2 days on the Crozon peninsula

Brittany/2024

This little tongue of land between the jaws of Finistère, with Brest to the north and Quimper to the south, is a godsend for the curious tourist. The whole of Brittany is here: the peaceful countryside, the wild coastline, which comes alive when the wind picks up, the little coves and beautiful beaches, the coastline cut into the most beautiful images of the region, and the seafaring villages of Camaret, Morgat, Crozon...

If you're coming by road, the best way to approach the peninsula is undoubtedly via the Térénez bridge, which spans the Aulne from Le Faou. This admirable and considerable structure, which replaced the ferry at the beginning of the 20th century, was for a long time the largest suspension bridge in Europe when it was first built. The current structure, inaugurated in 2011, is an architectural feat, the first curved, unsupported cable-stayed bridge. The trident-shaped tip of the peninsula makes for easy exploration, from one village to the next, from one curiosity to the next - parish enclosures, chapels, mills, remains of fortifications. Straight on to the pointe de Pen-Hir, passing through Camaret, south to cap de la Chèvre, with its magnificent views of the coast, and north to the pointe des Espagnols, dominating the coast from the 60-metre-high cliff, with its view of the Brest roadstead. The life of the peninsula, especially in season, is concentrated around a few towns: Crozon, with the beautiful beaches of l'Aber and Postolonnec; Camaret, a charming port with a lively quay, illuminated by the majestic tower built by Vauban at the end of the 17th century to watch over access, the only building in Brittany to be listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site; and Morgat, more intimate, more picturesque and quieter in appearance, with its painted houses creating a delightful colorful patchwork, on the very busy marina in season. There's a wide range of walks through the woods and dunes, and the motor-vehicle-free "voie verte" allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature to the full. As for nautical activities, there are of course many to choose from: sailing, sea kayaking, sand yachting, surfing, skateboarding, diving (at the Morgat marina center), sea outings and fishing, exploration of the Morgat sea caves and a summer sea link from Camaret to the island of Ouessant. The gourmet traveler is not forgotten. Many producers have settled in this blessed land, producing meat and cheese, honey, fruit, vegetables, mushrooms, cider, fruit juices and jams. Markets are of course very lively in season, in Crozon every morning (except Monday), in Morgat on the seafront every other Wednesday in season, and in Camaret on Tuesday mornings. All year round, you can feast on the local catch of langoustines, shrimps, lobsters, spiders and periwinkles.