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Friday 24th October 2025 – an afternoon walk around the beaches of Carantec….

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The wind has pretty much gone but we are still getting some pretty heavy showers let’s see if we can dodge them a bit better today. Yesterday afternoon when I was booking our extended stay, I noticed that the information board mentioned showers, so this morning I went to look and sure enough a building that I hadn’t realised was linked to the Aire has showers and toilets and best of all a washing machine – so guess what I spent this morning doing? Yep my first proper shower in quite some time and doing the laundry – time well spent.

Naturally the mornings activities meant a slight change of plan to our day so we travelled directly to Carantec, parked up and set off to explore all the beaches around this seaside town – first up was a very disappointing Plage de Clouet – coarse sand and a lot of green weed…

But we persevered and followed the coastal path around the point to a viewing point for Ile Louet and the rather handsome Chateau du Taureau on its own little islet…

The tide is fairly low so I’m not sure that either of them are accessible on foot and the house on Louet sadly looks boarded up. As we rounded the rocky headland the small beach of Tahiti was being enjoyed by a couple of fishermen…

The beaches continued to improve as we carried on past firstly Plage de Cosmeur…..

And then Plage du Kelenn….

And then down onto the main beach – Plage de Carantec, which was lined with a few bars / restaurants and the main part of the village above….

We continued on around another headland to our favourite – Plage de la Greve Blanche, where we enjoyed a brief break in some nice sunshine before continuing on our way….

In the distance we watched people and the odd vehicle traversing the tidal causeway to Ile Callot but didn’t join them as the clouds were beginning to gather ominously….

Passing our final beach, Plage du Port, before making our way back through the village to the van, just making it back before the heavens opened…

Fortunately it was just a passing shower and it had moved on by the time we had travelled the short distance to our Aire for the night.

Thoughts of the day:

  • All these rocky little islets must be a navigators nightmare and in rough seas – well…. However they do seem to create beautiful, tranquil bays.
  • Unfortunately this showery weather does look as though it is going to malinger for awhile but hopefully we will continue to get little pockets of sunshine – beaches definitely look better in the sun…

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 30
  • Miles walked – 6
  • Beaches – 7
  • Aire – £11.29
  • Laundry – £6.98

Friday 10th October 2025 – Fort la Latte to Lanruen….

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Another grey one today and this time it didn’t clear but that is ok – we had a good one and that is what counts. Moving on from our Aire we popped up to see if we could get a proper look at Fort la Latte or Chateau de la Roche Goyon and to be fair it did not disappoint….

Next up was a visit to Plage Sables d’Or-les-Pins – an absolute beauty even on a grey day and looking positively tropical when the sun did come out briefly….

We spent a very happy couple of hours here, walking the beach from end to end and just sitting – there was hardly another soul to be seen and it was with reluctance that we moved on around the coast to take a look at Mont st Michel in miniature….

A very rough causeway was our way across and at one point I was a little concerned that everyone seemed to be scrambling back from the island but that was just the way it went and amazingly we got this little island to ourselves to explore….

The glass doors were very crusty with salt hence the rather awful photo – the chapel is used as a place of pilgrimage on 29th Sep (the feast day of St Michael) each year- so we are about a week late! We scrambled back over the causeway, by now frequented by mussel foragers and onto the lovely sandy beach….

One more brief stop at Lanruen to visit Plage sauvage de Lanruen before calling it a day at an Aire in nearby Erquy….

Thoughts of the day:

  • The coastal driving route has disappeared so I think that must be a Normandy thing – shame
  • To be honest I am enjoying the Brittany coast more than the Normandy coast as somehow a beach where you can see either end is more appealing.

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 24
  • Miles walked – 6
  • Beaches – 3
  • Aire – £7.49 (no EHU)

Wednesday 8th October 2025 – St Cast-le-Guildo….

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Another fabulous walking day today as we left St Jakut behind and headed the short distance over to the next small peninsula and the small town of St Cast-le-Guildo – we did make one quick stop on the outskirts to take a quick look at Plage de Pen Guen….

Before finding free motorhome parking just behind our first beach Plage St Cast-le-Guildo a wide expanse of mostly tidal sand….

Heading along the beach northwards to join the coastal route GR34 as it winds around the headland, taking a moment to look at the flotilla of craft glittering in the sunshine as they lie moored off the bay this side of the busy fishing port of St Cast….

The port itself is busy with sacks of Oysters and Mussels being dispatched to wherever. Here the coastal path takes us up and winds its way around the headland, I almost feel at home – though the inclines are as steep they are not quite as long, for which my legs, that are now accustomed to very little climbing are grateful! Shortly we arrive at our next bay and wend our way down to the deserted small beach – Plage de la Mare, for a sit down and a coffee…

Onward and indeed upward the coastal path picks out a route hugging the cliffs and affording us stunning views out to sea and across to the next peninsula and Chateau de la Roche Goyon….

Our next beach is tidally split into two halves and is the stunningly remote Plage de la Pissotte – there were steps down to the beach but we passed on by as we still gave a ways to go….

Just how amazing are these colours? Our next cove was Plage de la Fresnaye where we did stop awhile – this beach had an active slip and quite a few small pleasure boats moored off there was also a good sized car park just above….

We cheated a little on the way to our final beach of the day by cutting off a bit of the headland section of the coastal path and ducking inland along the quiet residential streets to get there – Plage de la Fosse…

Less of a beach beach more of a mussel foraging destination judging by the cars in the car park and the number of folk attired in stout wellies wielding large buckets on a mission now the tide is more or less out.

We make our way back through the streets still undecided whether these houses are shuttered up to keep them cool or whether nobody is home – arriving back onto the main beach for the final bit we are surprised how many people are foraging down at the waters edge – maybe that is how the French can get away with eating so much bread – they dine on ‘moules’ fresh from the sea each day….

A stunning day and walk.

Thoughts of the day:

  • Pretty cheap way to live – I can’t think of too many meals you can just go and help yourself too – pity I don’t like shellfish (honestly the thought of it rather than the taste!).
  • The tide never seems to be fully in although many of the beaches we have visited would appear to be completely covered at high tide – am I missing something or just forgetting?

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 21
  • Miles walked – 9
  • Beaches – 6
  • Aire – £12.16

Thursday 2nd October 2025 – St Malo….

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Not quite such a nice day today with the sun not quite managing to break through but ideal for the long walk we had planned for today…

A brief revisit to Plage du Val as we begin our walk along the coast to the walled city of St Malo…

A little further along this north facing coastline is the small but perfectly formed Plage du Nicet and Plage de la Varde…

As we head now westwards to St Malo we are able to enjoy around 3 miles of beach walking as we pass along a series of wide sandy beaches – starting with Plage du Port, Plage de Minihic and Plage de Rochebonne (surfers aplenty)….

And continuing along Plage de la Hoguette, Plage du Sillon with its striking sea defences and finally Plage de l’Eventail leading to the walled city of St Malo and the small islet of Rocher….

We then wandered for a bit through the pretty streets of St Malo – ideal if you are on the lookout for designer gear, a drink, biscuits (of course) or les bonbons!….

Finally we took a moment or two to enjoy the two beaches just sitting on the outside of the city walls – Plage de Bonsecuers with is sea swimming pool and from where a number of sailing and kayaking schools operate and the more sedate sheltered Plage du Mole….

My favourite city so far and now just the longish walk back…

Thoughts of the day:

  • Even though St Malo was busy the streets didn’t feel claustrophobic and it was pleasant to just meander around though it does beg the question – how many biscuits can one nation eat!
  • I enjoyed the remoteness and vastness of the Normandy beaches but somehow prefer the intimacy of these small bays and coves of Brittany.
  • Today is what this journey is about

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 0
  • Miles walked – 10.5
  • Beaches – 11
  • Food – £3.06
  • Aire – £11.37