C017-STANDARD Tregor coast

Trégor is one of the nine former provinces of Brittany and its sea frontage stretches from the mouth of the Trieux west of Paimpol to the river and bay of Morlaix. This coastline, one of Brittany’s most beautiful, is rich and varied. It offers us magnificent landscapes and numerous wonders of nature like the Sillon de Talbert, or of history like the Cairn of Barnenez, which faces the sea and is more than 5,000 years old!

Following the excise men’s path will bring you to a wild, rugged and storm-weathered coastline, small hard-to-reach coves, and long fine sandy beaches. You will stroll on the quays of small ports that live according to the tide’s rhythm and be impressed by the rich architectural and historical heritage of towns like Lannion, Tréguier and Morlaix. Along the path you will admire chapels, roadside crosses, parochial enclosures, dolmens and covered pathways so typical of Brittany!

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive at PAIMPOL – This port, today a haven for leisure and tourism was, in the 19^th and early 20^th century, a Mecca for sea fishing. In this era, the town swarmed with sailors arriving or leaving for the banks of Newfoundland and topsail schooners cast anchor in the port. You can discover old Paimpol, its backstreets with timber-framed houses and the ship-owners town houses around the port–Lodging and breakfast in a 2-star hotel on the port.

Day 2 – from PAIMPOL to LEZARDRIEUX (26 or 16 km) – We propose 2 itineraries. The first, the longest, follows the coast via Pors Even, the Croix des Veuves (Widows’ Cross) and the tip of Arcouest before reaching Loguivy de la Mer. The second, shorter, route, takes you straight to Loguivy. You will leave the town of Paimpol into countryside where vegetable cultivation in greenhouses or in the open air is the order of the day – artichokes and the famous, tasty white beans, the ‘Coco de Paimpol’. After a few kilometers, you will reach the small port of Loguivy de la Mer. You then follow the coast to the Roche aux Oiseaux, a rocky headland where, as recent excavations have shown, our ancestors lived more than 5,000 years ago to protect themselves from predators and enemies. You go back up the Trieux estuary, a narrow wooded valley invaded by the sea at high tide and that today houses a number of oyster beds. You cross the suspension bridge to reach Lézardrieux and its deep-water port –Lodging and breakfast in a 2-star hotel by the port.

Day 3 – from LEZARDRIEUX to the SILLON de TALBERT (19 km) – You will follow the other bank of the Trieux, discovering along the way the tidal watermill and the magnificent Kermouster chapel that overlooks the mouth of the Trieux. Via the high ground, you will reach the Ile à Bois, once separated from the mainland but attached since the Germans fortified it. You will continue your walk along the Bay of Pomelin, with its oyster beds, before walking around the Laneros and l’île d’Adren marshes which used to house a farm. Then, you will follow the shore at Penn Lann (the end of the world in the Breton language) to reach the famous Sillon de Talbert, a pebble and sand bank 35 meters wide that stretches into the sea for more than 3kms. At the end of the day a taxi will take you from the entrance of the Sillon back to Lézardrieux –Lodging and breakfast in the same hotel in Lézardrieux.

Day 4 – from the SILLON de TALBERT to TREGUIER (19 km) – A taxi will drop you at the Sillon de Talbert in the early morning, where you can pick up the coastal path taking you along to the Creac’h Maout semaphore that looks out over the rocks. Then via the Port la Chaine shore, you will reach the Kermagen slipway, then Port-Béni. You will loop in to explore the Men ar Rompet covered path situated on a hillside looking out over the Jaudy estuary. You will then follow this estuary through the hamlets of Bellevue and Kervengant before crossing the bridge to reach Tréguier. This town, full of character, has a wonderful medieval heritage and a rich religious past. You cannot miss the 15^th century Gothic cathedral housing the tomb of St Yves, the ancient Augustine convent and the Hôtel Dieu’s magnificent cloister. You can stroll in the many backstreets containing beautiful half-timbered houses and lovely little squares. Lodging and breakfast in a 2-star hotel

Day 5 – from TREGUIER to PORT BLANC (27 km). This stage can be shortened by a taxi transfer first thing in the morning (21 km). You will leave Tréguier by crossing the Guildy, the other river encircling the town, to reach Plougiel then the hamlet of Kerautret, where you will go down onto the banks of the Jaudy. From the Jaune headland you will climb up to the high ground to reach the Roche Jaune and its panoramic viewpoint offering great views of the Jaudy estuary. You will continue this walk by the Bay d’Enfer and the village of Plougrescant that boasts a beautiful chapel, before reaching the Pointe du Château headland, a mass of granite that drops down gently into the sea, covered with meadows, spinneys and rock clusters. You will go through the hamlet of Pors Hir where the houses hug the rocks for shelter, before reaching Pors Bugalez, a small port that marks the extreme limit of this headland. A bit further on, you will discover the magnificent Castel Meur, the house nestled between two rocks which turns its back to the sea and numerous islands. You will pass Pors Scaff and the Rocher de Napoléon (Napoleon’s rock) to reach the Gouermel cove and the Ile d’Islan with its 19m peak offering superb views of the coast. You will reach Buguélès and its Saint Nicolas chapel and make a detour to the Ile Balanec to see its original tidal watermill. Via a few small roads or paths, and with the Sept Iles (Seven Islands) on the horizon, you will follow the Pellinec cove to reach Port Blanc, a small coastal resort – Dinner, night and breakfast in a 2-star seaside hotel.

Day 6 – from PORT BLANC to PERROS GUIREC (19 km) – You will leave Port Blanc and its two famous rocks, walking along the beach, past a string of islands and islets covered in luxuriant vegetation, in some cases dotted with a scattering of houses. You will get to Royo beach after walking along the dunes and skirting the Launay marsh. Then you will reach the heliotherapy centre and beautiful fine sandy Trestel beach. You will follow the coast route to get to a magnificent little flower-filled port, Port le Goff, before carrying on along the shore towards Port l’Epine. Once past this spit of land, you will discover Perros cove and its beautiful beaches that unfold before you as you approach Perros port, the end of this stage –Night and breakfast in a 2-star hotel.

Day 7 – PERROS-GUIREC port – TREGASTEL (Coz-Porz beach) – (18 km). You will leave in the direction of the Pointe du Château, following the coast and crossing a residential zone, where villas built at the beginning of the last century compete with one another for ‘best in show’. You will continue this walk on the beautiful Trestignel beach, then the large beach at Trestaou, edged with palm trees! You will then take the excise men’s path that runs the length of the coast among the pink granite rock clusters to get to the Ploumanac’h lighthouse, the St Guirec beach and oratory (on the sand) before reaching Ploumanac’h port. Next you will visit the tidal watermills built at the mouth of the Traouiero valley. Their history goes back to the 14^th century, but the actual building dates from 1735. On the coastal path, you will walk around the Ste Anne bay to reach Ile Renote where you will explore the impressive chaos of pink rocks and a covered pathway. Finally, you will reach Coz Porz beach and your hotel. Lodging and breakfast in a 3-star seaside hotel.

Day 8 – TREGASTEL – TREBEURDEN (22 km) – From the hotel, you will follow the beach and reach the end of Kervalos bay. There, you will leave the seaside to take the Kerguntuil covered pathway (a burial place dating back to more than 2,000 years BC and more than 9 meters long) and the Kerguntuil dolmen, one of the most impressive in Trégor. You will continue your journey across the Brittany countryside towards the St Uzec menhir, then towards the Notre-Dame-des-Citeaux de Penvern chapel, founded around 1300 by the Bégard Cistercian monks, making it one of the oldest chapels in the region. The adjacent fountain was said to be able to cure many ills. You will return to the sea to visit and walk around the Ile Grande (Big Island), a landscape of moorland bordered by numerous shores, coves and marshes, with a beautiful covered pathway. You will then reach the market town of Trébeurden via the Quellern ponds, where wild Camargue horses roam. Dinner, night and breakfast in a 2-star hotel.

Day 9 – TREBEURDEN to LANNION (16 km). You will go down towards Trébeurden port, climb up onto the Castel that looks out over the port to say hello to Père Trébeurden (Father Trébeurden), famous rock resembling a human face. If the tide allows, you will be able to explore the Ile Millau with its moors, magnificent views and covered pathway. Once back on the mainland, you will reach the Pointe de Bihit via the large beach at Tresmeur. On the coastal path, along beaches or across moors and through bracken, you will walk around Lannion bay to the Pointe Servel, marking the mouth of the Léguer. You will get to Lannion centre first along a pathway that overlooks the valley, then the towpath. You will find old Lannion has a rich historical and architectural heritage.Lodging and breakfast in a 3 -star town centre hotel.

Day 10 – LANNION to SAINT MICHEL EN GREVE (19 km) – From Lannion you will reach the banks of the Léguer and the small village of Loguivy les Lannion, which boasts a very beautiful 16^th and 17^th century church. You will follow this other riverbank to the hamlet of Yaudet, which looks out over the sea. A Roman stronghold, then Episcopal see during the first centuries, this hamlet boasts a very beautiful richly decorated chapel. Then you go along the coast to Locquemeau, an old sardine fishing port with a 15^th century church. You will pass the Pointe du Dourven and Pointe de Shar and carry on along the coastal path that runs along the cliffs to reach the Saint Michel shore, a vast expanse of fine sand. Taxi transfet at Plougasnou. Dinner, night and breakfast in a 2 star hotel.

Day 11 – SAINT MICHEL EN GREVE to POUL PRADOU Beach (23 km) – Taxi transfer at St Michel.From St Michel, you will follow the route along the beach and, after passing the base of the Grand Rocher (Great Rock), which rises to 70m, you reach the hamlet of St Efflam. You will follow the coastal path along the Pointe de l’Armorique and discover some beautiful fine sandy beaches. You will cross the Douron estuary to reach the village of Locquirec, a former Gallo-Roman seaside resort which boasts a beautiful, richly decorated church, a former Chevaliers de Malte (Knights of Malta) chaplaincy. You will pass the Pointe du Château and Pointe du Corbeau headlands before walking along the Sables blancs (white sand) beach. Via alternating beaches and cliffs you will reach Poul Rodou beach where a taxi will collect you in front of the beach bar to take you to your hotel in Diben. Dinner, night and breakfast in the same hotel.

Day 12 – POUL PRADOU beach to DIBEN BEACH (Plougasnou) (25 km). A taxi will drop you off near Poul Rodou beach where you will pick up the coastal path. You will follow it to Vilin Izella beach where you can leave the coastal path for a brief detour to the Trobodec watermill with its giant bucket-wheel that worked until 1950, and then the Trégor rural museum at Prajou that houses a rich collection of more than 2,500 agricultural and maritime tools. Once back by the sea, you will climb the cliffs and cross this undulating and winding rocky coast before reaching the beautiful beach at St Jean du Doigt. You will leave the coast to visit the Saint Jean du Doigt church and parochial enclosure built in 1440 to house one of the Saint’s fingers. This sanctuary became a major pilgrimage site and history recounts that Anne of Brittany walked from Morlaix to Saint-Jean to benefit from the Saint-Jean relics’ properties. You will reach the market town of Plougasnou via the Notre Dame de Lorette oratory, a unique Brittany monument, then rejoin the coast to admire the large Trimel-Trégastel beach. You will walk around the Pointe de Trimel headland before reaching the Diben cove and your beachfront hotel. Dinner, night and breakfast in the same hotel.

Day 13 – DIBEN to MORLAIX (27 km) – Still on the coastal path, you will continue to discover this wild coast with its wonderful landscapes and beaches interspersed with rocky cliffs and islands. You will walk along the Ténérez cove to visit the Barnenez Cairn, one of the oldest monuments in Europe, its construction pre-dating the Egyptian pyramids by around 2,000 years. Built between 4500 and 3900 BC, this dry-stone edifice covers megalithic tombs. The scale of the monument is surprising – 72 meters long, around 20-25 meters wide, and 9 meters high. The monument is made up of 2 juxtaposed cairns covering 11 funeral chambers (dolmens) whose corridors open onto the monument’s south façade. You will continue your walk along the shore of Morlaix’s natural harbor to the village of Dourduff en Mer, at the end of the bay. Then you will reach Morlaix either by following the river or cross-country. Lodging and breakfast in a 2-star hotel on the port.

Day 14 – MORLAIX – End of the tour after breakfast

Best Season

From April to middle of October but be careful this area is very crowded in summertime and we recommend you (if you can) to come outside this period. Nevertheless this area attracts a lot of tourists and you have to reserve earlier to get the best rooms.

What’s included?

• 13 nights’ accommodation in 2 or 3-star hotels or charming B&B with breakfasts
• 5 dinners
• Hotel to hotel luggage transfer along the trail.
• Taxi transfers :sillon de Talbert –Lezardrieux (x2), Plage de Poul Rodou– Diben (x2)
• A set of maps (1/25 000 scale) with the route marked on and detailed route notes describing the trail.
• A daily itinerary together with information about facilities and places of interest along the trail.
• Phone emergency assistance.

Visa fees – transportation fees to and from the walk area – Insurance (strongly recommended on all trips) – Transfers except those mentioned above – Drinks – Entrance fees – Additional meals – Spending of personal nature e.g. laundry, souvenirs, phone calls, are not included

Getting there and away

To Paimpol

By train:  You can reach Paimpol from Paris Gare Montparnasse (Paris – Brest line) with a change at Guingamp

or from Saint Brieuc (also located on this rail line) and bus to Paimpol (timetables on www.tibus.fr line 15)

By car: Drive to Rennes along A11 and A86 motorway. Continue on the speedway RN 12 to Saint Brieuc you bypass. Turn left on D786 or D6 road to Paimpol past St Brieuc.

Where to park :severalunsupervised car parks at Paimpol by the hotel.

From Morlaix

Rail station at Morlaix.

You can return at Paimpol by train with a change at Guingamp or by bus with a change at Lannion.

Morlaix -> Lannion : see timetables www.keolis-emeraude.com – line 30

Lannion -> Paimpol www.tibus.fr  line 7

Walk difficulty

Grade 3–walks of between 5 and 8 hours a day with some sustained short ascents and descents. Some hiking experience is advisable. A reasonable level of fitness and some stamina are required for these walks. You may cover long distances in remote countryside and the terrain will be rough underfoot.