Quelles Marsh and Île Grande Tower

In Penvern, park near the small chapel, where there are a few spaces available.

(S/E) With the chapel on your left, go straight ahead, following the yellow markings, along the one-way street that joins the D21. Cross carefully and continue opposite, along Chemin de la Chapelle. At the intersection, find the^GR®®34, marked in red and white, and follow the road to the right.

(1) At the fork in the road, at the sign for the Menhir de Saint-Uzec, take a detour via the^GR®®, straight ahead, to discover this superb Christianised menhir about 150 m away.

(1) Back at the intersection, leave the markings and follow the hairpin bend to the left, taking the road in the wrong direction. You will come to the D21. Follow it to the left for a few metres (cycle path), then cross carefully to take the road opposite towards Saint-Uzec and Hent Keruzec and continue straight ahead to reach this hamlet.

(2) At the junction at the entrance to Saint-Uzec, turn right, immediately pass a fountain on the right-hand side of the street, then pass slightly below the beautiful chapel. Continue along the road, Chemin de Saint-Uzec. At the fork in the road, turn right onto Chemin de Kerglet and cross the hamlet (spelled Kerhuel on the IGN map). Continue along the small road until you reach a crossroads with a path.

(3) Follow the path on the right, marked as a link between GRs (also red and white), which is not always clearly visible. Ignore a path on the right further on, then arrive at an intersection with a path supporting the^GR®®34.

(4) Follow it to the left. After about 200 m, the small Menhir de Milin ar Lan is hidden in the vegetation on the left of the path. Continue and you will arrive at a street in the hamlet of Kerariou. Follow it straight ahead.

(5) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on the road closed to lorries, Chemin de Crec'h Hellen. Ignore the Chemin de Parc Loureg on the right further on, then another small street further on.

(6) Immediately afterwards, a path branches off to the left in a hairpin bend. Follow this path for about ten metres and take the path that branches off to the right (information sign about the Marais du Quellen; do not take the entrance to the private property between the road and the path). Follow this path, which goes around the small marsh on the left and leads to the coast and the D788.

(7) Cross carefully and then follow the beach to the right. At the hamlet of Goaz Trez, continue along the path that branches off to the left and follow the trail that leads to Île Toënno.

(8) Go up the access road to the car park, note a small menhir on the left, join the D788, walk about ten metres to the left and then turn left onto the cul-de-sac at the corner of the small shipyard.

(9) At the hamlet of Toënno, at the end of the road, continue along the path, as close to the coast as possible.

(10) About a hundred metres after crossing a stream, make a short detour straight ahead to see a menhir in the moorland.

(10) On the way back, continue to the left. You will come to an intersection with a path marked^GR®®34. Follow it to the left. Join the access road to Île Grande. Follow it to the left until you reach the sign marking the entrance to the island.

(11) The Île Grande circular route is fully marked by the^GR®®34. Continue straight ahead to cross the small inlet. On the other side, immediately take the footpath on the left.

(12) Cross the road and continue straight ahead, slightly to the right.

(13) Further on, as the path approaches the road, at a car park, make a short detour to see a fountain on the other side of the road.

(14) Pass the Port Saint-Sauveur jetty. Further on, after walking along Dourlin Beach, you will arrive at the LPO Care Centre.

(15) Continue along the coast.

(16) Make a short detour to the right for a viewpoint. Further on, you will arrive at Porz Gélen Beach.

(17) Follow the road to the right for about 50 metres, then turn left onto Impasse de Pors Gelen. You will reach the coast shortly afterwards. Further on, you will come to a road. Follow it to the left to return to the entrance to the island and cross the inlet again.

(11) Immediately take the path on the left, leaving the^GR®®34. Then keep to the path closest to the coast.

(18) Carefully cross the D788 and take the Route de Keralegan opposite, marked^GR®®. Continue straight ahead at the intersection with a cross. At the T-junction, turn left towards the Chapelle de Penvern and return to the car park (S/E).

Moderate difficulty hike, quite long but without any difficulty. Not to be done in heavy weather with high tide.

Discover more hikes in this area with a description or the Visorando app here and in Finistère here

Photo album here

Pretty fountain next to the Penvern chapel, and elsewhere along the route, chapels, pretty houses in the hamlets.

Birds in the marshes and by the sea, LPO Care Centre

Menhir of Saint-Uzec, information here
Menhir of Toënno, information here