched on the sea wall. It’s also one of the best places to watch sunsets in the Coutances area 🌅.

Agon is ideal if you like a bit of buzz without it feeling overwhelming — enough going on to keep kids entertained, but still very manageable.

🌾 Coudeville-sur-Mer – Peaceful & Easy Access

Prefer something calmer? Coudeville-sur-Mer sits between Hauteville and Granville, offering the same fine sand but fewer visitors. It’s semi-urban, with nearby cafés and parking, yet still feels pleasantly local. There’s a lifeguard station in high season, and it’s a favourite with families who want a quieter beach day.

Pick up a freshly baked baguette from La Gourmandise — our favourite boulangerie in Coutances — along with cheese and fruit for a simple beach picnic. Add a bucket, a spade, and a Channel breeze, and you’ve got a perfectly Norman afternoon 🧺.

This is the kind of beach where time quietly disappears. You arrive “just for a bit” and somehow it’s suddenly late afternoon.

🌊 Jullouville Beach – Long, Lively & Full of Life

A 40-minute drive north brings you to Jullouville, one of Normandy’s longest beaches and a firm summer favourite. With lifeguards in July and August, wide sands at low tide, and shallow waters, it’s ideal for kids who like space to run. The promenade has playgrounds, beach volleyball, and small funfair rides — perfect for a full-day outing.

In summer, you’ll often see kite-flying displays or sand-yachting events. Pop into Granville afterwards (just 10 minutes north) to visit the Chausey Islands or explore Dior’s seaside villa and gardens.

This is a great “big beach energy” day — bring snacks, sun cream, and expect tired legs on the way home.

🏝 Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal – Calm Tides & Coastal Cafés

Less famous but much loved by locals, Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal offers calm, family-friendly swimming with wide bay views. The sand is soft, the slopes are gentle, and the cafés along the promenade are perfectly placed for parents keeping an eye on little ones. There’s also an excellent ice-cream parlour and great seafood spots for moules-frites with sandy toes.

The Plage Saint-Martin area is particularly safe, with lifeguard cover in high season. It’s one of the best Normandy beaches for small children — compact, sheltered, and easy to access.

This is a favourite for relaxed afternoons where nobody feels the need to do very much at all — which is often the best kind.

🌾 Carolles Beach – Wild Beauty & Sea Breezes

Further north near Granville, Carolles offers a wilder, more natural stretch of coastline backed by dunes and cliffs. Families can follow the short trail to the Cabane Vauban, a 17th-century lookout with sweeping coastal views. It’s a brilliant choice for anyone who enjoys walking and hiking in Normandy — with wildflowers, sea air, and space to breathe.

Best for slightly older children who enjoy exploring — and for parents who like a bit of dramatic scenery with their sea air.

🧭 Tips for Beach Days with Kids in Normandy

• Arrive earlier in the day for easier parking and quieter sands — many local families head out after lunch.
• Always check tide times; beaches like Hauteville and Agon transform completely between low and high tide.
• Bring shade, reusable bottles, and snacks — cafés often close briefly over lunchtime.
• Check local dog rules; many family beaches welcome dogs on leads outside restricted hours.
• Stick to lifeguarded zones and follow flag colours for swimming safety.
• Pack water shoes — tidal pools are full of tiny crabs, shells, and the occasional squeal of delight.

🍏 Make a Day of It

After the beach, keep the day going: browse the markets of Coutances, cycle along the Voie Verte, or head back to the gîte for a visit with our friendly llamas 🦙. You’ll find more inspiration in our Family Activities in Normandy series and our Local Events & Festivals page, updated monthly with vide-greniers, fairs, and family-friendly outings across the region.

These are just a handful of the many beaches along our beautiful coastline, each with its own small joys — from quiet dunes and rock pools to lively promenades and golden sunsets.

🌟 Final Thought – Normandy Beaches Made for Families

From wild coastal landscapes to classic seaside charm, Normandy’s beaches are made for family memories. Here, days are shaped by tides, ice-cream breaks, and the simple pleasure of being together by the sea.

Wherever you go — from Hauteville-sur-Mer to Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal — you’ll find gentle waves, friendly faces, and room to breathe. Come and discover the best family beaches in Normandy — where days end with sandy feet, smiling faces, and maybe a scoop of salted caramel ice cream 🍦.

👉 Book your stay at our Normandy gîte

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