Kermor Polder and Beach in Combrit

Protected by the dune and a sea wall, this area of polders, created from 1852 onwards, covers 350 ha. Since 1980, it has been managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral.

This route crosses this vast protected area, comprising wooded countryside, mudflats, marshes and streams – which themselves are home to exceptional flora and fauna – and runs alongside the dune that struggles to protect it from the encroaching sea.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.95 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 95 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 95 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 98 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Combrit (29120)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 47.878344° / W 4.142502°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 0519ET, 0519OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

From the D44 linking Bénodet to Pont-l’Abbé, turn off at the sign for Kermor, the beach and the viewpoint symbol. The large car park is immediately on the right once you take this road.

PR® signposting: Yellow

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, head towards the old dovecote, which has been converted into an observatory (you can go up there). Take the wide stony path on the right until you reach the first house on the right (Gorréquer on the map).

No signposting

(1) Turn right onto a path at the back of the house (barrier), walk through meadows, continue through a wooded area and arrive at a sewage treatment plant. Follow the road which goes round the Créac’h leisure centre (fountain on the right) and continue until you reach a road.

(2) Turn left and follow this road. At a place called Kergulan, veer right and continue along this small road, which leads onto a larger one. Follow it to the left towards the former Kerloch Gwen holiday village, now a private residence, and walk alongside the complex until you reach the end of the buildings.

PR® signposting: Yellow

(3) Leave the road and turn right onto a path running alongside a wire fence; then, at the signpost, turn left to begin a long straight stretch along the path through the polder. Cross a footbridge over a stream and continue due south towards the sea. You’ll emerge near the water sports centre.

GR® ®34 White and Red andPR® Yellow signposting

(4) Turn left onto the Chemin des Douaniers, behind the dune, and follow this path, which is shared with cyclists. Pass a first car park on your left, then a second, and arrive at a third.

(5) At this point, turn right onto a path leading up to the top of the dune (wide viewpoint), then descend to the beach and continue left, heading east. Leave the beach to reach a car park with toilets.

(6) Turn left as you leave theGR® to walk alongside the car park, passing a restaurant, bar and nightclub, and rejoin the Chemin des Douaniers until you reach the car park where you left it.

PR® Yellow

(5) At the signpost (polder variant 8 km), turn right and follow this path, which runs alongside a campsite on your right and winds its way through the polder between meadows.

(7) At a fork in the road, ignore the path branching off to the right and carry on straight ahead along the track lined with wetlands. You’ll reach a road, which you cross at Kermor Bihan. Continue straight on towards the gate marking the entrance to the Kerscuntec Polder and cross the long bridle path.

(8) At the signpost, turn right into a wooded area (a discreet little silver cross on the embankment on the left) and follow this single path as it winds through the woods, skirting an orchard on your left. At a fork in the road, ignore the path on the left and continue along the signposted path (the markings are a little faded) until you come out onto a small road near the Kerscuntec lodge.

(9) Follow this road past the lodges until you reach the gate near the dovecote. Turn right to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 98 ft - Car park near the Kerscuntec dovecote
  2. 1 : mi 0.26 - alt. 56 ft - Gorréquer (house)
  3. 2 : mi 0.8 - alt. 49 ft - Road junction
  4. 3 : mi 1.81 - alt. 10 ft - Junction with the PR trail
  5. 4 : mi 2.61 - alt. 10 ft - Water sports centre
  6. 5 : mi 3.96 - alt. 10 ft - Access to the beach from the second car park
  7. 6 : mi 4.22 - alt. 23 ft - Car park
  8. 7 : mi 4.97 - alt. 10 ft - Fork in the road
  9. 8 : mi 5.37 - alt. 10 ft - Fork in the woods
  10. 9 : mi 5.78 - alt. 66 ft - Kerscuntec lodge
  11. S/E : mi 5.95 - alt. 98 ft - Car park near the Kerscuntec dovecote

Notes

Please note: Paths may be muddy in winter; please wear suitable footwear.

Note: From point (4), it is possible to walk along the beach (various access points have been provided; please use these as the dune is fragile). Walking on the beach may be more tiring.

(6) Toilets near the car park.

Worth a visit

The Kerscuntec dovecote, built in the 16th century, was part of the former Château du Cosquer, which was destroyed in 1975. It was acquired and restored by the Conservatoire du littoral in 1989 to serve as a landscape observatory.
Combrit polder.
Kermor Beach, which stretches for over 1.5 km (supervised swimming in summer).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Breizh'Ti Rando
Breizh'Ti Rando

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I really enjoyed this little walk...
I’m sorry I couldn’t climb to the top of the dovecote (the door was locked).
Right at the start of the route, at point 1, I didn’t follow the path to point 2, which runs alongside the first house. I carried on straight ahead along this path until I reached a lovely farm (known as Roscanvel). I have no regrets, as I had the pleasure of discovering, to the right after this farm, a lovely fountain with its wash house.
I then continued along a wooded path, joining the Kergulan road and then reaching point 3.
The dune, to the right of the path, blocks our view of the ocean. You can, of course, walk along the beach by the sea (it’s a bit more tiring to walk on the sand, but it’s such a pleasure to catch a glimpse of the mouth of the Odet in the distance).
It’s true that the stretch between points 6 and 7 must be tricky after a few days of rain. Despite the fine weather over the last few days, my foot still ended up in a bit of mud (luckily, I’ve got good waterproof shoes!).
I stopped for a quick snack at the start of the bridle path, in the shade, sitting on a low stone wall, enjoying the peace and quiet amidst the sounds of nature!
From start to finish, it was a lovely walk!
Thank you for letting me discover it.

Kind regards.

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Pierre isa
Pierre isa

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, but the same issue as Bruno Cariou
No markings near the campsite
but our sense of direction helped us find the path again a little further on
The route is very busy during term time.

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Thank you for this feedback.

Regarding the comment on point 7: I did indeed write: ‘(7) At a fork in the road, ignore the path that branches off to the right and carry on straight ahead along the path lined with wetlands’: it’s hard to be any clearer than that.

At this time of year, many paths become muddy.
Hikers should bear this in mind, especially as the word ‘polder’ appears in the title.

I’ll add: ‘Potentially muddy sections in winter – make sure you wear suitable footwear.’

Best regards and all the best with Visorando

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bruno carriou
bruno carriou

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,
We did this walk, but the description at a very specific point, number 7, was very poorly explained, so my friend and I ended up on the opposite side, in a neighbourhood of Combrit. Indeed, there are no more yellow markings after the campsite on the right, and this path winds its way through the polder. We ended up in a neighbourhood.
Another point… it would be wise to mention that this walk is ‘very wet’ in the polders and that you need to be careful to avoid sinking into the mud… people have managed to lay down bits of wood to walk on, but it’s very precarious! For anyone with shoes that let water in… it’s a guaranteed disaster! We saw some walkers turning back.
Apart from that, it’s a lovely walk to do in spring or summer… but not in winter.
Kind regards, Bruno Carriou

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