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webcamsdeasturias.comLa Franca Beach is undoubtedly the most attractive and accessible beach in the entire municipality, and therefore the quintessential beach of Ribadedeva. It is also the easternmost beach in Asturias , and its name seems to date back to the Middle Ages. At that time, goods had to be unloaded five leagues east and west of the ports of Llanes and San Vicente, respectively. La Franca, being located right between the two and outside their sphere of influence, was exploited by shrewd merchants who unloaded their goods "free of alcabala," that is, tax-free , much to the displeasure and protest of the two ports.
But the semantics of this beach also extend to its scenic frankness, as it is one of the most beautiful and widest on the Cantabrian Coast, which has the European Community's blue flag of quality, so it is also "frank" in cleanliness and beach services.
During high tide, it transforms into a natural swimming pool , making it very safe for swimming, especially for children, and ideal for water sports, rock fishing, and spearfishing. At low tide, a wide expanse of sand is revealed, and small coves rich in fish are formed. Its fine sand covers an area of 73.000 square meters at low tide, with a 260-meter-long beachfront bordered by the mouth of the Cabra River.
The first inhabitants of prehistory already used it as a makeshift home, finding shelter and food there. Several caves are located very close to the beach. In them, we discover shell middens, deposits of mollusk shells that show evidence of their inhabitation in ancient times.
For the contemporary man, the Franca continues to be a refuge, in this case a refuge, easily accessible, for free time.
At low tide, La Franca beach extends into other sandy areas, such as Playa del Oso , a small cove that becomes connected to it at low tide, or Playa del Regorgueru , another natural beach that is more difficult to access. Regorgueru can also be reached at low tide from La Franca beach or by descending a steep path from the neighboring village of Pimiango.
The beach is part of the Protected Landscape of the Eastern Coast . The nine kilometers of coastline—mostly cliffs—of the municipality of Ribadedeva stretch between the beach itself and the Tina Mayor estuary, at the mouth of the Deva River. Between these two points lie Punta la Cebollera and Punta de Santu Medé. The eastern foothills of the Sierra de Cuera mountain range also form part of this Protected Landscape and add to the beach's appeal.
The Sierra de Cuera
The Sierra de Cuera is a prime location for planning routes and excursions at any time of year … Read more
Information:
La Franca beach has signposted access on the N-634 between the towns of Santiuste and La Franca. If you are driving in the direction of Llanes-Ribadedeva you have to pay attention to soften the speed from Buelna, since the detour suddenly appears in a tight corner and forces you to make a sharp turn. Once this branch is taken, 1 kilometer is traveled until reaching the beach.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
