Five beaches and a 3.5-kilometre paved coastal footpath give a stay in Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer a clear connection to the coast. There are also water sports, Romanesque architecture, contemporary art and a large green space. This lets you take different interests into account when planning, rather than limiting your trip to beach days.
Beaches and the coastal path
Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer has five beaches: Nauzan, Le Bureau, Le Platin, La Grande CĂ´te and Les Combots. The Sentier des Douaniers adds a coastal route to these beach destinations: the paved footpath is 3.5 kilometres long and runs from Plage de Nauzan to Grande CĂ´te. Nauzan is therefore both one of the five beaches and the starting point of the path. This gives you a practical distinction when planning your day: beach time at one of the five destinations, or a paved footpath with two named endpoints.
Water sports and cycling
The Centre nautique de Saint-Palais-sur-Mer is located at Nauzan beach and offers a wide range of water sports activities at the municipality's various beaches. These include sailing, land sailing, equipment hire, stand-up paddleboarding and private lessons. The municipality also has cycling routes and bike paths for family outings and organised tours. This gives you a choice of activities: water sports with a variety of options, or outings and tours by bike.
Architectural history and contemporary art
The Vieux Clocher is a Romanesque building erected by Cistercians in the 12th century. Every year from June to September, it hosts exhibitions by contemporary artists. The Vieux Clocher offers 360-degree views of the Côte de Beauté landscape and the Phare de Cordouan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place brings together architectural history, an annual exhibition season and expansive views of the landscape.
The Maison des Douanes is a cultural venue open to the public for contemporary art exhibitions. This gives you two different options for planning cultural visits: the Vieux Clocher, with its Romanesque history, annual exhibitions and views, and the Maison des Douanes, a venue for contemporary art.
Compare green spaces and walking routes
In the heart of Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer is Parc Raymond Vignes, a large green and leisure area with a lake and a 1.7-kilometre circular path around a lake. The path is suitable for walking, fishing and picnicking. Comparing it with the Sentier des Douaniers highlights the difference between the routes: the circular path in the park is 1.7 kilometres long, while the paved coastal footpath is 3.5 kilometres long. You can choose between a shorter loop in a green setting and a longer route along the coast.
Find a hotel to suit your plans
When looking for a hotel in Saint-Palais-Sur-Mer, you can first decide which themes matter most to you: the beach and coastal path, water sports, culture or a walk in a green setting.
Discover more destinations: Dampierre-Sur-Boutonne, Soubran, Sainte-Marie-De-Ré, Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, Chervettes, Mazeray, Le Château-Doléron, Vervant.
For the regional travel overview: Charente-Maritime.
