Le Golfe du Morbihan
You have to get out on the water to get a feel for July on the south coast of Brittany.
The Gulf of Morbihan is one of the most popular destinations in France in July and August. With 60 islands to explore and many boat tours bouncing between ports, it’s easy to get the flavor of the area in a day.
The gulf is about 20 km from end to end. The strait between Port-Navalo and the Pointe de Kerpehir experiences some of the strongest currents in Europe as the tide flows in and out of the narrow channel.
We chose the Navette Angélus company because they offered a 5 hour trip around the gulf including and an hour stop over on the Île aux Moines. Here’s our gorgeous vessel at Port-Navalo.
The weather was a little mixed but the seas were pretty calm.
Our first stop was the port of Locmariaquer.
Heading west, we entered the estuary where the river Loc’h meets the gulf.
We passed a lot of beautiful boats…
…and a lot of beautiful houses.
Heading east back into the gulf, the weather started to perk up.
The tide was on its way out, so the currents were very strong.
Just a few minutes later, deeper in the gulf, the water was smooth as glass.
Mark looks at ease on the water.
Eventually we made it to the Île aux Moines or Monk’s Island. It’s one of the two islands in the gulf with a permanent “commune” or incorporated town. In addition to the 500 year round inhabitants, 5000 tourists per day descend on the island to enjoy the beaches and hiking trails. We had our picnic lunch overlooking the beach.
In town, we passed some fun holiday homes.
We had a quick coffee, then walked back down to the port.
The tide had dropped significantly in just a few hours.
We took the first boat back. Looks like everyone else is still eating lunch on the island.
On our way back to our port, we stopped back at Locmariaquer. Looks like these folks are ready for a fun day.
At low tide, we were able to see the almost 7 kilometers of oyster beds on the western edge of the gulf.
What a fantastic way to spend the day!
