The tide in the Gulf of Morbihan, the “Little Sea” of southern Brittany, rises and falls by up to 5 metres, and the 42 islands of the gulf (the number is approximate, the tide makes islands of the peninsulas and peninsulas of the islands, and the exact count depends on the time of day you are counting) emerge and submerge in a daily rhythm that has governed the life of the gulf since the Neolithic farmers built the standing stones of Carnac (the 3,000 megaliths, the oldest and largest concentration of standing stones in the world, Stonehenge is a village church by comparison). Brittany is a region of the sea: the coastline, 2,860 km of granite cliffs, sandy coves, and the estuaries that carry the Atlantic deep into the interior, is the most indented in France, and the Bretons, the descendants of the Celtic Britons who fled the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the 5th and 6th centuries, are a maritime people. The best way to experience Brittany is by boat, and the best boats, the small, the slow, and the engineless, are the kayaks, the sailing dinghies, and the traditional yoles of the Breton coast. Here is your guide to going boat crazy in Brittany.

Boat Crazy in Brittany

• The Gulf of Morbihan, the inland sea: The Gulf of Morbihan is a 20 km by 15 km inland sea, dotted with islands, protected from the Atlantic by the narrow entrance between Port-Navalo and Locmariaquer, and the tidal currents that sweep through the entrance at up to 9 knots (the fastest tidal current in France, the Raz de Sein and the Passage du Fromveur are faster, and the Morbihan is the most accessible). The gulf is a sailor’s paradise: the sheltered water, the islands (the Île aux Moines, the “Island of Monks,” the largest and most beautiful island in the gulf, the walking paths, the beaches, and the crêperie at the harbour, the galette, the cider, and the view of the gulf), the Île d’Arz (the smaller, quieter, and more beautiful alternative, the bicycles for hire, the beaches, and the sense of having escaped the 21st century), and the Gavrinis cairn (the Neolithic passage tomb covered by a cairn, the carved stones, the spirals, the axes, and the symbols of a religion that is 6,000 years old and completely lost, one of the most important and least known prehistoric monuments in Europe. The boat from Larmor-Baden, ~€20, and the guided tour, the essential experience). How to boat: hire a motorboat (the licence-free boats, the “permis mer” is required for larger engines, and the 5–6 hp boats require no licence. ~€100/day from the rental companies in Vannes, Arradon, and Port-Navalo. The essential day: hire a boat, pack a picnic, and island-hop around the gulf), or take a guided tour (the Navix boats from Vannes and Port-Navalo, the scheduled services between the islands, and the cheapest and easiest way to explore. ~€15–25 for a day ticket). More France →
• The Pink Granite Coast, the kayak and the coastline: The Côte de Granit Rose, the 30 km of pink granite coastline between Trébeurden and Perros-Guirec on the north coast of Brittany, is the most beautiful stretch of the Breton coast: the boulders, sculpted by the wind and the sea into shapes that look like animals, giants, and the ruins of a civilisation of stone (the Ploumanac’h lighthouse, the most photographed lighthouse in Brittany, the pink rock, and the sea that is the green-blue of the northern Atlantic). The essential experience: the kayak (the sea-kayaking along the Pink Granite Coast, the caves, the arches, and the view of the coastline from the sea. The guided half-day trip, ~€35, and the experience is suitable for beginners, the water is sheltered, the guides are excellent, and the view of the Ploumanac’h lighthouse from the sea is the best single view in Brittany). Alternative: the sailing (the catamaran from Trébeurden, the 2-hour trip, and the sense of the wind, the sea, and the pink coast. ~€40, and the essential experience for the sailor). The essential hike: the Sentier des Douaniers (the Customs Officers’ Path, the GR34, the long-distance footpath that circles the entire coastline of Brittany. The section from Trégastel to Perros-Guirec, 8 km, the pink granite, the heather, and the sea, is the most beautiful day walk in Brittany)
• The Glénan Islands, the Breton Caribbean: The Glénan archipelago, 10 miles off the south coast of Brittany, is a collection of 15 islands and islets, the water the colour of the Caribbean (the white-sand seabed, the turquoise water, and the sense of being in the tropics rather than the cold Atlantic), and the sailing, the Glénan is the spiritual home of French sailing (the École de Voile des Glénans, the oldest sailing school in France, founded in 1947 by the Resistance heroes Hélène and Philippe Viannay, has trained generations of French sailors). The boat trip: the Vedettes de l’Odet from Bénodet, Concarneau, or Loctudy, the day trip to the island of Saint-Nicolas (the main island of the archipelago, the white sand, the turquoise water, and the only restaurant, the lobster, the rosé, and the sense of having arrived at the edge of the world. ~€40 return, 1–1.5 hours each way, and the day on the island, the swimming, the walking, and the lunch, is the essential Brittany summer experience). The essential tip: the water is cold (the Atlantic, even in August, is rarely above 18°C, the colour is the Caribbean, and the temperature is the reminder that you are in Brittany. Swim anyway, the shock, the swim, and the sun on the white sand is the most exhilarating experience in Brittany)