La Roche Bernard and Pénestin
On the border between Brittany and Pays de la Loire, between Morbihan and Loire Atlantique, La Roche Bernard and Pénestin are still in Brittany, even though they are on the left bank of the River Vilaine, not far from the Guérande peninsula and Parc Naturel Régional de Brière.
Pénestin, the Mine d’Or gold rush
Pénestin is a delightful seaside resort in South Brittany with lovely fine sandy beaches on its 25km of coastline. The most famous and most popular is by far the Mine d’Or (Gold Mine!) beach. It owes its name to the gold mine in its cliff during the 19th century, but the gold quickly ran out and the mine closed during the First World War. The cliff still overlooks the sea and today it is the only paragliding take-off point in the whole department. At the end of the day, the setting sun sets the sky ablaze and presents the enchanting spectacle of golden skies reflecting its illustrious past. From the beach, the coastal footpath leads to several pretty, tranquil coves and on to the Pointe du Bile. The rocky islets off the coast are sanctuaries for many species of birds. At low tide mussel beds can be seen – a local gourmet speciality ! Our property owners are delighted to share local recipes for cooking these highly-prized, tasty mussels.
La Roche Bernard, a character village with an illustrious past
Following the River Vilaine upstream into the countryside, you first reach the Barrage d’Arzal dam. This work of art was brought into operation in 1970 on the estuary to regulate the flow of the river and provide drinking water for the surrounding tourist areas. Continuing upriver about 20km from the coast, take time to stroll up and down the pretty streets of La Roche Bernard with its historic buildings and charming marina. The topography of the town accounts for its unusual layout : historic mansions and houses, some built into the side of the rock, lead down to the old port. The Vikings were the first settlers on this rocky promontory around the year 1000. The salt trade and naval dockyard were responsible for the town’s heyday. After the Arzal dam was built the harbour was converted into a marina. The rich maritime heritage of the town is recalled in the Musée de la Vilaine Maritime, situated in the Château des Basses-Fosses, a mansion dating from the 16th and 17th centuries built into the rock. It appears to have only 2 storeys on the north side, but in fact there are 5 when seen from the south. Finally, if you have a head for heights, discover a unique view of the town from the footbridge which runs alongside the Pont du Morbihan bridge, 40m above the Vilaine. Continue your discovery tour at another character village very close-by : Rochefort-en-Terre.
The gateway to Loire Atlantique
La Roche Bernard and Pénestin are at the south-eastern tip of Brittany. The Guérande peninsula is only a few kilometres away with its medieval walled town and salt marshes stretching as far as the eye can see. The Parc Naturel de Brière is also very nearby. The second biggest marshland area in France after the Camargue, Grande Brière has been a Natural Park since 1970 and comprises an immense peatbog of 40,000 hectares with very specific flora and fauna, many traditions and a very particular habitat. Finally, the seashore is not forgotten as the coast from Piriac-sur-Mer to the splendid beach of La Baule is within easy reach.
How to get to Pénestin and La Roche Bernard ?
Penestin is easy to get to from Nantes via the N165 dual-carriageway in just over an hour (85km) and 4½ hours from Paris. The area is about 50km from Vannes and the Gulf of Morbihan and 100km from Rennes."
