Pleneuf les caps
On the Bay of Saint Brieuc, facing the Goëlo Coast, the Penthièvre Coast stretches from Pléneuf Val André to Cap Fréhel and includes emblematic places like Erquy and Sables d’Or Les Pins.
A wonderful coastal playground
Starting from the south the elegant seaside resort of Pléneuf Val André is first in line, a wonderful coastal playground, great for rest and relaxation but also with plenty to see and do. The 2.5km long fine sandy beach at Val-André is one of the finest on the north coast. It is bordered by a sea front promenade reserved for pedestrians leading to the Pointe de la Grande Guette with splendid views of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc and Erquy. Off the tip of this headland lies the bird reserve of Ilot du Verdelet. Other lovely walks run along Quai des Terre-Neuvas to the port of Dahouët on the estuary of the Flora, and along the sea front as far as the Grève des Vallées. For entertainment and relaxation, there is a casino, cinema, thalassotherapy centre and in summer musical evenings and scenic walks take place regularly in Pléneuf Val André and neighbouring Erquy. Erquy has no less than ten fine sandy beaches, a fishing harbour well-known for its delicious scallops, a network of footpaths leading, amongst other places, to Cap d’Erquy and inimitable pink sandstone everywhere. You’re sure to love it !
Sable d’Or les Pins, a resort dating from the Belle Epoque
The River Islet flows into the sea just beyond the Pointe du Champ du Port, marking the entrance to Sables d’Or les Pins, where the sea meanders through hollows in the dune - a lovely sheltered place for a picnic. Sable d’Or les Pins is steeped in the period of the Belle Epoque. The name of the resort brings to mind the casino, beach and mild climate in a unique, romantic, elegant setting. This Breton Riviera is a wild coastline of indefinable colours marked by natural beauty and human intellect. Explore the colourful scenery on foot along the GR34 hiking path or by bike (or electric bike !) alternating between traffic-free ‘greenways’ and lanes. Admire the succession of villages, pink-veined rocks, blue horizons, dunes blanched by the sun and high, sheer cliffs offering spectacular views shared with birds.
Stunning Cap Fréhel
And right at the end, overlooking the sea, the 70m high limestone and pink sandstone cliffs of Cap Fréhel offer some of the finest views in Brittany. This remarkable 400 hectare, gorse and heather-clad headland is one of the largest stretches of moorland in Europe and also a bird reserve. A majestic lighthouse, 30m high, stands guard on the headland, where on a clear day you can enjoy a full panorama from the Cherbourg peninsula and Jersey to Paimpol. Walking east from Cap Fréhel, you reach famous Fort La Latte, the stone sentinel marking the start of the Emerald Coast.
This part of Côtes d’Armor is a paradise for golfers : the links-type course at Les Sables d’Or is the oldest golf course in the region and its sandy ground is suitable for players of all levels. Pléneuf golf course is technically challenging and right by the sea. The vertiginous 11th hole is one of the most scenic in the world and there is even a gite available on the edge of the golf course !
A little way inland from from Cap Fréhel lies the beautiful medieval town of Dinan on the River Rance, a perfect place to visit for a trip back in time.
How to get to the Penthièvre Coast ?
The Penthièvre Coast can be explored by bike if you have the leg muscles and time to do so ! If not, then the D34 and D786 will take you from Pléneuf Val André to Cap Fréhel."
