A peaceful circular route in Plouézec

Park in the car park at the Saint-Riom Chapel.

(S/E) Join the road, do not cross it but turn right at the wash house and follow the path along the stream. Pass the small wooden pumping station in front of large metal plates on the ground. Very soon, a wooden footbridge crosses the stream and the path continues on the left bank.

(1) At the first fork, turn left to leave the stream. The path rises slightly and becomes a very narrow, uneven track. Continue along a hedge of Cryptomeria japonica Elegans, which can be a bit of a hindrance, especially if it has rained. At the campsite, turn left onto a wide, well-maintained grassy path lined with flowers, offering sweeping views of the bay. This path turns left at a right angle and very quickly reaches a three-way junction.

(2) Leave this wide farm track and turn right onto a small path whose entrance is not very visible among the trees. Very quickly, this path joins a road that leads to a house (to the right of the path exit). Turn right to go around this house on the left. Leave the large brown gate (marked "no entry") on your right, continue towards the boundary wall and join a path that descends to^{the GR®34}. At first, it may seem as if you are entering private property, but this is not the case. You are simply going around it. The entrance to the path is not very visible here either, and you start by walking along the property wall.

(3) The junction is a little difficult in wet weather as the last step is high. Turn right and continue on the^GR®34, which overlooks Paimpol Bay on your left. Stay on the^GR®34. Pass two paths that lead off to the left towards the coast and to the right.

(4) Near the campsite, the^GR® makes a detour to the right. Leave the path on the left that descends with the "no dogs" sign and climb to the right. A turn to the right on a tree reminds you to turn completely right to continue on the^GR®34. Climb the stairs that join the road at a rest area.

(5) Turn left onto this road. It is a one-way road, with cars coming up and arriving opposite. It is safer to cross it and walk on the right. Follow it to the landing stage and continue along the first road that goes uphill to reach the car park reserved for oyster farmers: a sign indicates this direction. The road is very steep.

(6) Pass in front of a wooden rubbish bin, cross the oyster farmers' car park to the end. This is not prohibited. But be careful, as machinery may be operating. At the entrance to the car park, leave the^GR®34trail on your left and cross the car park. At the far end of the car park, a beautiful uphill path begins, passing in front of a classic trio of water features: a fountain, a wash house and a drinking trough. Continue along this path which, after passing through some arches, crosses a group of houses and leads to a small but sometimes very busy road as it serves the Pointe de Bilfot. Turn left: it is advisable to cross with great caution and walk on the right-hand side as there is very little visibility.

Turn right immediately into a cul-de-sac. After a few metres, in front of a large brown wooden gate, turn left onto a small path that goes around the last house on the right. This path quickly becomes a wide track. Follow it to the end, leaving a first, more or less marked farm track along the field on your right. After 400 m, the track turns right at a right angle. Continue along this track until you reach a three-way junction.

(7) Turn completely right onto the wide farm track. Follow it all the way, leaving a more or less visible path along a field on your right. When this wide farm track joins the road, follow it on your right, then quickly turn into the first left, Route du Cosquer, in an arc. Turn left again at a "workshop" on Route des Islandais (the street signs are very visible).

(8) After 500 m, turn right onto the road called Hent Boderhy, just after a beautiful, well-maintained cypress hedge: sign. Be careful, it is easy to go too far down the road and miss this road. If you see a road branching off to the left, you have gone too far.

Rejoin the road with great care: the path ends abruptly on the road, with no visibility for vehicles approaching from the left and very little roadside space. This is the road to the harbour! It is very busy at certain times depending on the tide, and throughout the year. Cross with great caution and turn left. After 100 m, at a four-way intersection, take the second street on the right (the smallest one), Rue de la Chapelle Saint-Riom. Turn right at the stream to reach the car park (S/E).

(6) Option 1: you can continue along the path, which leads down some steps to the shore. But you need to check the tide times. Walk along the shore to the concrete slipway, then follow the beach along a path that ends at a staircase on the right, which leads back up to the road at Port Lazo to rejoin the point (7).

(7) Option 2: at this crossroads, you can extend your walk with a 400 m circular path (taking either of the two paths) to admire the beautiful Porz Donan cove and its famous staircase with over 200 steps. And if you're feeling fit, you can continue left along the road to the tip of Bilfot. This makes for a round trip of about 2.5 km.

Toilets on the Port Lazo sea wall.

Benches at the top of the stairs (6), in Port Lazo before (6), at the wash house after (6), and at the starting point.

(S/E) Saint-Riom Chapel.

Port Lazo beach.

The Craca mill.