GR 340: five hiking stages to go around Belle-Île-en-Mer

Belle-Île-en-Mer is also experienced on the hiking side.

The GR 340 (variant of the GR 34) which criss-crosses the largest of the islands of Brittany was indeed voted the favorite long-distance trail (GR) of the French at the end of 2021, succeeding that of Pays Grand Pic Saint-Loup.

The French obviously like to stroll along the blue waves: this is the third time that a coastal path has obtained this title, after the Breton GR 34 in 2017 and the Norman GR 21 in 2019.

To discover

• Discover the Great Figaro Culture Cruise

The Tour de Belle-Île narrowly won against the GR de Pays Massif du Ventoux, thanks to the jury's "coup de coeur" bonus, which included Sylvain Bazin, author of

(Glénat, 2020, 35, 50 euros), who rode it last July.

His impression?

,” confides this specialist in trail running and hiking.

Read the file Hikes: itineraries, advice... Le guide du Figaro

The profile of the GR 340: 87 km with elevation gain

The charming port of Sauzon, to discover during our first stage.

Stéphane Bastien stock.adobe

87 kilometers long, the tour of the island of Morbihan takes place in a maximum of five days at a leisurely pace, in four days for the more athletic.

It can be done either clockwise or counter-clockwise.

If, from Quiberon, the island looks like an overturned table, the relief of its coast turns out to be damn steep once you get off the boat at Le Palais, its main port.

The largest of the Breton islands has a height difference of... 2000 meters over the entire course.

Like in mid-mountain.

But with a sea view, from cliffs to valleys... The stage that goes up and down the most connects Le Palais to Pointe des Poulains, in a wonderfully Mediterranean atmosphere overlooking translucent water bordered by umbrella pines.

This is usually the first day of walking, 18,

3 kilometers marked by a stop in the charming port of Sauzon.

Advice: make sure you fill your water bottle well because there are few water sources along the GR 340.

Read alsoThe ten most beautiful and unmissable natural sites in Brittany

Our five stages for the tour of Belle-Île-en-Mer

The most classic route is done in an anti-clockwise direction, starting from

, in five days.

: Le Palais - Pointe des Poulains, 18.3 kilometres, 4h30 (time calculated on the basis of 4 km/h on average).

: Pointe des Poulains - Port Coton, 21.3 kilometres, 5h20.

 : Port Coton - Herlin beach, 12.8 kilometres, 3h15.

: Herlin beach - Port Maria, 16.2 kilometres, 4 hours.

 : Port Maria - Le Palais, 15.9 kilometres, 3h50.

As a reminder, this GR can also be traveled clockwise.

In the same way, some will opt for an accelerated version, in two or three days, like a seasoned trail runner – you will come across them – or, conversely, for a more contemplative pace, in six or seven days.

Each person at his own pace.

The atmosphere: (very) varied landscapes

Pointe de Poulains, with its red and white lighthouse.

FFRandonnée - My favorite GR

Between the coast

, facing the continent, and the wild coast, facing the open sea, no hike is like that of Belle-Île.

Varied atmospheres follow one another during the "hike": oceanic from the top of the shale cliffs from where you can see the foam flying in the sky, Caribbean along the white sand beaches, Celtic through the moorland… The spectacle of nature is particularly grandiose at the

, its red and white lighthouse surrounded by the swell.

Equally spectacular, the

were immortalized by Claude Monet who devoted thirty-nine canvases to Belle-Île in 1886. Each season has its charm, between the explosion of nature in spring, the summer sun, the autumn colors and the raging sea under a beautiful winter light.

Read alsoGulf of Morbihan: getaway to the islands of Brittany's "little sea"

Have to do

Coastal House

Opened in 2021 at the Pointe des Poulains, the Maison du Littoral presents the diversity of the local flora, including the wandering heather, as well as that of the seabed around Belle-Île.

Free exhibition;

film “dive in”: €2.50.

Pointe des Foals, 56360 Sauzon.

Historical patrimony

The Celts already called it “Vindilis”, “beautiful island” in Gaulish.

The GR 340 runs along the remains of a primitive

, called Camp de César, which has never been there.

If, when approaching Belle-Île, the first historic monument that can be seen from the sea is the

, the coastal path allows you to discover another building created by the military architect of Louis XIV: the

or Belle Fontaine, recently restored near Le Palais, where ships refueled with fresh water.

More recent, the

from Grands Sables beach recall the presence of the Germans during the Second World War.

Fifty-six fortifications had been erected on this strategic point of the Atlantic Wall.

Fort by Sarah Bernhardt

In 1894, the tragic actress acquired a disused military fort at the Pointe des Poulains, where she stayed regularly for thirty years.

His property was bought by the Conservatoire du Littoral.

The soul of Sarah Bernhardt still reigns there: hikers need only close their eyes to imagine her white silhouette declaiming facing the horizon, a parasol in her hand... Admission to the fort: €2.50, museum space: €6.

Pointe des Foals, 56360 Sauzon;

Phone.

02 97 31 61 29.

Practical notebook

Baggage transfer

Created in 2021, the Bagagerie offers to transfer bags from one accommodation to another, from €10.

In the inner port of Le Palais, 7 quai Jacques-Leblanc, www.labagageriebelleile.fr Tel.

: 06 73 85 36 92.

Roaming or star

The bivouac is tolerated from 7:30 p.m. to 9 a.m., provided that no trace of its passage is left.

However, there are two more comfortable options for room and board: walk, reserving in advance a different accommodation each evening, less than two kilometers inland;

radiate in a star from the same base camp, from where to reach the end of the previous day's stage each morning, or even mix the sections.

A selection of establishments labeled “Step Rando Bretagne” (rando-etapes.bzh) offer “pack rando” stays including luggage transport, suitable catering and transfers.

This ranges from the youth hostel (from €17.50, www.hifrance.org, 56360 Le Palais, tel.: 02 97 31 81 33) to the very chic Castel Clara (from €152, www. castel-clara.com, Port Goulphar,

56360 Bangor, tel.

: 02 97 31 84 21), via a small charming hotel like Les Tamaris (from €80, hotel-belleile-auxtamaris.fr, 11 allée des Peupliers, 56360 Sauzon, tel.: 02 97 31 65 09 )...

Bus stop

To reach your accommodation, a bus service serves most villages from April to All Saints' Day, ticket from €2.50.

Otherwise, hitchhiking is part of the customs in Belle-Île, where you don't stay too long with your thumbs up at the side of the road...

Tourist Office

Since January 1, 2022, it is possible to download the detailed stages of the GR 340 in GPX format (5 €) in the “itineraries” section of the site www.belle-ile.com

Three gourmet stops along the trail

A coffee or oysters in Sauzon, at

, a historic address recently renovated by the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte www.hotelduphare-belle-ile.fr quai Guerveur 56360 Sauzon Tel.

: 02 97 31 60 36, or at the Bistrot du Port, new address to take over in 2021, quai Joseph Naudin 56360 Sauzon.

Phone.

: 02 97 31 60 55.

A salad or a cup of ice cream at

, a bistro overlooking the beach in Port Andro (Locmaria) Tel.

: 02 97 52 57 29.

A thirst-quenching beer at the

, overlooking Bordardoué beach www.brasserielamorgat.fr 1849 Port Salio 56360 Le Palais;

Phone.

: 02 97 31 56 88.

How to get to Belle-Île-en-Mer

All year round with the Océane company, departing from Quiberon, 50-minute crossing, from €16 one way, www.compagnie-oceane.fr;

Phone.

: 08 20 05 61 56.

From Vannes, Port-Navalo and Locmariaquer (April to October);

Le Croisic and La Turballe (July and August):

• The Gulf Company www.compagnie-du-golfe.fr Tel.

  : 02 97 67 10 00.

• Navix www.navix.fr Tel.

  : 02 97 46 60 00.

• The Vedettes du Golfe www.vedettes-du-golfe.fr Tel.

  : 02 97 44 44 40.

SEE ALSO -

The most beautiful natural sites in Brittany