Saint-Briac-sur-Mer is a small resort on the Emerald Coast and in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of north Brittany, a few kilometres west of Dinard.
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France This Way review: although it is small and quite dispersed, Saint-Briac-sur-Mer is a charming resort with a beach, a small port and lovely views across towards Saint-Cast-le-Guildo and we recommend you visit when you are exploring the Emerald coast.
Your first stop should be at the touruist office for Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, because the town is quite spread out and it is not always obvious where things are - this is much easier with a tourist map! The tourist office is near Place Leclerc at the north end of the road called Balcon d'Emeraude.
Broadly speaking, the beaches are two - three kilometres north of the tourist office, the best views across the sea are near the tourist offie, from the Balcon d'Emeraude and the roads on the hill above this road, and Saint-Briac-sur-Mer town centre is about 1200 metres south of here along Rue de la Croix des Marins, so there is a bit of walking involved.
There are several sandy beaches in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer - the Plage du Béchet is quite small but close to the town centre, and the others are along the coast to the west and north of the town:
- the Plage du Bechét is sandy and has lovely views, but also lots of boats very close to the beach which some visitors might prefer to avoid (very picturesque though!)
- the Plage de la Salinette, a small beach with rows of cabins and nice views across the bay
- Plage du Perron, at the west tip of the Pointe de la Haye and with lovely views, from where you can walk to the Ile de Perron
- Plage de Port aux Chevaux, a quiet but pretty beach at the north-west end of the Pointe de la Haye
- Plage du Tertre Pelé, a quiet beach on the north coast with lots of pebbles in the sand
- Plage du Port Hue, large sandy beach north of the town centre
After you have explored the beaches you will want to discover the town centre. From Saint-Briac-sur-Mer tourist office you can follow the Boulevard de la Mer or Grand Rue towards the south - you might think you are leaving the town but keep walking until you reach the shops and cafes!
Along the Boulevard de la Mer there are lots of imposing villas, from the time the town first developed in the 1880s (it was also at that time that the golf course was developed to the north of the town, and the Chateau de Nessay, the large red brick castle you can see fom many vantage points in the town, was built).
Saint-Briac-sur-Mer town centre is small but has lots of character, with a 17th century church, stone buildings and a small selection of small shops. Take the time to explore the narrow paved streest around the centre (Rue du Moulin, Rue des Vaquantes...) which contain lots of stone cottages, many with pretty gardens.
To the west of here you reach the Petit Port, and a viewpoint from a raised belvedere across the port and to the islands beyond. Stop awhile to enjoy the view then you can return to the tourist office along the Balcon d'Emeraude along the waterfront, a very pretty walk because of the views and the numerous small boats that are moored here.
Attractions nearby
The main tourist attraction close to Sant-Briac-sur-Mer is the town of Dinard, one of our favourite seaside resorts in France. Closer to here you will also want to explore the coast of Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer and the small resort of Saint-Lunaire.
See more seaside resorts in France. You can find more travel ideas in the Ille-et-Vilaine guide and the Brittany guide.
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Map of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer and places nearby
Visit near Saint-Briac-sur-Mer with France This Way reviews
Saint-Lunaire
Saint-Lunaire is a small resort, established west of Dinard in the 19th century
Saint-Lunaire guide
Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer
Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer is a small town on a peninsula in Brittany that is surrounded by beaches
Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer guide
Dinard
Dinard, estblished as a fashionable resort in the 19th century, is still one of the nicest towns in Ille-et-Vilaine
Dinard guide
Dinard Pointe de la Malouine
The Pointe de la Malouine in Dinard is a promontory west of the town centre with several 19th century villas and a coast path
Dinard Pointe de la Malouine guide
Dinard Pointe du Moulinet
The Pointe du Moulinet in Dinard is visited for the imposing neo-gothic villas and the impressive views
Dinard Pointe du Moulinet guide
Saint-Cast-le-Guildo
Saint-cast-le-Guildo is a small seaside resort with a sandy beach and easy access to attractive coastal scenery
Saint-Cast-le-Guildo guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Ille-et-Vilaine
Address: Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Dinard, Saint-Malo, Brittany, 35800, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 48.620278, longitude -2.133888
Plan your visit to Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, Ille-et-Vilaine
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Baie de Lancieux, baie de l'Arguenon, archipel de Saint-Malo et Dinard: site of natural beauty (3 km)
- Îlot de la Colombière: site of natural beauty (5 km)
- Dinard: town of art and history (6 km)
- Jardins de Montmarin: remarkable garden (7 km)
- Rance (fleuve): site of natural beauty (7 km)
- Embouchure - Rance: site of natural beauty (7 km)
- Cézembre: site of natural beauty (8 km)
- Saint-Malo: ville fleurie 4* (9 km)
- Îlots Notre-Dame et Chevret: site of natural beauty (10 km)
- Pointe de la Varde: site of natural beauty (13 km)
- Estuaire de la Rance: site of natural beauty (14 km)
- Havre de Rothéneuf: site of natural beauty (15 km)
The French version of this page is at Saint-Briac-sur-Mer (Francais)