As every year there was huge anticipation for my next hiking holiday, and my mum and I had decided this year we would undertake the walking holiday steep coast of Brittany, 7 days. After a stopover in Paris, we arrived in the port city of Paimpol in the evening. We received a warm welcome at our harbor-side hotel and received our travel documents, such as hiking maps and luggage tags.
The special thing about our arrival day was that it was July 14, one of the most important holidays in France. So people were out celebrating in the streets until late into the night. Of course we did not want to miss it! To end it all off there was a great fireworks display with a fantastic view of the sea.
Paimpol is a really nice fishing and harbor with many shops in its narrow streets. In the summer several street festivals take place along the harbor, where there’s good entertainment with music and dance performances.
Our second stage, Tréguier, impressed us with its beautiful centre. Located in the centre of the village is the church, surrounded by numerous restaurants and creperies.
Every Wednesday there is a traditional market with many different stalls offering cheese, fresh fish and local fruit.
The smallest stage of Port-Blanc is characterised by its stone stairway to the Notre Dame chapel, which is half buried into the hill.
Our final destination was Perros-Guired. Although the city was very busy, there were still some highlights. The beautiful city centre has many different restaurants, souvenir shops and stores of all kinds. The beach also has a lot of sports to offer guests – for example windsurfing or sailing. The high waves, which arise in the evening with the tide, attract a lot of surfers.
France is known across the world for its excellent cuisine. We can only confirm this! During the week we discovered a new favourite dish – Galletes. Spicy crepes with spinach or smoked salmon. But in a sea-side region, don’t forget the delicious mussels or fish dishes!
The variety of flowers in Brittany is indescribably beautiful. Due to the perfect climate for plants and flowers they grow and thrive in full splendor. Hydrangeas and giant allium in a variety of colours bloom as far as the eye can see.
We really enjoyed the route along the Côte d’Amour. Most of the time we made our way and met no other hikers for hours. So we could listen to the sound of the sea undisturbed and enjoy the hikes through Brittany to the fullest.
The sometimes long stages were very varied, well labelled and accessible. Most of the way along the beach, the sea was very low due to low tide, so it was no longer visible.
The hiking trip took us past colourful flower meadows and through the beautiful countryside of France. Especially in the warm summer months, it is advisable to bring too headwear, enough provisions and plenty to drink, as there are hardly any places to stop on the way. However, this is well noted in the travel documents.
One of the highlights on our trip, among other things, was the short boat trip to the Ile de Bréhat. The small island offers many attractions, such as the red granite rocks and the lighthouse in the north. Many visitors go there with a picnic basket and blanket to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the huge rocks by the sea.
Another highlight was the excursion to the Seven Islands at the end of the hiking week. The different species of birds were unique and fascinating to look at as they are all over the island. At the end of the tour we travelled through Ploumanach, where we headed back along the red granite rocks along the coast. The boat tour from Perros-Guirec to the Seven Islands on the last day was a fantastic conclusion to a successful hiking trip.
Our conclusion: Unfortunately this trip was over far too fast. Dur to the flower-rich coastal landscape, the delicious French cuisine and the good accommodation in great locations, we will always remember this tour! :)
