French Beach - Sooke, BC, Canada

French Beach Provincial Park is situated south of Port Renfrew, BC  and just north of  Sooke, BC on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The 59 hectare French Beach Provincial Park  was established in 1974 in honor of an early pioneer who lived in the region named James French.

The park features a beautiful 1600 metre sandy beach and a day use area. All visitors are treated to some amazing views overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains. Some of the activities enjoyed when exploring French Beach include wildlife watching, hiking, beachcombing, picnicking and camping. Please note there is a charge for camping.

There is no direct access to the beach. Visitors must walk a short 2 kilometre well maintained hiking trail from the parking lot down to the beach area. The trail explores a forest of Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, Cedar and some Sitka Spruce trees. The forest floor is lush with ferns, moss, lichens and salal. The unpredictable wet weather can make trail conditions slippery and muddy in the shoulder seasons.

There is a day use area located at the end of the trail on a large grassy knoll fronting the beach. It includes an adventure playground, some picnic tables, fire pits and pit toilets.

French Beach is an ideal spot for spotting migrating whales, curious seals, sea lions and sea birds like Bald Eagles and ospreys. Be aware that the region is also visited by black bears and cougars.