Un barrage contre l'Atlantique is an autobiographical novel similar to Frédéric Beigbeder's previous A French Novel and has the subtitle Un roman français, tome 2 (lit.

Inspired by a painting he spontaneously buys, Beigbeder reminisces about his life and French society, from his childhood in the 1970s through his time as a dandy in Paris, his relationship with Laura Smet, and his hermit-like life in Guéthary.

The book was written at the compound of Benoît Bartherotte [fr], a wealthy man who tries to stop the erosion of Cap Ferret by building a large and unauthorised seawall.

[1] Grégory Plouviez of Le Parisien wrote that the book is written with "exquisite melancholy".

[2] Jean-Paul Brighelli of Marianne wrote that Beigbeder handles the fragmentary form in a way similar to Heraclitus and Emil Cioran and that Un barrage contre l'Atlantique is a more profound book than A French Novel.