Walking in Brittany

Few British visitors travel to Brittany with country walking as their prime motivation. But, increasingly, we are discovering the peripatetic pleasures which are so abundant in this most intriguing region, many easily accessible from HPB's Manoir du Hilguy. Author and regular walker Norman Buckley explains…

The first consideration is that Brittany covers a large area and from any given base, only part of the peninsula will be within reasonable travelling distance. In this regard, Bondholders are fortunate in that Hilguy is so sited that an area ranging from the westerly tip - the Pointe du Raz - to Pont Aven in the east is readily accessible.

Between these two extremes there is a wealth of fine coastline together with interesting countryside, small towns and villages, ancient megaliths, distinctive churches and calvaries.

Overlay all this with that legendary aura which is pervasive in Brittany and walking becomes a most enjoyable occupation, arguably the best way to experience a great deal of what makes Brittany so attractive.

To enjoy walking in France does necessitate at least a rudimentary understanding of the waymarking system. Paramount are the Grandes Randonnees, the ‘walkers’ motorways’ winding sinuously through all parts of the country. Their red and white markers can be found on posts, trees and the walls of buildings, the clear symbols showing the way ahead, turns to right and left and wrong route.

Symbols

Locally organised, the Petites Randonees are generally less reliable, but in many areas use the same kind of symbols, usually in yellow, but possibly in other colours where there are several routes close together. In our part of Brittany, the great walkers’ highway is GR34, hugging the coast for many miles. We are particularly fortunate that the shape of the peninsula allows access to coasts both north and south of the property, although obviously the south coast predominates.

Another stroke of fortune is that towns such as Pont Aven, Concarneau, Benodet, Locronan, Pont l’Abbe and Audierne, all ranking highly as places of interest, can be included in or close to walking routes. It is all too easy to become quite spoilt for choice. So far as walking experience or equipment is concerned, anyone who has walked sections of the Cornish or Pembrokeshire coast paths will feel entirely at home with most of the Brittany coast and the inland walks do not involve serious ascent or difficult terrain.

Likewise, the climate is very much like that of Cornwall. Now for a few specific suggestions.

To start, as most of us like to do, by putting on our boots and walking straight from the property, there is an excellent circuit around the local countryside, not in any way difficult and including the nearby little town of Plogastel St. Germain, where café/bars provide the refreshment potential which can so enhance our walk. There is also calvary close to the church in Plogastel.

Atlantic

Whether or not a walk is included, most visitors will visit the Point du Raz, that rocky spine at the western extremity thrusting boldly into the Atlantic Ocean.

Here, a walking route uses parts of the GR34, the Sentier Cote (coastal path) and an inland link to provide a fine circuit.

This invigorating walk has rocky sections, a fair amount of up and down, and is not really suitable for young children.

At the other extreme of the area is a very different walking possibility. Pont Aven is a lovely little town by the side of an estuary, in all together softer countryside. Artistic association with Gaugin (he lived and worked here for three years) and his friends, woodland, river with old mills, castle ruins and the 16th century Chapelle de Tremalo, where Christ on the Cross was the subject of a famous Gaugin painting, all contribute to the interest of a good, easy walking, circuit.

Somewhat nearer to home, one place not to be missed as a walker or a tourist is Locronan, a beautifully preserved town with lovely old buildings and arguably the best crepes in the area. Unusually for Brittany, the walk here involves a ‘mountain’ – Montagne du Prieure, sometimes known as Locronan Mountain (265m.) – which is a good place for the start/finish of a Locronan walk.

At the top are the ruins of St. Ronan’s Chapel. The disadvantage of finishing on top of the hill is a quite steep and prolonged ascent at the end of the walk.

View

One of the great sights of western Brittany is the return of the fishing fleet in late afternoon to the port of Le Guilvinic. A balcony provides a grandstand view of the unloading of the day’s catch and there is the opportunity to buy wonderfully fresh fish.

To combine this experience with a walk, drive to the minor port of Lesconil, just a few miles along the coast to the east of Le Guilvinic. A well-varied and almost level route of nearly nine miles, involving a short length of GR34, has sandy and rocky sea coast, the side of an estuary, and an array of dolmens which includes the important site of Quelarn.

A traditional ‘four banal’ (communal bread oven) can be found beside the manor at Kerhoas. Lesconil itself provides a choice of refreshment.

The Bigouden Eco Museum occupies a stone-built farm complex less than three miles to the south of the little town of Pont l’Abee.

Another compelling feature in the same general area is a giant menhir, surrounded by water at high tide. In Pont l’ Abbe is the chateau, of 13th century origin, now used as the mairie and a local museum.

Nearby, the 14th century Notre Dame des Carnes church has an unusual appearance. To combine all these features, a level walk of less than four miles starts and finishes at the Quay St. Laurent in Pont l’Abbe. The outward route is by the side of the estuary, following the ubiquitous GR34, before turning inland to return past the Eco Museum.

Beaches

Possibly the finest calvary in Brittany is found at Tronoan, at no great distance from Hilguy. Nearby, are two great sandy beaches, the Plage de Tronoan and the Plage de Pors Carn. Separating the two beaches is a striking rocky outcrop, the Pointe de la Torche, crowned with the remains of a pre-historic allee couverte (roofed-over stone passage).

Parking at Tronoan provides a good focal point for a walk to and from the Pointe, where refreshments are available. Tronoan itself has a creperie and a shop selling homemade biscuits.

It will be appreciated that the above suggestions are just a few of the many opportunities for enjoyable walking in the area. Local guide books and, above all, the right maps will reveal many more. In this regard the ‘right maps’ are the I.G.N. Top 25 series. To a scale of 1:25,000, these maps are very comparable with our Ordnance Survey Explorer series. No serious walker in France should be without them.

For the present purpose sheets 0419 ET, 0518 OT, 0519 ET and 0519 OT cover all but Pont Aven (0620 ET).

A pack of recommended walking routes, including the foregoing suggestions, is also available at Hilguy, and online.