Dinard?
 

We are leaving for a 3wk vacation in France on August 9th. We are traveling with our 4yo and 1yo. Dinard has been recommended and looks very nice (checked 05 Fodor's and web) Does anyone have a hotel to recommend or any useful information on Dinard? What about swimming? Is that a good location for swimming? We would be staying there for approx 1 week before heading to Nantes to be with our extended (french) family.

I would suggest that you research further. If I were you I'd not choose Dinard - it's a place that was once posh; the small beach is not attractive IMO.

Look a bit further to the west of Dinard; St Briac is nice and there are a number of 'Caps' that are scenic and, for beaches, there's Sables-d'Or and le Val-Andre.

"the small beach is not attractive"
Are you sure you've actually been to Dinard? That part of the French coast does have a big tidal range, so there are big beaches at low tide and very little beach at high water. St-Malo is more interesting, in my opinion, but in mid-Agust, these resorts will be packed with French holidaymakers, so finding a seaside hotel anywhere will be difficult.

Geoff - maybe I used the wrong term "small" in the sense of its size; "crowded" might be a better word and it felt "small" with the three/four-story hotels as the backdrop and the many loungers on the sand (we were there in July).

Of course St Malo is much nicer, but I don't recall seeing a beach there.

Interesting info thanks. Unfortunately this is last minute so we must take what we can get. We do need swimmable beach. Crowds are ok with us as we realize crowds are unavoidable in Aug in France. Our main objective is to find a place on water that we can stay for 1 week with our children. I think we may look into house rentals. Thanks :)

There are huge beaches at St-Malo, except at high tide.

In '01, we spent two weeks in a Gite somewhat close to there. I did not like Dinard - too touristy and not that appealing architecturally (3-4 story hotels like TuckH mentioned).

However, the main beach seemed OK (not scenic)and there is an indoor pool and I think also an outdoor pool just next to the beach. Lots of outdoor cafes.

There is a very scenic walk just west of the main beach below the cliffs. At the end of this walk, there is another smaller beach, and also a very nice garden and a lookout above the bluffs (you can go up some stairs to the bluff).

I would not choose to stay in Dinard - I'd probably pick one of the places that TuckH mentioned, or St Cast le Guildo - I think they are more scenic. However, if you want a place where you can swim whether it's rainy & cold, or sunny & warm, Dinard would be a good choice. You can take short trips to Dinan, St Malo, Rance River, Fougeres, Vite, Rennes, etc.

Stu Dudley

We spent a half day in Dinard and loved it--pretty town, lots of gardens, lovely beach, families enjoying themselves in the water. I think the town is relatively undiscovered by American tourists, but the British have been going there for years.