GR^® de Pays de Morlaix

Your walk along the GR^® de Pays coastal path begins in Morlaix, heading for the jagged coastline of Finistère’s Trégor region. Heading from Morlaix Bay towards Plouezoc’h offers an unforgettable palette of colours and includes views of Barnenez Peninsula and the iconic offshore prison of château du Taureau, Brittany’s very own Alcatraz. At Plougasnou, the Pointe de Primel and its guardhouse provide a breath of fresh air along this coastal path that used to be patrolled by ancient Customs’ Officers. Then there’s the Pointe de Beg An Fry, with its unspoilt countryside and sheer drop to the sea. 

After this series of ups and downs, you’ll find the gentle seaside resort of Locquirec. You then follow the Douron valley to the picturesque market town of Guerlesquin, gateway to the Armorique Regional Nature Park. You will cross the moors and peat bogs of Cragou and Vergam regional nature reserve – the highest points along your route – and you can pause at the parish church of Saint-Thégonnec, renowned for its wonderfully flamboyant architecture. Then follow the Penzé Valley back to the coast to visit the seaside resort of Carantec and finally, following the estuary, you return to your starting point, Morlaix itself.

As it’s the starting and finishing point of your tour, take time to discover the historic town of Morlaix. Sitting at the heart of this ‘Land of Art and History’, Morlaix is an open-air theatre of historic sites. Wander along the hillsides, take a stroll along the iconic viaduct, then through the old quarters and alleyways and you’ll witness more than 1,000 years of history being revealed before your eyes. Don’t miss the Maison Penanault, a splendid urban manor house dating from the late 1500s and now home to the Pays de Morlaix Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre, the ideal place to learn more about this region with its rich natural, historical and cultural heritage.