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Beaches in Sarzeau: where to swim on the Rhuys peninsula
Sarzeau has eight official bathing sites, all facing the Atlantic Ocean: from the great bay of Suscinio to the coves of Beg Lann, by way of Landrezac and Penvins. Here, beach by beach, is what sets each one apart, which ones have lifeguards, their water quality, and the rules to know about dogs, tides and shellfish gathering.
Sarzeau’s 8 beaches at a glance
Sarzeau’s beaches line the town’s Atlantic coast. On the Gulf of Morbihan side, to the north, the coast alternates between headlands, moorings and marshes; no official bathing site is monitored there.
| Beach | What sets it apart | Lifeguards in summer | Water quality (latest official rating) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landrezac | At the end of the campsite: white sand, a calm family beach, lifeguard station in summer, two car parks; between Suscinio and Penvins, kitesurfing zone at its eastern end | Yes | Excellent |
| Penvins | Large sandy beach between dunes and rocks, below the chapel; kitesurfing spot, sailing and paddleboarding schools | Yes | Excellent |
| Saint-Jacques | Sarzeau’s smallest beach, next to the harbour; sailing club in summer | Yes | Good |
| Le Roaliguen | The closest to the town centre, easy for children, shellfish gathering | Yes | Good |
| Kerfontaine | Family beach near Saint-Jacques harbour, shellfish gathering at spring tides | No | Excellent |
| Suscinio | A 3 km bay sheltered from the wind by the Beg Lann cove, near the castle | No | Excellent |
| Beg Lann | Small, quiet beach of pebbles and crushed shells, between the rocks | No | Excellent |
| Banastère | At the end of a tidal inlet (an “étier”), for walks and shellfish gathering | No | Excellent |
Latest official rating by the French Ministry of Health, based on the last four bathing seasons (baignades.sante.gouv.fr).
Landrezac, the beach at the end of the campsite
A calm family beach of white sand, Landrezac stretches halfway between the bay of Suscinio and the Pointe de Penvins. It is served by two car parks, and a lifeguard station is open there in summer. Its eastern end is home to the kitesurfing zone, with an access mat laid by the town in 2024.
Camping Landrezac Plage is right on the water: a gate at the end of the campsite opens onto this beach, no car needed. Discover our seaside campsite
Which beach should you choose?
Our favourite: Landrezac, and not only because it is at the end of the campsite. For a family day out, it has all the essentials:
- a calm family beach of white sand;
- lifeguards in summer, with a lifeguard station;
- bathing water rated “excellent”;
- Tiralo and Hippocampe beach wheelchairs lent free of charge at the lifeguard station in summer;
- two car parks if you come by car, or, from the campsite, a gate and two steps in your flip-flops.
Sarzeau’s other beaches have their strengths too:
- With young children: Le Roaliguen, with lifeguards in summer, near the town centre, or Kerfontaine, quieter but without lifeguards.
- For kitesurfing, sailing or paddleboarding: Penvins, and the eastern end of Landrezac.
- For peace and quiet: Beg Lann, between the rocks.
- For a long walk: the bay of Suscinio, as far as the Penvins chapel along the coastal path.
- For shellfish gathering: Le Roaliguen, Kerfontaine, Beg Lann and Banastère, at low tide.
Lifeguarded beaches and flags
Four beaches have lifeguards in summer, recruited by the town and trained by the SNSM (the French sea rescue association): Landrezac, Penvins, Saint-Jacques and Le Roaliguen. Lifeguards are on duty from early July to late August, in the afternoon; the exact dates and hours are set each year by the town of Sarzeau.
Since 1 March 2022, the meaning of the flags has been set by a French decree. The flag is raised at the top of a mast that can be seen from the whole swimming area:
- Green flag: supervised swimming, no apparent danger.
- Yellow flag: supervised swimming, with limited or marked danger.
- Red flag: swimming prohibited.
- Two red and yellow flags (red on top, yellow below), each on a mast: they mark out the supervised swimming area. Swim between them.
Sarzeau town hall adds: purple flag, swimming prohibited (jellyfish, pollution); no flag, swimming is not supervised.
If a water test is poor, the town hall closes the beach to swimming by order, posted at the beach entrances.
Sources: French decree no. 2022-105 of 31 January 2022 on bathing signage equipment (article D. 322-11-1 of the Sports Code); “Les plages” page of Sarzeau town hall’s website, sarzeau.fr, consulted on 16 October 2026.
Accessible beaches
In summer, the four lifeguarded beaches, Landrezac included, have Hippocampe and Tiralo beach wheelchairs: the lifeguard station lends them free of charge to anyone who asks, on presentation of an identity document and with no booking. Penvins has held the Handiplage label (level 1) since 2023.
Dogs on Sarzeau’s beaches
- From 15 June to 15 September: dogs are banned from all the town’s beaches.
- The rest of the year: dogs on a lead, and their droppings must always be picked up.
- All year round on the paths of the Pointe de Penvins and in natural areas: on a lead.
Among other things, these rules protect the Kentish plover, a small bird that nests on the sand.
At the campsite: your dog does its business outside, never inside the campsite or at the guinguette; always carry bags to pick up its droppings. Our rules for dogs
Tides and safety
- Tide times: the official reference is the SHOM, the French Navy’s hydrographic service (maree.shom.fr). On the ocean side, select Port-Navalo, which the tourist office uses for Saint-Jacques, Suscinio and Penvins; on the Gulf side, the port of Le Logeo.
- During big tides (high tidal coefficients): the SNSM advises starting to head back as soon as low tide is reached, because the water can come back in from several sides and the way back takes longer than the way out.
- In an emergency: call 196 at sea (sea rescue) or 112.
Tides at Port-Navalo, today and the next few days
Times calculated by the Shom, the French Navy’s hydrographic service. When you click, your browser loads the table from the Shom website, which receives your IP address; nothing is loaded until you click. The table is in French. Tide times on maree.shom.fr
Shellfish gathering
Before you go, check the map of the regional health agency (ARS), pecheapied-responsable.fr (in French): it shows closed areas and advice in real time. In Sarzeau, the ARS monitors the oyster beds at the Pointe de Penvins and at Kerignard, where recreational gathering is tolerated, with cooking recommended.
- Do not go gathering after heavy rain, and check the time of the tide.
- Respect the minimum catch sizes: the tourist office lends rulers free of charge to measure your shellfish.
- Let someone know where you are going, and watch out for the rising tide.
Water sports on the beaches
- Sarzeau water sports centre (47°Nautik): bases at the Pointe de Penvins and at Saint-Jacques, an École française de voile (French sailing school); sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, wing foiling, sea walking, from the age of 4.
- Kitesurfing and wing foiling: schools at the Pointe de Penvins (including Kitesurf KKS) and at Landrezac (EKO Kite, an École française de kite, a French kite school); the Kite2Rhuys school teaches at either spot, depending on the wind and the tide.
Stay right by Landrezac beach
Camping Landrezac Plage, in Sarzeau, has direct access to Landrezac beach. For days without a swim in the sea, it also has a heated indoor pool (page in French). It offers mobile homes for 2 to 6 people, including seven with a private spa, and pitches with a private shower and toilet nearby, for tents, caravans, motorhomes and vans.
In French: what to do in Sarzeau, our guide · the Pointe de Penvins
Frequently asked questions about Sarzeau’s beaches
Where can you swim in Sarzeau?
At one of the eight official bathing sites: Landrezac, Penvins, Saint-Jacques, Le Roaliguen, Kerfontaine, Suscinio, Beg Lann and Banastère. Four of them have lifeguards in summer: Landrezac, Penvins, Saint-Jacques and Le Roaliguen.
Which sea is Sarzeau on?
The Atlantic Ocean to the south, where the bathing beaches are, and the Gulf of Morbihan to the north.
Do Sarzeau’s beaches have lifeguards?
Yes, four of them, in summer: Landrezac, Penvins, Saint-Jacques and Le Roaliguen, from early July to late August, in the afternoon. The dates and hours are set each year by the town.
Does Landrezac beach have lifeguards?
Yes, in summer, with a lifeguard station.
Are dogs allowed on Sarzeau’s beaches?
Not from 15 June to 15 September, on any of the town’s beaches. The rest of the year, they must be kept on a lead, and their droppings picked up.
Is the water at Sarzeau’s beaches of good quality?
In the latest official rating, six beaches have excellent water quality, Landrezac included, and two good quality (Le Roaliguen and Saint-Jacques).
Where can I find tide times?
On the SHOM’s official website, maree.shom.fr: Port-Navalo for the beaches on the ocean side.
Information checked on 2 October 2026 (lifeguards, flags and dogs checked again on 16 October 2026) with Sarzeau town hall, the French Ministry of Health, the Golfe du Morbihan Vannes Tourisme tourist office, the SHOM, the SNSM and ARS Bretagne.