Tour of the Pointes d'Arzon

(S/E) Starting from Arzon church, head west along Chemin des Saules. This quiet little street leads out of the old village and further on turns into a small country lane that runs alongside the backs of properties.
After crossing a long, straight street, continue straight on along Chemin du Pouil, which marks the edge of the residential area. Further on, this path leads to a row of fishermen's cottages, reminding you of the maritime character of the Port Navalo cove.

(1) When you reach the cove, leave Pointe de Port Navalo and its famous lighthouse on your left and head up to the right towards Pointe de Bilgroix. When the street veers away from the shore, leave the coastal path and turn right into Rue du Dolmen. Follow this street to the next intersection, where you turn right. A hundred metres further on, there is a passage between two plots of land on the left-hand side of the road, which leads to Bilgroix beach.

(2) Follow the top of the beach to the right to reach its main access point. Two parallel streets lead there. Take Rue Treno on the right.
When you reach the old buildings, turn left and walk up Rue du Port Douar. Just before turning left onto the foreshore, take the very narrow passage on the right (mind your shoulders!) between two fences. It goes around the last properties before the point, which you will reach after walking about 400 metres along the coastal path.

(3) Take a moment to watch the water flow at the end of the point, then go around it to return to the bottom of the cove that it frames with Pointe de Pembert. Walk along the small beach to find the path that overlooks the foreshore by a few metres. You will soon reach Pointe de Pembert, which faces the islet of Er Lannic and its double circle of stones, part of which is submerged. In the background, you can see the Cairn de Gavrinis.

(4) After the point, the path veers away from the tide again to reach the bottom of Bernon Cove. As you approach the first houses, the path winds its way between the high-water mark and the property walls, even encroaching on some of them.
You have to leave the coastline for a while to climb up to Rue de la Palisse, passing first by a fountain that is almost buried.

(5) At the road, turn left and continue to the end of the tarmac road. When you reach the last houses, continue along the coastal path that runs under the tall trees to return to the seafront and the nearby Pointe de la Palisse.

(6) Pointe de la Palisse faces Île de la Jument and Île d'Hent Tenn, slightly to the right. Between their points flows part of the tide that feeds the Gulf of Morbihan. It is particularly impressive at certain times of the tide. Go around this new point to return to the bottom of the Tindio cove and its small sheltered beach.

(7) Continuing along the coastal path, return to the Jument current.

(8) At a rocky outcrop just opposite the Îlot Hent Tenn, the sea seems to rush down like a torrent eager to fill the stretch of water that opens up to the east, between the coast of Larmor Baden and the Île aux Moines.
Continue along the foreshore until you pass the furthest point of Pointe de Kerners. After walking along the top of a small cliff covered with tall trees, you will reach the Bilouris slipway.

(9) Leave the campsite on your right and continue along the shore. The path returns to the village of Kerners and the bottom of the cove of the same name, which has a pretty beach, but only at high tide, as the rest of the time it is rather muddy.

(10) At the end of the beach, the path climbs back up the small cliff to begin the tour of Pointe de Saint-Nicolas.

(11) Pointe Saint-Nicolas faces Pointe de Nioul, which is the southern tip of Île aux Moines. Between the two, you can see the tidal eddies again. Following the path, you quickly approach the Pen Castel mill, whose dyke blocks the bottom of the cove.

(12) After passing the mill, leave the coastal path to the left and continue along the road. Pass the hamlet of Keravello before reaching Béninze.

(13) In Béninze, take the third road on the right (Impasse de Fosse er Fétan) and continue to the end of the road. A small path winds between the last two properties before turning left to go around the rest of the houses. At the first road you come to, turn right. After 400 metres, ignore the path on the left that leads to the Butte de César (tumulus) and continue straight ahead, ignoring the path that branches off to the right a few metres further on. You will soon reach the cycle path that will take you back to the village of Arzon.

(14) When you reach the cycle path, turn right and follow it until you reach the first houses in the town. As you pass the water treatment plant (you can't see it, but you can smell it!), cross the Kerners road and another path.

When you reach Rue du Redo, cross the road and head towards the town centre via Chemin du Broussetisse and Rue de la Gendarmerie. It's easy, just keep the bell tower in your sights (S/E).

In the village of Arzon, you will find all the shops you need to stock up on supplies and a nice little spot to have a drink at the end of your run.

The Pointe du Motenno is the furthest point of land in the Jument current. All the water that fills or empties the Gulf with each tide change passes through the narrow passage between this point and the Île Longue just opposite. At mid-tide, especially when the tidal range is high, the spectacle of the "sea river" is breathtaking. And this spectacle can also be seen in several other places along the route.

The Moulin de Pen Castel is an old tide mill that operated thanks to the movements of the sea. Now restored, it regularly hosts free exhibitions and a visit gives an insight into how it used to work.