Gouesnou walks

As the song by the famous Brest band Matmatah goes, “if you enjoy walking, why not come and have a wander around Lambé?”. Here’s a walk to help you discover this neighbourhood of Brest and the Spernot valley. Although this walk is largely urban, make sure you wear suitable footwear as some paths may be damp. This walk is not signposted; do not rely on any signposting you may come across.

A peaceful walk around the communal lake in Bourg-Blanc.These former meadows were used for tin mining by the Société Comiren (Compagnie Minière Rennanaise).Since mining ceased, a 6-hectare lake has been developed as a place for walking and relaxation, not to mention fishing for enthusiasts.

The starting point for this route is at the Espace Louis Coz, marked in blue. Along this educational route, you will discover five information panels providing information about the different species of apple trees and apples in general. Designed for Sunday walkers, this route is a good route for families who want to take a short walk around the town while learning about the association's work in conserving rare apples. Each panel is located in one of the five conservation orchards maintained by the Avalou Plab association.

A very varied route through wooded areas and green passages near the Stang Alar valley, the Costour valley and its old flooded quarry. Detours, "surprise" shortcuts and exploration of little-frequented areas with passages through a few meadows, along fields and through undergrowth.

Detours via the Botanical Conservatory Garden and the Vallon du Stang-Alar, and the discreet southern part of the old town of Saint-Marc. A shady and very green environment that contrasts with Brest's reputation as a concrete city.

The bed of the Penfeld, Brest’s iconic river, was long used by the navy to store tree trunks between piles for use by shipwrights. Since the 1980s, this part of the river and its banks bordering the western edge of the Bellevue district have been transformed into a park open to the public, featuring a navigable stretch of water for kayaks. These banks offer an easy and pleasant route, mostly in the shade.

Route exploring part of the Brest Arsenal’s site along the River Penfeld. The route takes in Rue de Saint-Malo, the only street to have escaped Allied bombing during the Second World War, as well as the Capucins plateau, a new neighbourhood since its handover by the navy.

The Keroual woods and their manor house are a veritable green oasis just on the outskirts of Brest. You’ll feel as though you’re in a forest and can enjoy the tranquillity of the surroundings whilst taking in the varied flora and fauna. Streams and ponds add variety to the landscape. This walk takes you round the woods, but there are plenty of alternative routes to explore the area in greater depth or extend your walk.

Let’s explore the Brest Arsenal, deeply sunken around the River Penfeld, the ramparts hidden in the woods, and several vantage points overlooking the city and the harbour. The saying goes that Brest was completely razed to the ground during the Second World War… that’s not true: ‘only’ 80 per cent of it was. This route takes you on a journey to discover part of the remaining 20 per cent (towers, gates, ramparts, a few old streets and houses).

Viewpoint overlooking the Brest harbour, the Élorn, Relecq-Kerhuon and Le Passage (former ferry crossing), the Rocher de l’Impératrice, the two bridges (Albert Louppe and L’Iroise), the Moulin-Blanc marina, Océanopolis, the polder, the ship repair yard, the commercial harbour and the naval base, the city of Brest, the Goulet de Brest, the Pointe des Espagnols, the Petit Minou and Portzic lighthouses, the Pointe Marloux and the Pointe du Corbeau. Kernisi offers a beautiful panoramic view of Brest, its harbour, its bay and the Elorn estuary.

A route around the Cavale Blanche – a neighbourhood that could just as easily have been called the Cavale Verte, given how green this area, built in the late 1970s, is.

A very varied route with coastal paths, urban cliffs, gardens and shady woods, urban shortcuts and alleyways. Passages along the Corniche, along the Anse de Kerhuon, a discreet street overlooking Le Relecq and La Rade, Notre Dame du Relecq in the centre, return via the Relecq-Kerhuon greenway along the Domaine de Lossulien (private) then through the alleyways.

How to combine a visit to Brest with a beautiful walk: this walk takes you through the city centre neighbourhoods, the main streets, monuments and churches, the train station and the town hall. Start in the Recouvrance neighbourhood, then take Rue Vauban towards the Plateau des Capucins. Cross the Plateau des Capucins. Join and follow the Pont de l'Harteloire. Head towards Place Albert 1er, where you turn towards Saint-Martin. Join Rue de Richelieu to cross the Pont du Forestou bridge. Head towards Chemin du Merle Blanc before reaching the train station, then Brest Town Hall and walk up Rue Jean Jaurès to return to Saint-Louis Church. Cross Rue de Siam to reach Cours Dajot before reaching the Maritime Prefecture, Pont de Recouvrance and then the Tanguy Tower. Pass La Porte Jean Bart, then the Maison de la Fontaine before passing through the Jardin des Explorateurs to complete the loop.

Ce parcours suit en partie celui du Rand'abers 11 en sens inverse. Il vous fera découvrir de beaux paysages de campagne et vous emmènera le long de l'Aber Benoît et ses nombreux moulins à eau.

A route offering varied landscapes: woodland and rocky outcrops, including the Rocher de l'Impératrice, and the banks of the Élorn, a coastal river which flows into Brest harbour, passing under the old Albert Louppe Bridge (or Plougastel Bridge) and the more recent Iroise Bridge. Two small chapels add a touch of heritage.

A countryside walk between Plouzané and Guilers, offering the chance to discover the sunken paths and charming landscapes of this little corner of Brittany.

This pleasant circular route starting from Lanarvily offers a refreshing and verdant immersion in the heart of the inland landscapes of Léon, following the upper reaches of the Aber Wrac’h. At this point near Lanarvily, the Aber Wrac’h is unquestionably a river (or a ‘rivière’ in everyday language), and not a ria. The watercourse flows through a steep-sided valley in a strictly fluvial bed (the water here is exclusively fresh, with no tidal range or estuarine influence). The maritime influence only begins to make itself felt much further downstream. This route therefore invites you to discover an authentic riverine and woodland landscape!