I spent a few days in Saint Malo, Brittany - France, in September 2004. I was there for work, but the conference center was just in front of the beach and I was really fascinated by the amazing tide (up to several meters difference) and the multiple faces of the beach.

That part of town has really two completely different feeling, depending on the time of the day. In the morning the water feels like it's kept at bay by the waterfront walls, making the entire city really feel like the old walled IntraMuros. Then in the early afternoon the water recedes, and the beach becomes a major attraction, both for turist and locals, teeming with people and activity.