L'Orangerie

L'Orangerie sits on Boulevard Patch in the middle of Pampelonne and is one of the more comfortable options for anyone who wants the famous sand without the volume that comes with it. Loungers, mattresses and double beds are spaced deliberately wide, and the club leads with that rather than with a guest list, so the tone is closer to a well-run hotel beach than a party address. The sand is fine and pale and the water shelves slowly, which is why the stretch works so well for families. Practical infrastructure is better than average here: freshwater showers and toilets on site, wifi that actually reaches the beach, parking nearby, a boutique, and adapted access for wheelchair users, which several Pampelonne beaches still do not offer. A boat shuttle connects to arrivals by sea. In the kitchen chef Adrian Vrabie works around fresh seasonal produce with a vegetarian section that is not an afterthought, and service stretches from a late-morning coffee through lunch to dinner in high summer. Unusually for Pampelonne the club says it trades all year, though third-party listings show a shorter April to October season, so confirm before travelling out of season.