8 Things to do on Brittany’s Coastline

One of my favourite places to go is the beach—the feeling of being weightless in the sea, the fresh salty breeze and sand between your toes. Beaches come with happy childhood memories, of camping with family, cosy bonfires and shooting stars.

But although we live on an island, we’re pretty far from the sea. So beach days aren’t as often as they should be, once you make time to go the good weather has passed, and you repeatedly say “till next year”.

. . .

Our recent trip to Brittany was an absolute dream. Having over 1,700 miles (2,800km) of coastline, Brittany represents a third of France’s total.

With every hotel we stayed in we had the sea on the horizon. Our scenic drives hugged the rocky coastline, we had daily walks along the sand, dipped our toes into the clear water and enjoyed beach life.

. . .

Brittany is filled with coastal experiences. From island boat trips inundated with wildlife to historical ruins endlessly battered by the waves. Here are a few suggestions of things to do and places to visit during a trip to Brittany’s coast.

WATCH OUR VIDEO BELOW!

1. Beautiful Beaches

The beaches had to be the first on our list because every day we were simply speechless at how spectacular they were in Brittany. At every beach we visited the sand was the whitest we’d ever seen and the turquoise water was crystal clear.

Imagine the perfect beach in the UK, but with free parking, no rowdy crowds, no tourist attractions and brilliant weather. This imaginary beach still wouldn’t beat a beach in Brittany. The beaches here quickly made the list of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever visited, including paradise-like beaches in Thailand!

Le Conquet beaches | One of our favourite beaches was a little nameless bay in Le Conquet that you can access from the coastal path. Or from the harbour you can visit Plage de Portez, Plage du Bilou and Plage de Porz Liogan. All three of these white sandy beaches are within a 20-minute walk from the port so you can spend the day beach hopping from one to another.

Read our article “A WONDERFUL DAY OUT IN THE SEASIDE VILLAGE OF LE CONQUET, BRITTANY” for a breakdown of where it is and how to spend a day in the area.

Plage de Penn Enez & Plage Sainte-Marguerite | Explore the Sainte-Marguerite dunes at high tide and walk through the wild orchids while listening to the birds amongst the strong sea breeze. From the white sand, watch the windsurfers glide over the waves and take off as they fly in the air.

Île Callot (Callot island) in Carantec | Visit this small seahorse-shaped island at low tide via the causeway and discover the creeks, dunes, fields and sandy beaches. A peninsula at low tide and a small island at high tide (1.2 miles or 2km long), there are a number of nameless bays and beaches to relax on. Check the tides to make sure you don’t get stuck on the island! But if you do it’s pretty special to have an island nearly all to yourself for the day.

St Malo beaches | Plage de Bon-Secours and Plage du Mole are two beaches that sit below the walled city of St Malo. Just a minute’s walk from these beaches is another little bay that can only be accessed via a small ladder which leads down to the sand, creating a quieter, more private beach. In front of Plage de Bon-Secours is Les Bains de Mer à Saint Malo. An artificial swimming pool that gets filled during high tide. Created so at low tide you don’t have to walk all the way out to sea, you can swim in the pool instead.

2. The Lighthouse Trail

The Brittany coast has the largest concentration of lighthouses in the world! No wonder then that they have the famous lighthouse trail. There’s something we find so satisfying about having a set trail to follow, almost making it something to achieve whilst there. Drive the coastline (there’s plenty of it) and tick off every lighthouse you come across. Each has its very own unique features and characteristics. As they weave away from the mainland, these lighthouses create the famous Brittany skyline overlooking the sea.

Read our article “EXPLORING THE FAMOUS LIGHTHOUSE ROUTE IN BRITTANY” for additional information about the lighthouse route

The Petit Minou lighthouse | Located in Plouzané, this is one of the most photogenic lighthouses we’ve ever visited. The lighthouse can be reached by a winding stone bridge that arches over the sand below. To the side of the lighthouse is a popular beach for surfers and lovers of the waves.

Île Vierge lighthouse (Virgin Island lighthouse) | The Île Vierge lighthouse is one of the tallest lighthouses in Europe! The spiral staircase is made up of 365 steps and is lined in opal glass tiles. The lighthouse can be accessed at high tide by boat.

St-Mathieu lighthouse | This striking red and white lighthouse sits on steep cliffs overlooking the ruins of a former abbey. The combination of contrasting architecture so close to each other is striking.

Kermorvan lighthouse | This lighthouse sits tall on a rocky spur at the end of the Kermorvan peninsula in Le Conquet. The peninsula offers a scenic coastline walk including a secluded Caribbean-like bay and historical ruins.

3. Visit an island

Brittany has around 800 islands dotted along the coast. Some known for their warm hospitality, seasonal produce and their own distinct charm, these islands don’t want to be missed from your trip.

Molène Island | Known as the most unspoilt island, there are around 200 people who call it their home. The residents share the island with many species of birds, sea otters, dolphins and seals.

Ushant Island | The jagged island of Ushant is the seventh biggest island in France by size. Known for its unspoilt nature and wild coastline, the island is car-free. You can complete the circuit of the island either on foot or by hiring a bike. Ushant is inhabited by less than 900 people and the island itself is shaped like a crab’s pincer. The island has many lighthouses out at sea and on land. This includes the most powerful lighthouse in Europe, the Créac’h lighthouse; which is visible from over 40 miles away!

Both Molene and Ushant islands are gems in the Natural Iroise Marine Park. Iroise, known as the jewel of France's west coast is a Natural Marine Park covering over 3,500km². The park was the first marine protected area in France and an estimated one-quarter of the country’s sea mammals are to be found in the Iroise waters.

Île Callot (Callot island) | As mentioned above, the island is known for having beautiful beaches and is only accessible via a causeway at low tide. We visited late in the day to watch the sunset behind the island. The reflections of the burnt orange sun in the water around the causeway were stunning. The excitement of knowing you can only access the island at certain points of the day, your time being controlled by the tides, gives a sense of adventure!

4. Boat trips & Wildlife

When the weather is glorious, there is no better place to be than the blue sea. So set sail and keep your eye out for wildlife bobbing along the water beside you or soaring above. These are a few adventures to experience the Brittany coast and wildlife.

Ile Vierge (Virgin Island) | Ile Vierge is home to the Île Vierge lighthouse (as mentioned above.) The only way to reach this iconic landmark and island is by boat via Port de l’Aber Wrac’h. When on the island, make sure to walk up the 365 steps to the top of one of Europe’s tallest lighthouses. On your way back sail through the picturesque river Aber Wrac'h and Aber Benoît, keeping your eye out for oystercatchers and egrets.

Île Vierge lighthouse (Virgin Island lighthouse)

Molène archipelago | Set off with your local guides for a full-day excursion on one of the most capricious stretches of water in the world. Discover the 6 lighthouses standing out of the choppy sea while being accompanied by a pod of bottlenose dolphins and inquisitive seals. Stop off on dry land to explore the island of Molène with its narrow streets and rocky shore before setting sail back to the mainland.

Les Vagabonds de la Baie | Translated as “The Wanderers of the Bay” this boat trip was one of our favourite activities of our time in Brittany. Riding with Gwendal, our very knowledgeable guide, he taught us about the local flora and fauna and surrounding architecture while we circled the Bay of Morlaix.

The boat ride was exhilarating, riding fast along the sea, twisting and turning between the small islands covered in basking seals. We saw vibrant oystercatchers, cormorants drying off their wings and seagulls caring for their fluffy chicks. We had perfect blue skies, laughs with our guide and an abundance of wildlife. What more do you need.

5. Michelin Star Cuisine

Michelin Stars originated in France, the country best known for its passion for cuisine so it was only fair that we tried it! During our trip to Brittany, we truly wined and dined to the full. Each night our taste buds were blown away with some of the best food we’d ever eaten!

Something we noticed was just how affordable Michelin Star and award-winning cuisine were. Some of the restaurants had a set 3 or 4-course menu for around €40. Whereas Michelin star restaurants in England start from a much higher price point. When dining in England at an average high street chain restaurant, it can be easy to spend €40 on just a couple of courses and drinks. So when in Brittany make the most of the delicious cuisine and trendy restaurants!

When sitting in a cafe or restaurant, the sound of the spoken language filling the room is a fine experience. It made me wish I carried on learning French after school so by now I could be fluent and converse with every friendly fave we encountered!

La Corniche restaurant in Le Conquet | Just a short stroll from the scenic harbour of Le Conquet is the exquisite Restaurant La Corniche. The restaurant sits right on the seafront overlooking the ocean where the sun sets.

6. Visit a Commune

Before we visited France there was a specific envision of a holiday we’d been craving. A small village, on the coastline, with traditional cobbled streets covered in flowers and of course, white sandy beaches. While on our trip to Brittany we visited small communes and villages which turned out to be the perfect places to fulfil this imaginary oasis.

Roscoff | Built on a peninsula surrounded by the Channel, this port and seaside resort is buzzing with tourists and locals alike. The 16th-century granite buildings line the harbour. The busy streets are filled with charming gift shops, art galleries, and local markets along with restaurants and cafes specialising in local seafood and Breton crêpes. Head to the Jardin Exotique de Roscoff, a garden filled with exotic flora, fountains and sweeping views of the sea.

Le Conquet | Le Conquet is the westernmost town of mainland France. The town of Le Conquet has it all. The scenic harbour, white Caribbean-like beaches, a quaint town, a landmark lighthouse and the best patisserie we’ve ever eaten. Read our itinerary here for a wonderful 1 day trip to Le Conquet.

Camaret-Sur-Mer | On the Crozon peninsula sits the quaint fishing village of Camaret-Sur-Mer. Walk along the quay, lined with brightly-painted houses, restaurants and art galleries opposite the boats which bob along in the harbour. Opposite is the polygonal defensive tower named Tour Dorée (or Golden Tower) which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Only a 5-minute drive is the famous viewpoint of Pen Hir Point to see the Le Tas de Pois (mentioned below).

Guingamp | Explore the market town of Guingamp. The main square, the Place du Centre is surrounded by various styles of houses. Some in traditional stone and others half-timbered covered in flowers.

7. Historical ruins

In England, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to historical ruins. With castles, forts and royal palaces, it’s no wonder we grew up visiting these types of places on a regular basis. But the historical ruins we explored in Brittany were definitely the most impressive we’d ever seen! Due to their location of high cliffs, white beaches and emerald ocean views.

Fort de l’Ilette | Fort de l'Îlette de Kermorvan (or Kermorvan Island Fort in English,) was built in 1847, and sits out from the rocky peninsular near Le Conquet. Only accessible at low tide, the fort can be found via the coastal path including the Kermorvan lighthouse and a secluded sandy bay.

St-Mathieu abbey | Once a Breton monastery, the abbey sits high on the edge of Pointe Saint-Mathieu, next to St-Mathieu lighthouse. The ruins are lit up at night by the beam of the lighthouse which overlooks the rocky cliffs below.

Fort-La-Latte | This impressive medieval fortress was built high on the clifftops at the Bay of the Fresnay in the 14th century. With 360° views of the surrounding countryside, cliffs and emerald water, the historic monument is breathtaking.

The walled city of Saint-Malo | Saint-Malo is a wonderful seaside city at low tide and an impressive fortress at high tide. The walled city was formed to protect against invasion by man or ocean, withstanding both. The tall walls surround the city, forming a complete loop of 1.2 miles (2km), making a picturesque walk with views looking out to sea and the cobbled streets below. The granite ramparts overlook the busy port on one side and the tidal islands of Grand Bé and Petit Bé on the other.

8. Explore the rocky cliffs and coastline

With the long coastline spanning a third of France, it’s no wonder Brittany has some amazing cliff edges with sea views. These are two locations not to miss on your next trip.

Le Tas de Pois | Translated as “Heap of Peas” (hilarious) these “heaps” are three large rocky islands that sit out from the Crozon peninsula. The cliffs are as tall as 70 metres (230 ft) high, one of the tallest in Brittany. The rocky landmark offers a wonderful view of the Iroise Sea, wildlife and a scenic coastal walk.

Cap Fréhel headland | With endless panoramic views and fine sandy beaches, Cap Fréhel is a picturesque peninsula in northern Brittany. Being a designated bird reserve, hundreds of seabirds provide the natural soundtrack to the headland and is a popular location for nature lovers and bird-spotters.

The predominantly rocky landscapes are made up of pink sandstone cliffs, moorland and marshes. With no restaurants, villages or shops nearby it’s just you and two scenic lighthouses. We hired electric bikes to ride through the countryside to get to the headland. We loved riding the bikes, feeling the sea breeze in our hair while taking in the breathtkaing views of the turquoise coast and the Channel Islands.

We hope that this article has inspired you to visit the coast of Brittany! If you have any suggestions or have any questions please let us know in the comments below!

Our trip to Le Conquet was in partnership with the Brittany Tourism Board, where we went on assignment to explore Brittany’s coastline, capturing the most beautiful spots and destinations along the way.