From Anse de Penfoul to the Argenton slipway

A superb route along a coastal path, with beautiful sea views. A dolmen and a 14th-century chapel complete the picture.

Details

1826270
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.04 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 36 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 36 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 62 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 13 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Landunvez (29840)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.528746° / W 4.746553°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 0416ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Starting point: Anse de Penfoul car park, along the D27 between Argenton and Landunvez.

Red and white markings

(S/E) Set off west-south-west along a path that runs parallel to the road (towards Argenton). At a fork, head down to the right. Walk along a small beach and climb back up on the other side.

(1) At the top, turn right. Follow the coastal path, passing several hairpin bends and going straight on at a junction.

(2) At a junction, carry on straight ahead along the coastal path, passing the base of some boulders on the left. Continue to the tip of a headland, which is also topped by boulders (Beg an Tour). Turn left and continue with the sea on your right. As you reach a small beach, go through a gap in a low wall and turn right.

(3) At the Gwen Trez car park, turn right and follow a small tarmac road which soon gives way to a path. At a fork in the road (wooden barrier), veer right onto a narrower path that runs closer to the sea. Walk round the tip of Pointe de Beg ar Garo. Pass by the base of the boulders on your right and arrive at the Saint-Gonvel car park.

Unmarked

(4) Turn left onto a small road heading towards the dolmen. At the corner of No. 18, turn left onto a path between two fences and head towards the dolmen.

(5) Retrace your steps to the small road and follow it to the left; you’ll find the chapel after about a hundred metres. Retrace your steps along the small road back to the car park.

Red and white markings

(4) Then turn left and, as you come out of the bend, leave the road and take a path on the right, which starts at the foot of a 30 km/h speed limit sign. At the next junction, carry on straight ahead and follow the coastal path, passing by the foot of the houses on the left-hand side.

(6) Then head down to the right onto a small beach (the signposted path is closed further on due to earthworks). Walk along the beach, crossing a stream that runs perpendicular to it, and head back up the other side. Continue along Rue des Amiraux, rejoin the signposted route and reach the port of Argenton.

Unmarked

(7) Turn immediately right towards the Argenton slipway, then climb the hill on the right, topped by a memorial stone, for a beautiful view of the harbour, the slipway and the bay.

(8) Retrace your steps back to Rue des Amiraux.

Red and white markings

(7) Turn left and follow the outward route in the opposite direction to the Saint-Gonvel car park.

(4) Go through the barrier and turn right (sign pointing to the seaweed kilns). After about a hundred metres, at a Fork in the road, there are two options:
- Turn left and stay as close to the sea as possible to walk around the Beg ar Garo headland again (option marked on the map).
- Turn right and then right again at the following junctions, following a wide path, to take a route around the headland.

(3) At the Gwen Trez car park, turn left. After about a hundred metres, you have the same two options as before:
- Turn left and stay as close to the sea as possible to walk round the tip of Beg an Tour again (the route marked on the map).
- Turn right to take a shortcut around this route.

(2) Continue south-east along the coastal path.

(1) Head down to the left onto the beach at Penfoul Cove, then climb back up the other side and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 26 ft - Anse de Penfoul car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.17 - alt. 33 ft - Junction near a small beach
  3. 2 : mi 0.63 - alt. 26 ft - Junction
  4. 3 : mi 1.16 - alt. 36 ft - Gwen Trez car park
  5. 4 : mi 1.79 - alt. 39 ft - Saint-Gonvel car park
  6. 5 : mi 1.95 - alt. 62 ft - Dolmen de Saint-Gonvel
  7. 6 : mi 2.43 - alt. 26 ft - Access to the beach
  8. 7 : mi 2.65 - alt. 13 ft - Rue des Amiraux – Port d’Argenton
  9. 8 : mi 2.78 - alt. 36 ft - Hilltop above the Argenton slipway
  10. S/E : mi 5.05 - alt. 26 ft - Anse de Penfoul car park

Notes

In dry weather, good walking shoes are sufficient for this short walk on well-maintained paths.

No water sources were spotted along the route. There are bars and a bakery at Port d’Argenton, along the D27 (off the route).

A detailed map is always useful (at the very least, the one accompanying this description).

Alternative route:
The walk is described as a return route. It is, of course, possible to do it as a one-way walk, provided you organise at least two vehicles: one left at the Anse de Penfoul car park (S), the other left in the parking spaces along the road at the edge of the Port d’Argenton (7). Allow for about half the distance and half the time.

Hike undertaken by the author on 24 February 2019.

Worth a visit

- Beautiful panoramic views of the rocky coastline.
- Saint-Gonvel dolmen (5).
- Saint-Gonvel Chapel (14th century), shortly afterwards (5).
- Old seaweed kilns to the north of the Saint-Gonvel car park (4), as well as at the foot of the memorial stone (8).
- Argenton Harbour (7).
- Memorial (8) honouring those who joined the Resistance during the Second World War.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 14 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Christian  g
Christian g

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in the sunshine. The chapel is open.

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User 19354422

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk

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User 7750897

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This route is well marked despite this short stretch of road, and is easy to access even if you want to get as close as possible to the coastline. It's definitely worth doing even if the weather forecast predicts wind and rain, as it's even more beautiful with the waves crashing against the high rocks. Penfoul beach is magnificent.

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chrislefmey
chrislefmey

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful landscapes and incredibly clear sea. Very happy to have discovered this part of Brittany.

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Biloute29
Biloute29

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting route with beautiful views and an easy trail.

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ÉlisabethK
ÉlisabethK

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It would have been nice to remove the section from the car park to the end at the last cove, which doesn't add any extra interest.
The rest of the hike was superb. Thank you.

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Les pommiers
Les pommiers

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful, easy hike. We were able to see the chapel, which is currently undergoing renovation

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andrericheux
andrericheux

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2009
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route. To avoid the return trip, you can take the circular "La chapelle Saint Gonvel", No. 30, from the "Le pays d'Iroise" guidebook published by the FFR. But the coastal section is the most interesting.

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did not do the hike as it was suggested.
We set off from the car park near the municipal campsite, then passed by the dolmen (a little disappointing) and the chapel (currently being restored). As the key was left in the door, we took the liberty of having a quick look inside. We took small roads to reach Anse de Penfoul, then followed the route described.
Superb rocks and views of Yoc'h Island.

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celmarboh
celmarboh

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Exceptional setting by the sea on a rugged coastline

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ruboise5629
ruboise5629

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did the hike in the opposite direction, starting from Argenton slipway, as we were coming from Saint Renan and Lanildut. It is a very pleasant coastal path with a wealth of flora and fauna (turnstones, meadow pipits, greenfinches, gulls... and of course the inevitable herring gulls, various reptiles and insects).
We didn't return either along the coast in the opposite direction or by road, as a local resident at Anse de Penfould kindly offered to drop us off at Argenton. The return journey by road would have been less pleasant, even though there is little traffic.

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Trotti
Trotti

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A round trip hike along coastal paths offering beautiful natural scenery. Lovely.

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gisou29
gisou29

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant hike with magnificent sea views on the way there and back.

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dirinon1979
dirinon1979

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike with breathtaking views.
Very easy.

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