Wild hike between Lorient, Quiberon and the island of Houat

From Port-Louis, you'll walk along the Locmalo Bay towards the Gâvres lagoon. Once an isolated island, Gâvres is now connected to the mainland by a tombolo, a natural sandbar that holds back the lagoon's waters at high tide. Behind this sand barrier lies a 350-hectare wetland, a haven for rich marine biodiversity. This site, popular with shellfish gatherers, is known for its clams and cockles. Continuing your hike, you'll see a dolmen, a silent witness to ancient Armorica, before reaching the Ria d'Étel, a winding inlet. A short boat trip will take you to the town of Étel, nestled in the heart of the ria.

The Étel estuary, a veritable inland sea, reveals a unique ecosystem, born from the meeting of the fresh waters of the hinterland and the salt currents of the Atlantic. Following its shores, you soon catch sight of Belz and the island of Saint-Cado, a former stronghold of sardine fishing. This peaceful hamlet, its rhythm dictated by the tides, is dominated by a small granite house with blue shutters, isolated on an islet, which has become one of the symbols of the estuary. The return journey to Étel invites you to take a closer look at this landscape shaped by the tides, whose subtle movements sculpt the contours of the coastline each day.

Throughout your journey, dolmens and menhirs stand silently, dotting the landscape without revealing all their secrets. Faced with these enigmatic monuments, each visitor is free to imagine their role or meaning, drawing on legends and archaeological theories. The path to Plouharnel alternates between coastal views and inland landscapes, offering a beautiful diversity of scenery. Along your way, traces of the megalithic past sometimes mingle with vestiges of another era, as evidenced by the Saint-Antoine chapel, a meeting point between ancient and Christian spiritualities.

After a short transfer to Plouharnel Bay, you cross the narrow Isthmus of Penthièvre, a strait between two seas. To the east, calm waters contrast sharply with the west, where the formidable and magnificent wild coastline stretches out. This windswept shoreline offers a striking, rugged landscape of sheer cliffs, secluded coves, and rock formations sculpted by the ocean. At low tide, caverns and grottoes carved by the waves are revealed, unveiling a landscape shaped by time. Continuing south, you reach Quiberon, nestled at the tip of the peninsula, between the inland sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

You begin the complete circuit of the island, a 13.5 km route marked by a great diversity of landscapes. To the west, the coast becomes wild and rugged, a vestige of the ancient Armorican chain. Cliffs, sometimes 20 meters high, plunge into the Atlantic, interspersed with secluded coves carved into the rock. From Beg-Er-Vilaine, the view extends towards Quiberon Bay, the northern coastline, and, on a clear day, as far as the island of Groix. To the east, the atmosphere changes dramatically: the slopes become gentler, bordered by a clear and calm sea. The Pointe d'En Tal illustrates this contrast with its rare and striking convex beach. You end the day with a return to Quiberon, where you spend the night.