French Beach Provincial Park

French Beach Provincial Park is a coastal park on Vancouver Island overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, featuring a beach of sand and gravel. Ancient forest grows right down to the shoreline, creating a setting where ocean and woodland meet.

This place received official protection as a provincial park in the 1970s, marking the start of its conservation as a public space. The designation transformed this coastal area into a managed landscape for people to visit and enjoy.

This place sits within the traditional territory of the T'Sou-ke First Nation, where harvesting and hunting shaped life for generations. Visitors walking here can sense the long connection between the land and the Indigenous people who cared for it.

The park offers basic camping sites without showers or power hookups, along with day-use areas with picnic spots and fire rings. Visitors should come prepared for simple facilities and bring what they need for comfort.

Gray whales pass close to the beach during their yearly migration between Alaska and Mexico, making spring and fall prime times for spotting them. These massive marine mammals often swim near enough to shore for visitors to watch without binoculars.

Location: Capital Regional District

Inception: January 24, 1974

Website: http://env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/french_bch

GPS coordinates: 48.39410,-123.94300

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:23