Nearby beaches
The nearest beaches are at Argelès-sur-Mer (10km). They extend for miles and are sandy for their whole length. Just to the south of Port Argelès, the attractive small beach at Le Racou is backed by a street full of cafes and small shops. North of Argelès, sandy beaches continue for tens of kilometres, broken only by river mouths and the ports of St. Cyprien and Canet en Roussillon; the long dune-backed beach between St Cyprien and Canet is excellent and has plenty of parking along the side of the coast road. All of these beaches slope quite steeply at the water's edge so children need to be supervised.
South of Le Racou the Côte Vermeille begins: a beautiful rocky coastline with small coves and fishing ports. Here the beaches tend to be a mixture of sand and small pebbles.
The beaches in Collioure (above), the nearest town to Laroque on the Côte Vermeille, are sheltered and slope very gradually, so this is a safer place for small children.
Further south, Plage Paulilles beach half-way between Port Vendres and Banyuls-sur-Mer is very pleasant, likewise Plage des Elmes as you come into Banyuls itself.
There are excellent beaches at Roses in northern Spain, which is less than an hour away. Take junction 3 off the A7 Spanish motorway and follow the main road east, signed to Roses.