La Brière océane

When you arrive at Pen Bé via Mesquéry, go to the coast, then turn right and, after about 100 metres, you will find a small car park on the right.

Please note: this route is not signposted.

(S/E) Facing the ocean, turn left towards the south. Follow the road to Pointe de Pen Bé, then along the beach towards the north-east. You will come to Route de l'Estran. Turn right and follow the road around the field where the oyster farmers' machinery is parked.

(1) Shortly afterwards, leave the road on the left and follow the path along the shore, with houses on your left. The houses give way to fields. Continue straight ahead on the path to Pointe Noire.

(2) Beautiful view of the Traict de Pen Bé. Continue along the path that turns left, towards the east. Further on, you will come to the end of a road and a small car park.

(3) Continue to the right, along the path that runs alongside the Étier de la Barre, until you reach the salt marshes.

(4) Continue straight ahead, along the salt pans, until you reach a small road. Follow it to the left. Pass close to a salt production building, then leave the salt marshes and arrive at Kergéraud.

(5) Turn left onto the road that crosses the hamlet. Immediately afterwards, turn right onto a path and continue north through the fields.

(6) At the crossroads with another path, go straight ahead and then turn left at the three-way junction immediately afterwards. Further on, the path turns west and leads to a road. Follow this road to the right and you will come to the D82 opposite the hamlet of Caire.

(7) Cross (with caution) and turn left to follow the D82 for about 300 metres. Turn onto the first path on the right. Continue across the fields.

(8) Further on, stay on the main path which veers left. You will come out onto a road in a bend.

(9) Follow the road to the right and, immediately afterwards, continue on this road, which curves to the right to reach the hamlet of Limarzel. Stay on the road, which first turns right then left and then heads south towards Pont Mahé to join the D82. Cross (with caution) and continue straight ahead to reach Pont Mahé Beach.

(10) Start of the round trip to Pointe du Bile. Turn right to walk along the beach.

(11) At the end of the beach, cross a small stream, the Étier de Pont Mahé, over a bridge, then immediately turn right to follow the stream. Shortly afterwards, take the first street on the left and, at the next intersection, leave Kerséguin on your right and continue on the left, along a path that runs alongside Palandrin Bay.

(12) When the path ends, turn left onto the beach and continue to Pointe de l'Espernel (please note: in the event of very high tides, the beach may not be accessible on the way there or back; see practical information). At Pointe de l'Espernel, turn right to continue along the coast at the top of the beach until you reach a road.

(13) Take the road on the left, then turn left at the next street to reach Pointe du Bile.

(14) At this point, the coastline becomes wild and rocky. There is a beautiful view of Pont Mahé Bay to the east, Pointe de Merquel opposite and the ocean to the west. Turn around to return to Pont Mahé Beach.

(10) Continue straight ahead on the path. Cross a beautiful moorland area that has benefited from a conservation programme. Follow the path lined with ropes that winds through the heather and broom.

(15) At the end of the moorland, continue along the path that runs along the coast. Shortly afterwards, the path veers westwards and then southwards.

(16) Continue along the cliffs, above a rockier and wilder coastline, to reach Pen Bé (S/E).

The coastal section of this route is marked by the^GR®® de Pays "Entre Brière et Vilaine" (red and yellow) and also in yellow by the "Sentier des Douaniers" (customs officers' path) with small signs indicating the directions.

(12) Before walking along the beach, check that the tidal coefficient is not too high and note the time of high tide. If the beach is not passable on the way back, in (13) continue along the road and follow it to Kerandré. Then turn right to reach Kerséguin.

(14) You can extend your walk by continuing along the coastal path towards Plage de la Mine d'Or and turning back when you wish.

Discover more walks in this area with descriptions or the Visorando app here

If you enjoy birdwatching, don't forget your binoculars. The salt marshes, in particular, are home to a wide variety of wading birds and ducks, but these birds are not easily approached.

Pen Bé is located in Assérac, a commune in the Brière Regional Nature Park. The communes of the park surround a large marsh area, the Grande Brière Mottière. It is possible to take boat trips (on barges) with a guide to discover this wild and unspoilt area (and, again, don't forget your binoculars!). I suggest two starting points: Les Fossés Blancs in the commune of Saint-Lyphard, not far from Pen Bé, and Île de Fedrun in the commune of Saint-Joachim, further away as it is on the other side of Brière but in the heart of the marshes.

The inhabitants of the communes of Saint-Joachim and Saint-Malo-de-Guersac are quite far from the coast because, fortunately, there is no road through the heart of Brière. In the past, it was not uncommon for these inhabitants to buy land in Pont-Mahé to spend the summer on the "beach of the inhabitants". One cannot help but notice the connection between the name of this beach, Pont Mahé, and the surname Mahé, one of the most common in the commune of Saint-Joachim in the past (along with Moyon, Aoustin and Vince)!