Perros-Guirec | beach resort in Brittany

the beach at Perros-Guirec, France — (c) 2014 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

Want to go to the beach this summer? Northern France may not have been on your radar … most Americans think of the Riviera, but here are three reasons to consider the Brittany coast.

1. The Riviera is hot and humid.
2. The Riviera is crowded.
3. The sand on the beach at Cannes is coarse.

And where to stay? L'AGAPA Hotel Spa is a boutique beach resort overlooking the English Channel. Pictured above is the view from my room. A small resort with just 45 rooms, re-opened in 2005 after a complete renovation of an older resort. The hotel has an imposing contemporary design of glass and granite. We enjoyed dinner in their excellent restaurant, and I was also treated to a massage in Spa Nuxe. 

How to get there? I'd recommend beginning your stay in Paris — toujours Paris! You can fly from Orly to Lannion (LAI) in just over an hour … or make it a several-day road trip, visiting Giverny, Honfleur, the Normandy battlefields, and Mont Saint Michel on the way.

Virtuoso amenities! L'AGAPA offers complimentary daily buffet breakfasts for two, a welcome cocktail, and a $100 resort credit just by booking through your Virtuoso travel consultant. While upgrades may be difficult between 14JUL and 31AUG, June, the first half of July, and September are especially good times to plan your visit.

copyright (c) 2014 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell Travel. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.