Plage Bonaparte, Historic beach in Plouha, Brittany, France
Plage Bonaparte is a beach in Plouha on the Breton coast that combines sandy areas with pebbles and is backed by high cliffs on all sides. The shoreline extends for several hundred meters and provides a natural space for swimming and water activities.
The beach served as a key escape route for Allied pilots during World War II through an organized network called Shelburn. This operation helped dozens of airmen get back to England from occupied territory.
This beach reflects Breton connections to the sea and shows how local people have long lived alongside fishing and gathering from the water. You can see these maritime practices continuing today in the way people use the shore and surrounding waters.
You can reach this beach by walking through a tunnel carved into the rock, with parking available roughly two kilometers from the D786 road. The experience changes with the tides, so it helps to plan your visit around the tide schedule to see what interests you most.
The beach transforms dramatically as the tide comes in and goes out, showing two completely different versions of the same place. At low tide you see vast sandy expanses, while at high tide only a narrow strip of pebbles remains visible.
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