The island of Bréhat

Bréhat, an island known for its flowers; it has its own micro-climate that favours the growth of amazing, abundant and exotic flora. Bréhat is 3.5 km long and 1.5 km across at its widest point and consists in fact of two islands attached by a single stone bridge. Its proximity to the mainland, 15 minutes by boat, makes it a major destination for a day trip for walkers.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.20 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 73 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 76 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 35 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Île-de-Bréhat (22870)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 48.840733° / W 3.003697°
  • ⚑
    End: N 48.836251° / W 3.009192°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 0814OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The circuit forms a figure of eight crossing over itself at the Ar Prad bridge. The island, particularly in the south, is a maze of roads, lanes and paths that often converge, the route shown is not the only one.
Depending on the tide, the boat lands at one of 3 piers on the island.

Head up the street from the harbour and follow the path opposite Chemin de Crech Kerrio (1) to reach the south-east coast, then head along the sea to the north. Leave the village, turn left, continue to Gardenno, head around it and cross the bridge (2).

On the north island, follow the left path to the lighthouse and the Amer du Roséo (3) and head along the coast to the Paon lighthouse at the north end of Bréhat (4). The wildest part is a pleasure for all the senses. The circuit sometimes takes a coastal path through the red rocks, bathed in light and navy salty breeze, and at other times a path running under the cover of moor gorse flowers, with their delicious coconut scent.

Head back to the centre, take the east coast, its small beaches and its intermittently inhabited islands, cross the bridge again and turn right to St. Michel's Chapel (5) with magnificent views across the south island, the tide mill (6), the coast, and the continent.

After a loop that follows lanes lined with stone walls sheltering amazing gardens, head back to the village, its large town square and small shops.
After a short break for food, head back to the harbour as the tide should now be at its lowest and the boats can no longer approach. They await travellers at the end of the longest pier (800 m) running the length of the foreshore that has been uncovered.

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 7 m - Landing - Port Clos (Bréhat)
  2. 1 : km 0.1 - alt. 21 m - Chemin de Crech Kerrio
  3. 2 : km 2.47 - alt. 6 m - Pont de Vauban (Pont ar Prat, Bréhat)
  4. 3 : km 4.03 - alt. 7 m - Rosédo lighthouse
  5. 4 : km 6.5 - alt. 7 m - Phare du Paon (Bréhat)
  6. 5 : km 9.77 - alt. 30 m - Chapelle Saint-Michel (Bréhat)
  7. 6 : km 10.41 - alt. 8 m - Moulin de Birlot (Bréhat)
  8. E : km 13.2 - alt. 0 m - End of the pier

Notes

The trail is easy with the normal conditions of a seaside walk, with several public toilets and drinking water points.

Worth a visit

On the mainland, the village of Ploubazlanec, the charming little port of Loguivy, 10 minutes from the pier.

A little further on you will come to Paimpol with its busy harbour and old streets.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 116 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Gisèle 94
Gisèle 94
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3 / 5

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

A few comments:

The island is truly beautiful and I highly recommend this walk.
But...
There is actually very little of the coastal path.
In the southern part of the island, houses block the way along the coast everywhere. So you end up admiring the superb gardens instead.

In the northern part, which is much wilder, the only stretch of coastal path is between points 3 and 4 (it’s magnificent there), but there are no signposts, and plenty of paths (which don’t match the route we had on the Visorando map at all). It seems simple to follow the coast, but in fact the terrain doesn’t allow you to go just anywhere...

The directions are more like those in a tourist leaflet than a hiking route!

Warning: the marked path that runs along the bottom of Toull ar Oas cove is impassable even at mid-tide with an average tidal range... You have to take the circular road.

We were there on a weekday in April... and there were already quite a few people...

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User 10490311

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, during which we made a few small detours to get closer to the sea and leave the main trail, which was crowded with hikers because the weather was so nice that day.

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Rémy68
Rémy68

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful route on this magnificent island. We enjoyed the numerous viewpoints, with picture-postcard scenery at every turn. A must-do if you are in the area.

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clubderandonnées
clubderandonnées

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

a very beautiful hike on Bréhat Island with sunshine guaranteed, very reliable description, very few people in September.

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User 24678521

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Small route breakers, such as deviations, thanks to Geotracker.

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casillas
casillas
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike but very crowded even for a Monday, the island of
renote is superb, nothing to say about this route, thanks to the tracker

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User 26883851

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The duration is greatly underestimated if you want to take the time to contemplate and engage in conversation. This does not detract from the quality of the description and the itinerary.

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User 11186467

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful half-day tour, best done in spring or autumn when there are fewer people

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User 24678521
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is interesting because of the hills and landscapes to follow. Inland, you can speed up.

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User 27097013

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Arrived on the island at 11 a.m. and followed the itinerary to the letter, picking up the boat again at 4 p.m. Stopped for a picnic in the north of the island. Beautiful scenery and not many people on the route.

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User 9437716

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An island of great beauty. The landscapes are breathtaking.
However, as far as the route is concerned: very difficult to follow.
There are no signposts. The path is not maintained, making it difficult to traverse and sometimes even non-existent. Do not follow this route with children as several paths require you to turn back.

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AUDUC
AUDUC

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We took the first boat at 8:15 a.m. to get to the island before the crowds.
This route takes you through quiet streets and paths.
We saw rabbits.
The weather was mixed, so the tourists started arriving around noon to eat.
We even found a restaurant easily to eat before it was overrun!

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User 26495237

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike of over 15 km, done in a day, starting early from the port of Binic and returning by boat around 5:15 p.m. The description was very interesting, but we got lost once or twice. Definitely worth doing when the agapanthus, hydrangeas and other exotic plants are in bloom. The Visorando route is a little off the main paths taken by crowds of tourists and provides a few landmarks. One small downside is the lack of signposting on this island, where it is easy to get lost as many paths are private and some are impassable due to lush vegetation or narrow barbed wire fences. The maps, whatever they are, are not very detailed (street names, neighbourhood locations) if you want to stray from the main path. There are some beautiful discoveries to be made along the coast as you wander through the narrow streets, so don't hesitate to get lost. Things to see on the northern island include the Paon lighthouse , calves grazing with their mothers, the Guerzido coast not far from the port, the mill on the southern island, the glassworks, the village, the church and the chapel.
An organic market gardener sells fruit and vegetables on the southern island. The strawberries were excellent and refreshed us at the end of the afternoon on our return, as there wasn't much shade and every nook and cranny was often taken. We finally found a shady spot not far from the Paon lighthouse, sheltered by a rock, for our early afternoon picnic. bring a cap or hat as there isn't much shade, and plenty of water bottles in case it gets hot, as there are only a few places on the terrace at the port before catching the boat back when it's really hot.

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Verolalanne
Verolalanne
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Please note that the route from Trégastel currently involves crossing a bridge that is under construction, and it took us two hours to get across.
The car parks at the pier were full when we arrived because the crowds had been miscalculated and two car parks were closed. We had to wait for a ferry to get to the island, but we were able to do the whole hike and get back before the last ferry.
Apart from this inconvenience, it was a very beautiful hike on a very beautiful island.

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Vivrenature19
Vivrenature19

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant tour, although the seaside paths are much more pleasant than the main 'motorway' routes on the island.
For those who like peace and quiet, this walk should be done out of season, so that you can enjoy the island's narrow streets.

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