Our family from Alameda got to spend about a week with my aunt in Blonville-sur-Mer, one of more than a dozen small coastal towns of Côte Fleurie, the Flowery Coast in the North of France (France → Normandy → Côte Fleurie → Blonville-sur-Mer). We immediately felt familiarity with Alameda: moody cool temperate weather, great ocean sunsets, and a beach with long tidal flat where you can walk out more than a hundred feet at low tide. We even got flybys from the French Flyair airshow, like those we get from San Francisco’s Fleet Week, which includes the Blue Angels-like Patrouille de France. If Alameda had a sister city in France, it would be one of these towns!
There were a few things there that we found ourselves thinking would be great to have in Alameda…
Restaurants on the beach
It’s a beautiful setting for lunch and dinner, of course. But for us, the clincher is that the kids can easily run off and play once they’re done eating ― and while we’re waiting for our food, too!
Fitness and Fun at the beach
It’s great to have activities — especially healthy ones — where you can enjoy the views of the beach and its sunsets… and easily transition to the beach.
Beach Sheds
Beach sheds allow people to keep their chairs, blankets, SUP boards, or whatever at the beach. This democratizes beach enjoyment by allowing those who don’t live near the beach to still enjoy it regularly easily.
Beach Town Buggy
I even found what could be considered my Côte Fleurie double, someone with a camion mignon, a small, low-speed pickup truck, much like our mini, NEV pickup truck! Alamedans take note: NEVs are a great, lower-cost option for getting around town.
These days, his truck bed is mostly just used for their dog (that’s a big dog bed in the bed of the truck). 🐕
Horseback riding on the beach
Now I don’t think this is a great fit for Alameda, but I can’t omit this significant feature: horses are allowed on their beach after 7pm. Setting aside the jealousy we had of those riders, it’s pretty enchanting to see.
We’re pretty lucky to have Alameda Beach
And I think beach-side restaurants, fitness equipment, and beach sheds would increase how much the people of our communities can enjoy it!
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