Carnac and Quiberon
Carnac and Quiberon : two pearls of South Brittany, only 20 kilometres apart. One is famous for its standing stones and seaside resort, the other is sought after for its spectacular wild coastline to the west and beautiful fine sandy beaches to the east. Between the two lies Plouharnel, a paradise for board sports like kite-surfing, sand-yachting and surfing along its 10km long beach !
Carnac, from Neolithic treasures to thalassotherapy
The 3,000 stones standing upright on moorland in rows approximately 1km long have fascinated men for over 5,000 years. Numerous theories, some really far-fetched, have been put forward, but nobody has successfully unravelled all their mysteries. The most impressive rows are those of Menec, Kerlescan and Kermario. Beside them, don’t miss the Tumulus Saint-Michel and the Géant du Manio, a 6.50m high menhir. To learn some of the secrets of the life of our distant ancestors, visit the Musée de la Préhistoire.
Far more recently, at the turn of the 20th century, Carnac-Plage was created on a lagoon partly transformed into saltmarshes. At the end of the 1970s the first thalassotherapy and hotel complex was opened at the heart of a 14 hectare estate, surrounded by salt ponds. Both traditional and fashionable, the seaside resort has five gorgeous beaches all offering water sports, unless you prefer to relax and build sand castles !
Quiberon, from rugged coastline to sandy beaches
The Quiberon peninsula extends 14km into the Atlantic Ocean and has two distinct faces, with a stunning variety of scenery. The Côte Sauvage (literally, wild coast) extends for 8km westward from Château Turpault to the Pointe du Percho and belongs to the Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Protection Agency). The coast road runs along it with numerous parking areas to stop and enjoy the view of the coastline of cliffs, coves, arches and caves which is continually battered by the wind and sea, even during fine weather. The coastal footpath leads to absolute gems like Port Kerné, Pointe de Kervihan, Port Bara and Port Blanc beach
At the south-eastern tip of the peninsula, the Pointe de Conguel, also protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral, is definitely worth a visit. Seaweed kilns recall how in days gone by seaweed washed up on the shore was burned to extract iodine from the ash. From there, the east coast unrolls its kilometres of beaches, perfect for relaxing, swimming, building sandcastles and, for sporting enthusiasts, sea angling, paddle boarding, sailing, kayaking and surfing.
The GR hiking path runs around the peninsula and cycling tracks criss-cross it. Go inland from the coast to admire picturesque, traditional hamlets of white walls, blue shutters and hydrangeas. Finally, foodies can enjoy a wealth of local specialities including niniches (caramel lollipops), salidou (salted caramel spread), smoked fish and tinned sardines. Our property owners are connoisseurs of all good things and are always delighted to advise on the best places to eat.
How to get to Carnac and Quiberon ?
It takes about 2 hours to get from Rennes to Carnac by road with dual-carriageway as far as Auray, which is also the nearest TGV station (12km from Carnac). Driving from Carnac to Quiberon is a delightful experience out-of-season but can be much less so in summer. Make the most of the local train, known as the Tire-Bouchon (corkscrew), which runs from Auray to Quiberon in summer. It stops at the stations of Auray, Belz-Ploemel, Plouharnel-Carnac, Les Sables Blancs, Penthièvre, l’Isthme, Kerhostin, Saint Pierre Quiberon and Quiberon."
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