French Beach Provincial Park lies about an hour away from Victoria along the southwest coast of Vancouver Island. It boasts a stunning 1.6-kilometre of beach on the scenic Straight of Juan de Fuca.
While sand and pebbles compose most of the beach surface, sandstone shapes the northern end of the beach, and when the tide goes out, some peculiar tidal pools linger in the rock.
On occasion, Gray Whales pass by French Beach on the migration trail—either north in the summer or south in the fall. An observer equipped with both patience and luck might spot one of these enormous creatures from the shore.
In addition to the Gray Whale, many other animals make their homes in the park. Killer Whales often appear offshore along with otters, seals, and sea lions. And, as with most of the west coast, French Beach is an excellent spot to observe Bald Eagles and other birds.
The park includes a campground that can accommodate visitors year-round, though service is limited in the winter. The campground is very close to the beach, and in this way, camping at French Beach epitomizes outdoor life on Vancouver Island. It is extremely busy in the summertime, and it requires guests to plan well in advance.
For those unlucky enough to miss out on the campground, French Beach also offers an excellent day-use area.
One Comments to “French Beach Provincial Park”
[...] weekend I made the trip up to French Beach to visit my sister who was camping there for the weekend. Since she had not been to Sandcut beach [...]