Pink Granite Coast

Stretch Of The North Brittany Coast Where Wind And Sea Have Sculpted Pink Granite Boulders Into Strange Shapes, Around Ploumanac'H And TréGastel · Perros-Guirec, Brittany

The Côte de Granit Rose, the Pink Granite Coast, is a stretch of the north Brittany coast in the Côtes-d'Armor where huge boulders of pink and orange granite have been weathered by wind, rain and sea into rounded, stacked and sometimes very odd shapes. The heart of it lies between Perros-Guirec, Ploumanac'h and Trégastel. The Sentier des Douaniers, the old customs officers' path, winds for a few kilometres through the rocks from Trestraou beach in Perros-Guirec to the harbour of Ploumanac'h, passing the pink granite Ploumanac'h lighthouse. Many rocks have names that describe their shapes, such as a tortoise, a mushroom, a pile of crêpes or Napoleon's hat. Offshore, boats sail to the Sept-Îles bird reserve, where gannets nest and puffins appear in spring and early summer. The colours are strongest in low sun, especially at sunset, and the big tides change the scene through the day. The water is cold, the paths are busy in August, and crêperies are everywhere.

Ploumanac'h and the Sentier des Douaniers, Perros-Guirec, Côtes-d'Armor, Perros-Guirec, Brittany, France

The coast path and the rocks are open ground, free and accessible at any hour and in every season, and many people walk them at sunrise or sunset. The Maison du Littoral information centre at Ploumanac'h is usually open in the main season with shorter hours or closure in winter; confirm. Boat trips to the Sept-Îles leave from Trestraou beach in Perros-Guirec, and their timetable depends on the tide, so departure times change every day; they run most frequently from spring to early autumn and much less in winter, and summer trips sell out, so book a day or two ahead. Landing is limited to the Île aux Moines on some trips, and the other islands are closed to protect the birds. Car parks at Ploumanac'h and Trestraou fill early in July and August, and some are paying in season. Restaurants and crêperies in the small resorts keep long hours in summer but many close one or two days a week, or for weeks at a time, from autumn to spring. The coastal aquarium at Trégastel is seasonal; confirm opening.

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