Plage des Nonnes, Beach in Meschers-sur-Gironde, France

Plage des Nonnes is a sandy beach along the Charente Maritime coast, bordered by tall cliffs and pine forest on the land side. The shoreline combines wide sand expanses with rocky sections that change appearance with the tides.

The beach has served as a natural fishing hub since ancient times, attracting maritime communities to its shores. Over centuries, it remained an important landing point for regional fishing operations and local activity.

The beach lies at the foot of the cliffs below Meschers-sur-Gironde, on the Gironde estuary. At low tide the water pulls back far, exposing sand and rocks where people walk out and search the shore. The site is listed as a beach and sports venue, and the wide tidal flat is what draws visitors at low water.

Access to the beach requires taking stairs from the clifftop, and changing facilities are available along with dining options at the beach club. Lifeguards watch over designated swimming zones, especially during busy periods.

The beach lies at the foot of white limestone cliffs riddled with caves, some of which are former troglodyte dwellings carved into the rock above the sand. Bathers share the shore with these hollowed-out chambers, visible from the waterline at low tide.