Lazing about on the beach can be a very easy routine to fall into, but after a while we both start to crave a bit of exploring… which is what led us to contemplate a ride out from the site on our trusty folding bikes, Freddy and Fanny. They are very easy to get out of Evie’s garage, but they only tend to get considered if we are in one place for a while... which we have been...
So after a quick perusal of the local tourist map we could see that we might be able to have a gentle ride west or east, with two ports as a destination for a possible lunch, or just for fun. With the weather in the toasty mid 20s we reckoned we’d be grateful for making our own breeze if the wind didn’t oblige.
We opted to try for Port de Trévignon first in the west, as it looked like we might be able to take the GR34 in the other, easterly direction, instead of a ride. The coastal road more or less hugs the shoreline for most of the route west, so it would give us a chance to look out for potential camper stop-overs for subsequent visits, as well as scope out the neighbouring beaches…
...of which there were a good number, like this one just along from Dourveil…
as well as one right opposite a free Aire further west again – literally the other side of the road!
With room for about a dozen vans…
and this fabulous beach right on your doorstep (plage de Kersidan)…
...you are allowed to stay for two nights, free of charge. Toilets are at one end of the Aire, shops and restaurants a short ride away! This lovely spot is a great reminder of just how campervan friendly France can be. If only in the UK…
Not much further along the coast we could see the Point de Trévignon and its ‘Scottish style’ castle set out on the headland, with the Glénan archipelago on the horizon…
There were several interesting looking restos/creperies in the vicinity of the headland, with fresh fish landed later in the day (chalked up on a handy blackboard on the quayside), but we decided that we’d just as happily head back for a late lunch on the pitch, before heading off to the campsite pool for a swim. Although not large, the port area boasted a lifeboat (active since 1906)…
...as well as perhaps the smallest lighthouse we have seen so far…
By the time we’d got back to the campsite, with a couple of inclines against us, we were more than ready for a lazy lunch, followed by some gentle swimming in the pool…
...with Mr B enjoying the water slides with our fellow travellers Eric and Anna…
The next day brought even hotter weather, so we decided to swerve walking east on the GR34 and head out on the bikes again to look at what sounded like some interesting ‘Belle Époque’ beach huts. Our route would also take us past a small hamlet of thatched cottages, Kerascoët, looking to all intents and purposes just like a village in Dorset in Thomas Hardy’s day. Roman Polanski filmed Tess of the Durbervilles in Normandy and Brittany for that very reason … Well, partly!
Our first stop was to look at the small Chapelle Notre Dame de la Clarté – only open by prior arrangement unfortunately…
Kerascoët was busy with other cyclists, and although a bit of a tourist honeytrap, it did feel very unusual wandering around what felt like an uprooted English village!
The trail further east started well, with a bit of off-road that had Mrs B racing ahead…
...and we soon reached the esturial beach of Rospico, reached by a lovely long descent that stopped just by a very well placed restaurant tucked into the cliffs with a terrace overlooking the estuary…
The ease of access to Rospico was, however, matched by the difficulty of the onward ascent, which, as well as some dismounting to walk (and inhale oxygen) might have heard one or two expletives uttered with comments about about poor route planning!
With the call of some Belle Époque architecture and a possible lunch girding our loins, however, we pressed on to Port Manec’h, reached by another long descent…
Which meant of course, an equally long ascent after lunch – eek! Deciding that perhaps we’d postpone eating in order to prevent any post prandial issues, we went off in search of the much vaunted beach huts.
And although the scenery across the Aven estuary was very fetching, we were just a little underwhelmed with the huts themselves…
Luckily for Mr B, whilst taking advice from Mrs B on future route planning, he discovered his phone could actually plot the route with a height profile (a bit late in the day someone observed) so the journey back whilst long, was nowhere near as steep (phew!).
Reflecting that perhaps two consecutive days of riding might not be such a good idea in future, we returned to the site for another late lunch and very relaxing (and cooling) swim in the pool – even the thought of a 300m walk to the beach seemed like a step too far!
Perhaps our next outing might not involve the bikes – and maybe even time for a bit more art?
S&J 26.06.25
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