Sablettes beach, Menton, France

Plage des Sablettes is Menton’s most central beach, at the foot of the old town (Vieux Menton). It stretches for about 350 metres between the old port and Garavan harbour, on the eastern side of the old town, below its colourful houses and the bell tower of the Basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange. Access is free, and the beach is open every day of the year.

Unlike most beaches on the Riviera, Sablettes has no large pebbles: it is made of very fine gravel mixed with sand, and the seabed slopes gently, which makes it the best choice in Menton for young children. The water is usually clear and calm, and in July and August it often reaches 24–26 °C.

Sablettes is a non-smoking beach and is supervised by lifeguards during the summer season. It has showers, toilets, a children’s play area and a beach volleyball court, and it is accessible to wheelchair users. A few private concessions rent out sun loungers and umbrellas in summer.

Behind the beach, the seafront has been turned into a pedestrian promenade with restaurants, bars and ice-cream shops, and the lanes of the old town start just a few steps away. A paid underground car park, Vieille Ville–Sablettes, is right next to the beach. To the east, Plage Rondelli continues the shoreline towards Garavan harbour.