Updated by: May 5, 2026
Our Magic Beach
Do you have a place in the world you always return to?
I do. A small village on the west coast of France — in the Vendée region on the Atlantic. I’m not going to name it. Selfishly, I want to keep it exactly as it is.
The village has around 2,400 inhabitants. My wife’s family has roots there. That connection makes it feel like it belongs to us in some small way — even though of course, it doesn’t.
What it has: fresh oysters and mussels pulled straight from the Atlantic. Pine forests with deer moving quietly through them. A local boulangerie producing bread and croissants every morning, without fail. Then, the beach that we visit every afternoon around 3pm — without discussion and without planning… we go!
There’s an Australian picture book by Alison Lester called Magic Beach and if you grew up in Australia, you probably know it. Our beach is that beach. The one that exists outside of time.
There’s something that happens when you return to the same place year after year. You stop being a tourist. You start noticing the specific quality of light at a particular hour and you recognize faces. Every “Bonjour” from a passing stranger carries real weight because you’ve heard it before, in the same street, in the same season.
You realize how much you love the details…
We have our magic beach, so what’s yours?
Paul Mercuri
Wake Up Here Founder
