The Gravinis cairn and Berder Island in Larmor-Baden

At Larmor-Baden harbour, leave your car in the car park. Please note that spaces are limited and it is not easy to park in the surrounding area.
From this charming little port, nestled in the Gulf of Morbihan, you can see a number of islands. The walk takes place on two of them.
(S/E) The first is accessible only by boat. Buy a ticket at the port for the Gavrinis cairn (check opening hours at the ticket office). Follow the shuttle bus whilst admiring the scenery. Once you disembark at the quay on the island of Gavrinis, follow the guide who leads us to the cairn a little further up.

(1) After this stop, take the shuttle back to Larmor-Baden via the other side of the island. The journey, which takes a good ten minutes, is truly very pleasant and relaxing.

(S/E) Once ashore at Larmor-Baden, head to the right of the harbour and follow the small path along the seafront. At the end of this, cross a car park to reach the road. Turn right and continue along it. Opposite, and not far away, the island of Berder comes into view.

(2) To get there on foot, take the submersible path (or gois); you can’t miss it. Follow it for a good fifty metres. On the island of Berder, follow the coast along the path on the right. The route runs through the shade of a wood. There are some lovely views along the way, first towards the port of Larmor-Baden, then as you reach the tip of the island towards the island of Gavrinis.

(3) As you go round the island, you’ll reach a small harbour, apparently a sailing school for the summer camp based on the island. You can see the largest island in the Gulf, Île aux Moines.

(4) Continue to the other end of the island, still on the coastal path, to reach a chapel, which is unfortunately closed but has a lovely little façade and, what’s more, is right in the middle of the forest. Another unusual spot a little further on is a charming little beach serving as a refuge for a graveyard of boats.

(5) Continue along the coast to return to the submersible path.

(2) Cross it again. Walk along the road to the left. This is the route taken on the way there: follow it in the opposite direction to reach the car park (S/E).

(1) Dating back to 3500 BC, this cairn was built when the inland sea of the Gulf of Morbihan did not yet exist. The island was several kilometres further away, so it wasn’t actually an island at the time. After a detailed explanation, you can enter the cairn through a small, very low passageway adorned with rather impressive carvings. From the cairn, you can also enjoy a superb view of the entrance to the Gulf of Morbihan, with Port Navalo and its lighthouse to the left, and Locmariaquer to the right, where you can visit numerous megalithic sites such as Les Pierres Plates and Le Grand Menhir.
A pair of trainers is sufficient for this walk.
Refreshments are available on site.
Check the opening hours of the Gavrinis ticket office by visiting the website
Plan your visit to the submersible road to the island of Berder, bearing in mind that a good hour and a half is enough to walk the entire circuit whilst taking the time to stop at the various viewpoints.
More information at
Avoid the building in the centre of Berder Island, which houses a holiday camp, as it is private property.
Finally, a slight downside: the island has just been bought and there are plans to build a luxury residential complex there. However, the island will still be accessible to the public, which is good news in itself; let’s just hope it retains all its charm and tranquillity!

Île aux Moines, which you absolutely must explore on foot or by bike (which you can hire on site).
Île d’Arz, a little less well-known but just as beautiful as its neighbour and full of charm with its tide mill.
Locmariaquer with its megalithic sites.
The Carnac stone circles a little further afield.
And I’m sure I’m forgetting some!