From east to west, Estuary, Islets and Craggy rocks at Plougrescant

This route takes you on a tour of the different faces of the Plougrescant coastline, with a variety of landscapes. The islands of Loaven and Er, which punctuate the Jaudy estuary, are the scene of major oyster-farming activity at low tide. At high tide, the islands are popular for water sports, especially kayaking.
Then there's the rugged coastline of the northern tip, where raw nature and moorland take on their full character.

Details

1616450
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.42 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 33 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 31 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 38 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Beg ar Vilin oyster farm car park.

(S/E) Go left along the coastal path (GR®34) that leads to the small port of Castel.
Pass the port and the hamlet, then take the steps on the right (signposted GR®34).
Follow the GR®34 along the seafront. You will pass a point with a house before arriving at Varlen beach. Keep following the coastal path.

(1) The GR®34 takes you back to the road. Turn right to go down to Pors Hir beach. Continue along the GR®34, as close as possible to the sea.

(2) Go back and forth to admire the panorama at the "Pointe du Château", then return to the GR®34, which takes you across the moor to the Gouffre. Be careful not to walk on the pebble beach. This area is too sensitive. A path below the pebbles is suggested. Continue to follow the GR®34.

(3) Go down the steps to the Gouffre car park. Just before you reach the car park, take the path on the right past a pretty sentry box, then pass the Maison du Littoral. Continue straight on to the next crossroads. At this point, you can turn right to go to the Gouffre and back.

(4) Fork left along a small reservoir to reach the road. At the road, turn right and, a few metres further on, take the path on the right at the corner of a stone house. Stay on the coastal path (GR®34) to reach the Pors Scarff parking lot.

(5) Leave the coastal path to go up the road on the left. Continue along this road. Leave a road on your right and continue straight ahead.

(6) At the next crossroads, leave the asphalt and take the grassy path which goes off to the right (Yellow markings) and continues to the left. Reach the hamlet of Feunten Guen, then the road (Bourg de Plougrescant/Le Gouffre). At the road, turn left and continue for about 200m to the next crossroads.

(7) Take the hairpin bend into the grassy path immediately to the right, alongside the house. Follow this path and at the next crossroads, continue along the left-hand path. You'll find a pretty sunken path lined with embankments that leads back to the road.

(8) Turn right, then left. At the crossroads, go straight ahead and follow the road to the back of the properties.

(9) This road becomes a path. Follow it. At the road, cross over to take the path opposite, which leads to another road. Keep right, passing a property.

(10) After the building complex, take the path on the left at the wash-house and fountain. At the end of the path, turn left onto the road and go back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 6 m - Beg ar Vilin oyster farming area
  2. 1 : km 1.94 - alt. 16 m - Descent to Pors Hir
  3. 2 : km 3.2 - alt. 8 m - Return trip Pointe du Château
  4. 3 : km 3.95 - alt. 10 m - Parking du Gouffre
  5. 4 : km 4.15 - alt. 6 m - Return trip to the Gouffre
  6. 5 : km 5.95 - alt. 6 m - Pors Scarff car park
  7. 6 : km 6.57 - alt. 7 m - Yellow grass path
  8. 7 : km 7.35 - alt. 30 m - Grass path on the right
  9. 8 : km 8.02 - alt. 31 m - Right then left at the road
  10. 9 : km 8.59 - alt. 37 m - End of the carriageway
  11. 10 : km 9.21 - alt. 14 m - Wash-house, fountain
  12. S/E : km 9.42 - alt. 7 m - Beg ar Vilin oyster farming area

Notes

Note: Toilet facilities at the Maison du Littoral in Le Gouffre.

Worth a visit

Maison du Littoral: at Gouffre
Chapelle Saint-Gonéry

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 22 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 10949116
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Excellent, easy 10 km walk along the delightful seafront. Very pretty views. Well worth discovering

Machine-translated

User 26224607

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike. Well explained for most of the route. A little unclear for the return to the car park

Machine-translated

epiluc91
epiluc91

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike in one of the wildest parts of the Armor coast. Very easy to follow.
This is the second time we've done it and I never tire of it...

Machine-translated

Planeu
Planeu

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Too much countryside and mud coastal path overgrown with ferns only interest bay St Michel

Machine-translated

Jacques LEMARIE
Jacques LEMARIE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful scenery all along the GR34.
Then beware of some passages in the countryside that were flooded.

Machine-translated

LUCANN
LUCANN

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRITTANY

Machine-translated

Philippe 22
Philippe 22

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The landscape is even more beautiful at low tide.

Machine-translated

maxcaviso
maxcaviso

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk.
We preferred to leave Plougrescant on the Gr 34 to get back to the coastal section, then push on a little further to Porz Scaff, then go through the roudour to return. (Tarmac section) Adds 2.7 km to the itinerary.

Machine-translated

RogerP
RogerP

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The GR section along the seafront is busy, but there's no one on the return journey inland, which is mainly on footpaths.
A very pretty walk at low tide.
Tracked by GPS.

Machine-translated

Eric26
Eric26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

nice walk without too much change in altitude

Machine-translated

FT31
FT31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with many magnificent viewpoints. The return journey inland is pleasant. The GPS track is accurate. Just one difficulty between 6 and 7, an impassable muddy path that's easy to get round. Many thanks to the creator of this visorando.

Machine-translated

elliottthau
elliottthau

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk along the coast, but poor signposting inland (Kernevez Penpont Kergadiou area) .... It's good to know that the local people are used to dealing with lost hikers and are very kind and helpful in getting you back on the right path...signposting needs to be reworked for the two circuits indicated on Visorando...having said that, a word of advice: always orient yourself in relation to the Plougrescant church tower!

Machine-translated

faurie/jeanclaude
faurie/jeanclaude

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Some farm work altered a small part of the route.
Considering that we're doing it the old-fashioned way, map and compass, we had a bit of trouble putting the route back together.
Otherwise, nothing to report.

Machine-translated

grave320
grave320

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A fine route with beautiful views. Only the return journey along the road was a bit disappointing. So we retraced our steps and discovered some new viewpoints. A must-do, even with the family...

Machine-translated

Frederic4
Frederic4

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Magnificent route along the coast.
However, some of the inland sections to get back to the starting point were impassable (mud, water, etc.), so we had to find a route using tarmac roads only (plus at least 2 km of the total distance). Thanks to the GPS.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.