La Breche

Is the water clean at La Breche?

La Breche is a coastal bathing site with an official EU Bathing Water rating of Poor for the 2025 season — below the EU standard; swimming may be discouraged or restricted by local authorities. That annual classification comes from the EU Bathing Water Directive: national authorities test for two indicator bacteria, intestinal enterococci and E. coli, throughout the bathing season, then report the full-season results to the European Environment Agency (EEA) the following spring — the 2025 season's rating was published in spring 2026, and the 2026 season won't be rated until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. On site you'll find Lifeguard, Toilets, and Beach bar. You can park about ~130 m away.

Over the 11 classified seasons on record, 1 have come back Excellent or Good — a track record worth checking each year rather than assuming. If you're timing a visit around water temperature rather than crowds, July–September is the safest bet, with August typically the peak — expect a cooler, calmer sea either side of that stretch. Arromanches-les-Bains — the closest town — sits about ~500 m from here.

That “Poor” label comes from a full season of official water sampling, not a single test — it's one step on a four-point scale (Excellent, Good, Sufficient, Poor) reassessed once a year. Today's actual conditions can differ from the seasonal average, so for a live snapshot see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. It's been a consistently reliable spot too — the rating has held at Poor for 2 straight years. There's 1 place to eat near the beach — Crêperie de la Plage, about ~190 m away.