With more than 200 kilometres of fine beaches along the Occitan coastline, you will find many beach restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. But which one to choose? Well, let me give you some ideas by sharing my 10 favourites this year (from north to south). From fancy joints serving gastronomic food to typical Southern French’ paillotes’ where you can enjoy dinner with your feet in the sand.
La Ola – Sète
La Ola is ideally located on the Plage du Lido in Sète, the beach strip between the Mediterranean Sea and the Étang de Thau. The interior blends in with the exterior with a no-nonsense casual-chic decoration using white and blue and, as a nice finishing touch, lots of natural materials. The menu offers simple Mediterranean-style dishes with a focus on seafood. La Ola works closely with local fishermen and oyster farmers, not surprising with the Med on your doorstep. However, there are also options for vegetarians and meat lovers.
Mango’s Beach Bar – Cap d’Agde
Mango Beach Bar is one of a kind. The bar and restaurant are completely decorated in an eclectic Cuban style. The many colourful corners immediately invite you to sit down and relax. The simple but delicious menu has an enticing choice of salads, quesadillas and tapas, as well as Mango’s signature dishes. If you’re into partying, then you might also want to keep an eye on Mango’s events, as they know how to throw a fiesta.
Nudisme Interdit – Cap d’Agde
I couldn’t be more pleased to start the summer season at Nudisme Interdit. Open since the summer of 2020 with partly the same owners as Biquet Plage in Leucate (further down on this list), this is the place to go if you’re looking for a gourmet feast. Refined and original cuisine is of paramount importance at this restaurant, and every dish is prepared with fresh produce and an eye for detail. Chéri and I were cheerfully welcomed into a decor that was a funky blend of seventies and new wave.
Les Vagues – Grau d’Agde
Walking into Les Vagues is like stepping into another world. An Asian Temple to be precise. The stylish outside flows into the equally stylish inside with wooden floors, enormous Buddha statues and oriental art tastefully scattered all around. To top it off, the paillote has an eye-catching open roof construction with symmetrical wooden beams. All of this literally a few steps from the sandy beach. One glimpse at the menu tells you that you’re in the right spot for exquisite food. Cocktails in hand, the starry sky above, the sea in front of you. Yep, la vie est belle in the South of France!
Chiringuito – Vias Plage
If you already live in a vacation destination, you don’t need a lot to get the holiday feeling. And having dinner with Chéri at beach restaurant Chiringuito in Vias Plage adds to that holiday vibe. You can rent out comfy sunbeds where you can order food or eat at the restaurant with its clean boho chic open space with a view of the Med. Chiringuito doesn’t offer a set menu, like many other beach restaurants around, but there are plenty of choices. And afterwards, you can go for a little romantic walk along the beach while the sunset slowly transforms the sky into beautiful colours.
Chichoulet Plage – Vendres
Our go-to beach is in Vendres, next to Port Chichoulet. Partly because its restaurant- Chichoulet Plage- is one of our favourites. It has an easy-breezy style, with fishnet barriers held up by driftwood surrounding the terrace. The menu offers tapas-style starters, filling salads, meat classics and, of course, freshly caught fish that daily inspires the chef. You will find this paillote on the left of Vendres’ marina, where the Aude river flows into the Med. Life is simple in this paradisiacal spot!
Paparazzo – Gruissan
Beach restaurant Paparazzo is a ‘cantine populaire’, or a popular canteen as they call it, but doesn’t take reservations. So, if you want to be sure of a spot, you better come early. Once you’re in, you can sit outside at the barrels surrounded by high stools or under the colourful parasols. Or you can go inside, at one of the industrial-style tables and chairs. And even here, you feel like you are eating outside thanks to the giant awnings that shade you from the sun. Paparazzo serves burgers, tapas, pizzas and other elevated dishes with ingredients from local fishermen, producers and winegrowers.
Ginette – Leucate
Ginette on the beach at Leucate is the kind of place that is called a ‘paillote’ in the South of France. Meaning: a chill pop-up restaurant set up along the coastline during the summer season. As Michelin-starred chef Claude Giraud runs the beach restaurant Ginette and the nearby hotel restaurant La Côte Rêvée, the food for both restaurants is purchased at the same time and cooked on the spot. Therefore, at this laid-back paillote, you can be sure of having a quality meal.
Biquet Plage – Leucate
Want to have an excellent seafood lunch with a quirky atmosphere and a view over the endless blue sea? Enter the out-of-this-world universe of Biquet Plage on the beach in Leucate. It’s a restaurant and a beach bar, and they sure know how to throw a party. Everything about this place is cool, without being too hipster or fancy. The decoration is a fun mix between vintage pieces and artwork by local artists and is full of little jokes. And then the food… At Biquet Plage, you can enjoy some of the best seafood from the region. Great vibes, fantastic food and good tunes while looking out over the Mediterranean Sea, what more could you ask for?!
Maya Club – Torreilles
Arriving at Torreilles Plage, you’ll spot Maya Club from a distance. The cheerful mix of coloured shutters lures you to the restaurant. And then, following the boardwalk, you’ll walk into a magical setting. The view immediately transformed me and put me in a holiday mood. Think waving palms, fluttering parasols, aesthetic greens, and a tropical-inspired interior that brings the outdoors in. On top of this visual perfection, the homemade food is fabulous, and the staff are ultra-friendly as well.
