Brittany

Thursday 9th October 2025 – Cap Fréhel peninsula….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

A grey start to the day but it did improve with age. Having bagged myself a quiet corner spot in the Aire last night it slightly backfired this morning when we woke to this….

Yep time to harvest the maize – still I’m not complaining as they didn’t actually appear until just before nine but now the can does seriously need a good downpour to wash off all the dust!

We set off out about 10.30 heading south to start off with to the first beach – Plage Grèves des Fosses – more of a shore fishing beach with not much sand in sight…

We didn’t venture any nearer and about turned heading northwards towards Cap Frehel the most northerly point of this small peninsula – following the coastal path GR34 we walked along Plage l’Anse du Croc….

Before climbing up the cliffs and down again to our next beach – Plage Greves d’en Bas where we enjoyed a break whilst watching a surf school in action ….

The next two beaches were stunningly remote, in fact I’m not sure that the second one was accessible without a scramble – Plage de la Fosse and Plage de Port Sud-Est….

Eventually we arrived at Cap Frehel, the lighthouse and the most northerly rock beyond and enjoyed some quiet time just taking in the amazing sea and sky in front of us…

Next stop Jersey just about visible to the naked eye – we had considered walking around to take a closer look at Fort de Latte or Chateau de la Roche Goyon that we admired from St Cast yesterday but decided that that was just a step too far and so made an about turn and made our way back to the van – the views weren’t bad company ….

Thoughts of the day:

  • We are really enjoying the walking along this section.
  • Most of the photos used here were taken on the way back as the sun finally broke through.
  • There were motorhomes parked up in lay-bys along the route – but all the car parks were prohibiting overnight camping so I’m not sure if the lay by dwellers were taking the chance or just out walking and enjoying the day.

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 0
  • Miles walked – 10
  • Beaches – 5
  • Aire – £12.10

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

/ freedombird / 1 Comment

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

Tuesday 7th October 2025 – St Jakut-de-la-Mer….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

An absolutely beautiful sunny and warm day and the shorts are back! Travelling a whole 4 miles and still managing to get fuel and groceries on the way, we arrived at our next stop an Aire in the small village of St Jakut-de-la-Mer which occupies a small peninsula. Once settled we set out for a walk around the peninsula taking in the beaches on the way. Our first beach just a few hundred metres from the site was Plage de la Manchette….

Closely followed by Plage de la Pissotte and Plage du Chatelet….

As we approached the tip of the peninsula, sprawling in front of us was the sandy Plage du Rougeret and across the wet sands lies Ile des Hebihens walkable at low tides and had it been a bit earlier in the day we probably would have taken advantage of the opportunity …

Instead we crossed over to the other side of the headland and took the chance for a sit down and chill hour or so enjoying the warmth of the sunshine on Plage des Haas…

All the while in the distance at the shoreline people can be seen foraging for mussels – I think – I guess it is a cheap source of food?

Now on the home straight – I will add at this point that though present the GR34 meanders in and out of the shore rather than directly following the shore – our last 2 beaches of the day are Plage de la Banche the closest to the village and beyond the village the more remote Plage du Ruet….

A lovely walk and with the tide so far out the beaches extend across slightly muddier flats as far as the eye can see – I’m not sure that going for a dip at any of them would be particularly possible or enjoyable – not that it was on my to do list!

Thoughts of the day:

  • We were planning to stay here another day and just have a beach afternoon and a bit of a paddle but as I said the lower sand was a bit slimy and muddy so we kept on walking instead
  • I bought some cherry flavoured coke the other day by accident and just gave one word – why?

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 4
  • Miles walked – 7
  • Beaches – 7
  • Aire – £14.08
  • Fuel – £61.04
  • Groceries – £29.80

Monday 6th October 2025 – St Briac-sur-Mer and Lancieux…

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

A grey day until mid afternoon when the sun appeared – warm and dry so ideal for walking. Today we took the short drive back to the coast to visit the beaches of St Briac-sur-Mer and choosing to park up just after crossing the estuary on the outskirts of town and follow the GR34 our new friend, we encountered our first beach – Plage du Bechet lined with pretty changing huts (believe me these are not beach huts as we know them, you are doing little more than change in these little huts)….

Next up was Plage de Grand Salinette with Chateau de Nessay overlooking from the headland….

Closely followed by Plage de Petite Salinette….

Then came Plage du Perron linking a small island at low tide, as now….

With Plage du Port aux Chevaux just on the other side….

Across another headland in quick succession are the final 3 beaches – Plage du Tertre Pele, Plage de Port Hue and lastly but by no means leastly Plage de la Garde Guerin….

Here we ended our coastal walk as just beyond lies Longchamps beach that we visited yesterday and made our way back through the village to the van. As the sun is coming out now we decided to extend our day and drove back across the bridge to park up in Lancieux and here GR34 let us down a bit as we had to keep dipping up and down the village streets to access the various beaches – at one point we ended up in someone’s back garden having taken some steps back up from one of the beaches – nevertheless we enjoyed each of the beaches one by one – Plage de la Ceisais, Plage de Rocher and Plage de l’Islet….

Finally reaching the main beach – Plage St Sieuc…

Enough now – it is really warm and we are overdressed, time to get back to the van and make our way back to the Aire in Beaussais-sur-Mer so we can eat and put our feet up.

Thoughts of the day:

  • I do think that Scotland has ruined me – it was such a combo – remoteness, endless deserted beaches, sea, hills and Islands…
  • Though we don’t meet many people in our day everyone always says hello, young and old alike and at least now Bonjour or Bonsoir come naturally!

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 8
  • Miles walked – 9
  • Beaches – 12 (a record may be?)
  • Aire – £11.01

Sunday 5th October 2025 – Dinard to St Lunaire….

/ freedombird / Leave a comment

A lovely, mostly sunny, albeit breezy day for us today as we set off the short distance to Dinard finding parking on a wide leafy lane leading to our first beach of the day – Plage de Prieure…

Here we were also afforded a stunning view across the emerald waters at St Malo…

An interesting concrete path half way up the rocky cliffs below Dinard with some amazing properties seemingly teetering above us, lead us all the way around a number of beaches…

The first beach we encountered was the lovely wide sandy bay of Plage de l’Ecluse with its fab infinity sea water pool…

Next up was the smaller but stunning Plage de Port Salut with an interesting sculpture? above the pathway of a large boulder wedged into a tree….

The last beach along the coast path around Dinard is Plage de St Enogat, here we sat for a while watching the kite surfing out in the bay before making our way across town back to the van…

We made a quick stop on the outskirts of Dinard to catch the 3 remains beaches of Dinard – Plage de Port Blanc, Plage de la Fourberie and Plage de la Fosse aux Vaults….

A short drive took us to the small resort of St Lunaire where again we were lucky with parking and enjoyed a final stroll to take in the wide sandy bays of Plage de St Lunaire….

And Longchamps Beach….

An absolute corker of a day – the only shame being that non of these places had anywhere suitable for us to park overnight so we have gone inland a little to the village of Beaussais-sur-Mer and are nicely settled into a small quiet Aire for the night.

Thoughts of the day:

  • We have happened upon the GR34 which is a coastal path running some 1240 miles from St Malo to St Nazaire – originally used by customs officers patrolling for smugglers but now a public footpath and one we’re enjoying immensely.
  • We are enjoying the fact that when both walking and driving through built up areas the roads and pavements are very wide and no one seems to be in a rush!
  • I think covering the coast of Brittany may take me a while as around every corner is yet another beach – happy doesn’t even come close.

Today’s stats:

  • Miles driven – 23
  • Miles walked – 8.5
  • Beaches – 9
  • Aire – £11.01