An unusual discovery in Saint-Quay-Portrieux

This route reveals a little-known side of Saint-Quay-Portrieux.
The narrow streets lined with old buildings or modern villas link three monuments that have seen their heyday: the Saint-Michel windmill, the circular Notre-Dame de la Garde chapel and the Saint-Quay fountain, which is said to be the origin of the town’s founding.
Two parks offer a chance to take a break: the Parc de la Duchesse Anne and the Parc des Druides, where you are immersed in a setting steeped in legend.
Superb views from theGR®34.

Details

19403328
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 63 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 55 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 64 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 9 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at Place de Verdun near Parc de la Duchesse Anne.

(S/E) Enter Parc de la Duchesse Anne through the iron gate and walk through it, following the stream. At the end of the park, head up the hairpin bend to the right towards the residential buildings and turn left in front of the first building to climb the grassy embankment up to Avenue du Martouret, which you must cross. Turn right onto Rue des Fusains, which climbs uphill. At the first junction, turn left onto the street heading towards Moulin Saint-Michel. To reach it, you must cross the D786. A well-protected crossing ensures you can do so safely.

(1) Walk back down Rue des Roches Olives and turn right at the first junction to join Rue de la Garenne, which leads to the D786; cross this road again (protected crossing on the right) and turn left into Rue des Landes. At the first junction, turn left into Rue Ernest Renan. The road turns into a grassy track running alongside the main road. At the end of the track, turn right to head up Rue Anatole Le Braz.

(2) Walk past the Notre-Dame de la Garde Chapel, continue along Rue des Dolmens and turn right after 150 m to enter the Parc des Druides.

(3) Head left and, at the end of the lane, turn left into Rue du Manoir (the manor house is on the right but hidden by high walls). Cross Rue des Dolmens to join Chemin des Fripes. This is a grassy path overlooking the town, which continues as Chemin de Porcuro. Cross Boulevard du Littoral at the pedestrian crossing and take another path that joins theGR®34.

(4) Turn right onto it heading towards the town centre, following the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, and arrive at the campsite.

(5) After passing the campsite, leave theGR®34, then head up Rue de la Grève de Fonteny and quickly turn into Rue des Embruns (at this point theGR® is closed as the cliff has collapsed; initially follow the diversion put in place). At the first junction, turn left onto Boulevard du Littoral.

(6) The Fontaine Saint-Quay is down below on the left.
Go past a roundabout and, opposite the Casino, turn right into a small street: Rue de l’Yser, which crosses Rue Jeanne d’Arc. Continue along Rue de la Bourgade and, at the end, turn into Rue du Moulin Saint-Michel to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 11 m - Place de Verdun
  2. 1 : km 0.9 - alt. 50 m - Moulin Saint-Michel (Saint-Quay-Portrieux)
  3. 2 : km 2.42 - alt. 54 m - Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Garde (Saint-Quay-Portrieux)
  4. 3 : km 2.61 - alt. 64 m - Parc des Druides (Saint-Quay-Portrieux)
  5. 4 : km 3.54 - alt. 24 m - GR34
  6. 5 : km 4.31 - alt. 16 m - GR34 diversion
  7. 6 : km 4.89 - alt. 23 m - Saint-Quay Fountain
  8. S/E : km 5.71 - alt. 11 m - Place de Verdun

Notes

TheGR®34no longer follows the coastline in Saint-Quay-Portrieux for quite a long stretch because the cliff has collapsed. Do not attempt to cross the prohibition signs.
The car park is in the town centre, opposite the beach: make the most of it after your walk.
There is a shelter in Duchesse Anne Park (S/E).

Worth a visit

(1) Moulin Saint-Michel: This windmill, rebuilt in 1830, supplemented the work of the Rolland watermill (in Plourhan) when the water flow was too low.

(2) Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Garde: built in 1828. Dedicated to sailors and their families, in the context of the great fishing industry in Iceland.

(3) __Parc des Druides__: A cluster of megaliths dating back 4,000 years.

(5) The cliffs of Plouha on theGR®34: they can be seen from the viewpoint (5), in the distance.

(6) Saint-Quay Fountain: the legend associated with it is engraved on one of its sides. Its miraculous water heals wounds.

S/E: Duchess Anne’s Park: A wooded park along the stream, it offers lovely lawns, benches, play equipment and self-service books.

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

3.9 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.6 / 5
Route interest
3.9 / 5
le dauphin
le dauphin
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The path before point 4, which leads to the GR, is impassable (brambles, ferns, etc.)
All that is needed is to run a brush cutter over 400 metres
There are no signs along the route.

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User 26961251

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The path before reaching point 4 is overgrown with brambles. It is impossible to reach the GR34 from there. You have to turn back and follow the road (Boulevard du Littoral) for quite a while, which significantly reduces the distance along the coast.

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kar76
kar76

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk.
However, the path leading to the GR34 (point 4) is completely unkempt; we had to turn back and walk down a good stretch of Boulevard du Littoral (which meant fewer sights to see).

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Rescoussié
Rescoussié

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with stunning scenery

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Pedibusjambus1956
Pedibusjambus1956

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with magnificent sea views
The Druids’ Park is a hidden gem nestled in this little hamlet
The path leading to the GR (4) is too overgrown
We opted to join it a little further down the boulevard; you come across the GR before the campsite

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rando2259
rando2259
• Edited:

This route is described as running partly through the narrow streets of Saint-Quay. There were no surprises. Part of it is in town, and part of it follows the GR34.
The chapels are very rarely open all the time due to theft. You need to check with the tourist offices or on their websites. Here is what I found this morning: you have to adapt to the opening times. There are still quite a few options
https://www.saintquayportrieux.com/sit/v...
On 29 and 31 August, the chapel is open from 4pm to 6pm
The mill is also sometimes open with demonstrations.
Maintenance of the parks and paths can be an issue. Indeed.
Apparently, access to the GR needs to be changed. I’ll go and have a look to suggest an alternative solution.
But for the local council to take action, please also report your comments to the tourist office. Let’s work together. It’s not necessarily a lack of goodwill.
I’m really sorry to have wasted your time on this route where nothing was quite right. But you’re right, there are plenty of others to discover. Happy hiking.

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minigolfette
minigolfette
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

A rather uninteresting walk, involving a lot of road walking and passing through built-up areas just to see a mill, an abandoned park and a closed chapel; the section between 3 and 4 is dangerous as it’s through dense vegetation and practically impassable...
Other walks in the area are more interesting

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fyp
fyp

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, I really enjoyed this lovely walk. I just got stuck because the paths narrow under the lush June vegetation and I couldn’t reach point 4. However, when I got back onto the coastal road, I turned left very quickly to get the view of the coast and followed the coastal path to the town centre. It might add a bit to the walk, but what a view!!
Plus, the chapel and the Druids’ Park are magnificent!
Well worth a visit!

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jasy19481949
jasy19481949

That is exactly what we saw

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rando2259
rando2259
• Edited:

Thanks, jasy19481949
That’s great, because I specifically wanted to put together a route featuring places a little off the beaten track from the well-known St Quay, and share them.
That’s encouraging.

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jasy19481949
jasy19481949

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A route taking you to little-known places

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