Following the sardine route in Douarnenez

Access: At the beginning of Rue Jean Jaurès, when entering Douarnenez via the Route de la Plage du Ris or Ry (D7), turn right at the first street, Carrefour, where you will find a large car park (signposted).

(S/E) From the car park, exit on the right and follow the small road, which is a no-entry road, down to the site of Plomarc'h, a former fishing village (information sign on site). Ignore the path on the right, which will be the return route, pass a playground and arrive at Rue des Plomarc'h.

Follow this street, where you will find a small viewpoint offering a beautiful view of the port of Rosmeur (1). At the three-way junction, turn left, staying on the same street. Turn right onto Rue Antoine Cariou, then left onto the cobbled Rue Guy Moquet towards the Chapelle Saint-Hélène. Go around it via Rue des Piétons (information panel on the recently renovated chapel) (2) and arrive at Rue Anatole France. Follow it to the left uphill, pass the market halls on your right and arrive at the Maison Charles Tillon, which houses several associations at no. 18 on this street (17).
Retrace your steps and return to the Chapelle Saint-Hélène.

(2) Turn left onto Rue Hervé Julien, then right onto Venelle des Alcyons, which leads to Rue Givart via a two-step staircase. Follow this street to the left (3). Cut across to Rue du Grand Port (4).
Cross this street, then turn right into the alley of the same name, which joins Rue du Rosmeur. Follow this street to the left for about 20 metres, then turn left into Rue Boudoulec (5).
Turn right at the staircase (under construction in May 2020) to reach Rue du Sémaphore, where there is a small square and a public garden (6).

Go around the garden, then turn right towards Rampe du Rosmeur and take the stairs down to the street of the same name (7). Follow this street to the left until you reach the sailors' shelter, recognisable by its pink colour (8).

(3) Go up Rue Henri Barbusse on the left, ignoring the side streets. Pass the old maritime affairs building on your left, which is being converted into a residence called "La Marine", and walk past a new car park on your left (9). Cross the stop sign and walk past the Connétable cannery (formerly Chancerelle, as still indicated on the map) and at the end of the building, turn right onto Rue des Baigneurs, then take^{the second} left onto Rue Estienne d'Orves. Walk past the Sacré-Cœur Church on the left, against the flow of traffic (10). Turn right, pass in front of the church porch and arrive at the junction with Rue Saint-Michel.

(4) Go down this street on the left, then turn right into Rue Daniel Le Flanchec, which winds down to the Port Rhu footbridge (11). At number 16 on this street, note the huge house shaped like a small castle with a turret and a Gwelmeur sign.

^GR®®34trail markers: White and red

(5) Turn right and follow the two boulevards along the seafront: on your left, you will see Tréboul and its marina, then Île Tristan with its jetty (12). Continue along the coastal road overlooking the small beach of Les Dames, then Pors Cad (13). Turn left then right near the Ysblue marine fuel depots on your left and you will come out in front of the Maison de la Sardine (14). The Connétable logo is clearly visible on the façade of the cannery.

Turn left and walk along the fish market buildings to reach the Rosmeur slipway, where the harbour master's office is located (15).

Retrace your steps and walk along the old Rosmeur sardine port via the Quai du Grand Port. Pass the Raie slipway (sign 16 missing in May 2020 due to work on the slipway) and continue along the Quai du Petit Port to the junction with Rue Anatole France, with the Crêperie du Sallé on the corner.

(6) Start climbing this street, then turn left into the^{first street}, Rue du Quartier Maître Balanec, which joins Rue des Plomarc'h. Follow this street, which offers a beautiful view of the port of Rosmeur and the bay, and arrive at the fork in the road from the outward journey.

At the sign for "sentier des Plomarc'h", keep left, go down a small staircase, continue along the path, cross a footbridge and follow this shaded path which passes below the old fishing village where there is a stopover lodge. At the end, turn right and go up towards a wash house.
Turn left and follow the wide path lined with grassy esplanades and benches offering a beautiful view of the bay. Pass a large stone residence lined with trees, then some old buildings undergoing renovation, and arrive at the archaeological site of the Gallo-Roman garum vats (several explanatory panels).

(7) Retrace your steps, ignore a road on the left and look for a large pine tree on the right.

No markings

Turn left onto a discreet path that begins with a few steps and runs alongside a vast expanse of meadows. Follow this beautiful shaded path, which climbs steadily, until you reach a slightly steep staircase. Turn right and walk above a meadow where various breeds of Breton animals graze. At the three-way junction, turn left and continue along a long, south-west-facing wooded lane to reach an imposing fountain and wash house (explanatory panel).

(8) Go around it, turn right downhill onto a discreet path that runs along the fence of the meadows and leads to the street you came from.
Turn left onto a path running parallel to the road, walk alongside the crops and return to the street and the car park (S/E).

There are several staircases along the route.
The route can be completed in flat shoes.
The duration shown does not, of course, take into account the time spent reading the explanatory panels.
The numbers in brackets correspond to the information panels.
Remember to use the bronze sardine-shaped studs (not always clearly visible) to find your way around and ask for a map of the city at the Tourist Office.

Themes of the 17 information panels:

1 A bay teeming with fish.
2 Birth of a fishing village.
3 The old port.
4 The bourgeoisie of the press.
5 Demographic and urban explosion.
6 Penne sardin.
7 The fishermen.
8 The sailor's shelter.
9 The canning revolution.
10 The piety of the Douarnenists.
11 Port Rhu.
12 Birth of a town.
13 The sardine crisis and diversification of fishing.
14 Douarnenez, Europe's leading fish canning centre.
15 The industrial port.
16 The women's revolt
17 "The Red City".

Description of the 17 panels.

Garum vats from the Gallo-Roman period.

Sardine house: exhibition and sale of seafood products.

Plomarc'h site.