The Baie de La Baule is a near-perfect arc of sand sweeping from Pornichet in the east to Le Pouliguen in the west — nine kilometres in total, broken only by the small rocky outcrop at the western end. The shelf is broad and gentle, so when the tide goes out it leaves a vast wet plain that locals walk on for kilometres.
The town's promenade runs the entire length, lined on one side by Belle Époque villas and on the other by beach clubs, pine-shaded gardens, and bathing huts in faded pastels. In high summer (July-August) the central section is packed; walk west towards Le Pouliguen or east towards La Baule-les-Pins for more space.