La Vélomaritime : de Ouistreham à Courseulles-sur-Mer

In Ouistreham Riva-Bella, on the long fine sandy beach, bathers rub shoulders with water sports enthusiasts (sailing, seakayaking, land yachting, stand-up paddling) in specially reserved sectors, a range of activities are on offer to all.

A beach of fine sand, where the bathing waters are often classified as ‘A’. Both the seafront and the village have been recognised with the European Blue Flag award, which has been awarded to them on numerous occasions. This beach was one of the landing sites on 6 June 1944.

Fine sandy beach under lifeguard surveillance and lined with remarkable 19th and early 20th century villas. The ideal spot for bathing over a fine day at the beach.

Fine sandy beach under lifeguard surveillance and lined with remarkable 19th and early 20th century villas. Marvel at the unrestricted views over the Côte de Nacre coastline as far as Ouistreham and along the Côte Fleurie.

On the east side of the seawall, the fishermen’s pier is an extension to the Brèche Marais Street. It was brought from Ouistreham’s outer harbour in 1971. It has become a popular fishing spot for anglers.

Made famous by the ‘Pèlerins de la Délivrande’ in 1820 and renowned for its spa, Luc has established itself as one of the leading seaside resorts on the Côte de Nacre. Its 1.8 km-long promenade is lined with little white beach huts, the casino, the famous clock and the thalassotherapy centre. Be sure to try a Gui-Gui at Place du Petit Enfer and take a stroll along the famous fishermen’s jetty, a favourite spot for anglers and photography enthusiasts alike. Luc-sur-Mer beach is also one of Calvados’ top spots for shore fishing. At low tide, amongst the rocks, you’ll find green crabs, bouquet crabs, velvet crabs, mussels, periwinkles and more… The lively, family-friendly beach at Luc-sur-Mer offers a wealth of activities! Try one of the water sports on offer at the sailing school for children aged 4 and over: junior sailing courses, schooner trips, catamaran sailing, windsurfing… For beach hut hire, please contact the town hall: 02 31 97 71 33, 02 31 97 32 71 For everyone’s wellbeing, smoking is now prohibited on our beaches. Supervised swimming: During the summer school holidays, in the swimming area marked by yellow buoys, situated between the casino breakwater and the mini-golf breakwater. From 15 June to 15 September, two modular platforms are installed in the swimming area. station-lucsurmer.snsm.org/ Showers: One shower is available in summer near the three automatic toilets on the sea wall (sailing school, lifeguard station and jetty). Toilets: On the sea wall near the sailing school, close to the lifeguard station and near the jetty Cycling: Cycling is permitted on the sea wall between 1 September and 1 July, except at weekends and on public holidays, from 11.00 to 19.00. In summer, cycling is permitted on the sea wall only before 9.00 am and after 7.00 pm. A cycle path forming part of the Vélomaritime runs along the beach on Rue Guynemer and Rue du Dr Charcot. Luc-sur-Mer lies on the Vélomaritime route. This 1,500 km cycle route from Roscoff to Dunkirk passes through legendary sites such as the D-Day beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and the cliffs of Étretat. Access for people with disabilities: The sea wall is accessible with assistance (steep slope) from the car park at the casino and the Hôtel Beau Rivage. The sea wall is also accessible via a gently sloping path from the Place du Petit Enfer (go down on the side of the Cabine 530 shop). Tiralo available during the summer school holidays during lifeguard station opening hours. Our canine friends: From 1 October to 31 March, dogs are permitted on the seafront promenade and on the beach, provided they are kept on a lead. From 1 April to 30 September, they are permitted off the lead only on the beach from Rue des Champs Elysées (to the right of lifeguard station no. 2) onwards, from the rocks at Chemin du Corps de Garde. Dogs are allowed on the sea wall all year round on a lead. Please remember to bring a dog waste bag! Horses: At low tide before 9.00 am and after 6.00 pm. Access via Rue Guynemer/Rue Gambetta and via Rue de la Brèche Marais

Closed for renovation. Scheduled to reopen in 2028 with a new museum space. The Tourist Information Centre will be temporarily relocated to the Salle du Parc, near the municipal police station. On the night of 14–15 January 1885, a 40-tonne whale, 19 metres long, washed up on the shores of the Côte de Nacre at a place known as ‘Brèche du Moulin’. Today, the whale is the pride of Luc-sur-Mer, where we are lucky enough to be able to get up close to its immense skeleton in the Municipal Park, much to the delight of young and old alike. At the same spot, come and discover the Maison de la Baleine, which tells the incredible story of this whale that washed up in Normandy, as well as the history of this species of cetacean. Inside, you’ll find a section on legends and anecdotes about whales, a fact sheet on whaling and whale conservation, a scientific section detailing the anatomical and physiological characteristics of these mammals, a film recounting the story of ‘Luc’s whale’, a retrospective on the stranding of the ‘Lutine’ whale featuring period documents, and finally a shop selling souvenirs, postcards, books and more… The Maison de la Baleine houses the tourist information centre

With its beach perfect for lazing around, building sandcastles and shore fishing, it’s no wonder the town has been nicknamed ‘the children’s beach’. It is also well known amongst water sports enthusiasts as it is a must-visit spot on the Côte de Nacre for kitesurfing and wingfoiling. A small, peaceful and friendly town, Langrune-sur-Mer is nonetheless vibrant, with its sailing school offering a range of water sports for children aged 5 and over: catamaran sailing, water walking, junior sailing courses, windfoiling, wingfoiling, kitesurfing… For everyone’s well-being, smoking is now prohibited on our beaches. Supervised swimming: During the summer school holidays, at the lifeguard station on Rue de la Plage. Station number: 0231973198. Toilets: Place du 6 Juin (wheelchair accessible) and on the upper sea wall between the lifeguard station and the sailing club (not wheelchair accessible) Lockers are located next to the toilets by the sailing school. Cycling: Electric bikes and e-scooters are not permitted on the upper sea wall (Rue de la Plage) from 15 June to 15 September and must therefore use the cycle path on Rue du Général Leclerc instead. Non-electric bicycles, however, are permitted all year round on the entire upper sea wall, provided riders adjust their speed to accommodate pedestrians. On the lower sea wall, cyclists must dismount. Langrune-sur-Mer lies on the Vélomaritime route. This 1,500 km cycle route from Roscoff to Dunkirk passes through iconic sites such as the D-Day beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and the cliffs of Étretat. Access for people with disabilities: Handiplage Level 1. The sea wall is accessible with assistance (steep slope) from the car park (Place du 6 Juin) towards the sea wall. Car park and disabled toilets at Place du 6 Juin. Disabled changing rooms on the seafront promenade. A Tiralo-type beach wheelchair for people with reduced mobility is available at the lifeguard station. Our canine friends: Dog-friendly beach: Dogs are permitted from 1 June to 15 September in the area between the sailing club’s access point and the municipal boundary with Luc-sur-Mer. The rest of the beach is accessible during this period only before 8.00 am and after 9.00 pm, and dogs must always be kept on a lead. Please remember to bring a dog waste bag! Horses: are permitted from 1 June to 15 September in the area between the sailing club access point and the municipal boundary with Luc-sur-Mer. The rest of the beach is accessible during this period only before 8.00 am and after 9.00 pm, and only at low tide. You must collect any horse droppings left by your horse on the beach.

Until 1851, Saint-Aubin, a fishing hamlet, formed part of the commune of Langrune. After gaining independence, it owed its development to the seaside resort industry. The medicinal properties of the sea water and its invigorating air have earned it – and continue to earn it to this day – the nickname ‘La Reine de l’Iode’ (The Queen of Iodine). The Belle Époque atmosphere of its promenade and villas, its casino and its five seafront restaurants are a delight for holidaymakers. The 1.8 km pedestrian promenade is lined with pretty villas in the seaside architectural style. On the beach, you can see wooden posts connected by thick ropes: these are remnants of the era of ‘rope-guided sea bathing’. They allowed bathers to enjoy the benefits of the water in complete safety. You can still hold on to them to swim in complete safety. For everyone’s well-being, smoking is now prohibited on our beaches. Lifeguard supervision: From 6 July to 31 August 2026, from 11.00 to 18.00 station-saintaubin.snsm.org/ Showers: Opposite the tourist office on the beach, at the lifeguard station, in summer Toilets: all year round in the car park on Rue de Verdun (accessible for people with reduced mobility), Rue de la Fosse aux Chats, Place du Marché, on the corner of Rue Pasteur and Rue Mériel, and Rue Maréchal Joffre near the media library. In summer: toilets under the lifeguard station. Cycling: Cycling is prohibited on the sea wall every day in July and August, and only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays for the rest of the year. Cycling is therefore permitted on weekdays outside the summer holidays. There is a shared-use path on Rue Pasteur. Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer lies on the Vélomaritime cycle route. This 1,500 km cycle route from Roscoff to Dunkirk passes through iconic sites such as the D-Day beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and the cliffs of Étretat. Access for people with disabilities: Accessible sea wall. Car park and disabled toilets (opposite Hôtel Le Saint-Aubin). One free Tiralo available at the first-aid post on the sea wall in July and August. A ramp provides access to the beach at the slipway, opposite the Crabe Vert restaurant. Our four-legged friends: Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round, except between 1 July and 31 August in the area stretching from the Crabe Vert restaurant to the summer sailing club. Please remember to bring a dog waste bag! Horses: In July and August, horses are permitted only in the area between Bernières and the slipway opposite Rue des Bains. The rest of the year, they are permitted on the entire beach, provided it is at low tide and as close to the water’s edge as possible. Access is via the Brèche des Acadiens. You must collect any horse droppings left by your horse on the beach

This paleontological site has been known and studied since the 19th century. It consists of a cliff and a rocky plateau uncovered at low tide. The geological history told by the rocks and fossils evokes a warm sea under a tropical climate in the Jurassic, with remarkable colonies of fossil sponges, followed by the cold steppes populated by large mammals of the Quaternary. This site has no equivalent in the Anglo-Paris basin, nor in any other European coastal region. All sampling is prohibited. Climbing the cliff is forbidden due to the sensitivity of the soft, fossiliferous rock to trampling.

The Platon marsh (small meadow) was formed behind the dune ridge, around the old bed of the Seulles river when it moved its mouth from Bernières to Courseulles. It is home to a wide variety of plant species and an abundance of wildlife (fish, amphibians and insects), including two rare species: the Natterjack Toad and the Maritime Ruppia, an aquatic plant. The Friends of the Platon and the CPIE organise guided or storytelling outings several times a year. Cycling is prohibited in the marshes and dogs must be kept on a lead.

Courseulles-sur-Mer is one of the most fashionable and lively seaside resorts on the Côte de Nacre. Life here revolves around its fishing harbour. Enjoy the main beach, stretching from the east side of the wooden jetty all the way to Camping Cap Fun. Lined with little white beach huts, it’s lovely to stroll along the 600-metre-long pedestrian promenade. Swimming, building sandcastles, sunbathing… there’s something for everyone! Several events are organised here during the season: wooden games, a kids’ club, beach volleyball, fireworks… The beach huts are available to hire from 1 June to 15 September, subject to booking with the entertainment team, who can be reached on 02 31 36 17 17. For everyone’s well-being, smoking is now prohibited on our beaches. Supervised swimming (July–August): Supervised swimming in the marked areas from 2 July to 31 August inclusive, every day from 11.30 am to 6.15 pm station-courseulles.snsm.org/ Showers: Two shower areas, one changing room at the Esplanade du Débarquement, beneath the Crémaillère terrace, and one shower/toilet cubicle at the marinas. Toilets: open during the beach lifeguard season in July and August at the lifeguard station. Our canine friends: Dogs may be walked on a lead from Camping Cap Fun to the Cale du Platon in Bernières-sur-Mer all year round. From 1 June to 30 September, dogs are only permitted, on a lead, at low tide before 11.30 am and after 6.30 pm in the eastern zone (from the jetty to the rockfill at the Marinas) as well as in the western zone (from the rockfill at the outer harbour’s exit channel to the boundary with Graye-sur-Mer). On the sea wall, dogs must be kept on a lead. Please remember to bring a dog waste bag! The Courseulles-sur-Mer Tourist Office provides these free of charge. Horses: Horses are permitted outside the bathing areas at low tide, east of the rockfill between the ‘main beach’ and the ‘unsupervised beach’ via the Cale de l’Edit. From 1 June to 30 September, horses are only permitted in this area before 11.30 am and after 6.30 pm. Cycling: Cycling is prohibited on the sea wall from 1 June to 30 September, and is permitted only at weekends and on public holidays for the rest of the year. Bicycles, scooters, rollerblades and skateboards are permitted on the sea wall for children under the age of 8, provided they are accompanied and under the supervision of their “legal guardian”. However, just a stone’s throw from the beach is the Vélomaritime cycle route, with a cycle path running along Avenue de la Combattante and along the seafront from Camping Cap Fun towards Parc de l’Edit. From there, you can cycle on to Bernières-sur-Mer. Courseulles-sur-Mer lies on the Vélomaritime route. This 1,500 km cycle route from Roscoff to Dunkirk passes through iconic sites such as the D-Day beaches, Mont Saint-Michel and the cliffs of Étretat. Access for people with disabilities: A Tiralo is available at the lifeguard station only during the beach lifeguard season. A ramp is provided to access the beach.