by They say walking is the best medicine and you could spend months walking away from your troubles for the sentier des douaniers (customs officers’ path), which runs for more than 1,240 miles (2,000km) around the harbors and headlands of the Welsh coast. However, my perennial walking companion, an Irishman who lives in Bath, and I decided on a five-day, 55-mile stretch along the southern Crozon peninsula.
As we agreed not to fly, he took the train to Plymouth, the ferry to Roscoff and buses from there, and I took the train from Barcelona and, after a night in Paris, another train to Quimper and a bus to our starting point at Camaret-sur-Mer.
Much has been written about the physical and therapeutic benefits of walking but there is a big difference between going alone and walking with someone else. You have to be physically fit, of course, but it’s just as important to understand that periods of silence are needed to benefit from the Zen of walking.
On our annual walks, the Irishman and I have developed an understanding of when to walk and talk and when to shut up.
Camaret is a pretty fishing village with as much tourism and pleasure boating holidays as fish. Bars and creperies are ubiquitous along the beach, as well as an excellent restaurant in the Hotel de France.
On the first day we had the choice of a shorter route (nine miles) or a longer route (13 miles). We opted for the shorter walk to Morgat, another fishing port but with swimming beaches where kayaks and paddleboards are available for hire.
A three minute squall of horizontal rain soaked us well, but it was worth it for the view when the sun came out
On the first day you pass through woodland before following a narrow path on top of a cliff across a moorland brightened by yellow willows, pink clover and the odd purple orchid. The path is accessible to anyone of any age who is reasonably fit and has a decent pair of walking boots. Much of the landscape is scrub, steep cliffs and sandbars, reminiscent of Cornwall with a touch of Donegal.
This part of Lower Brittany is where you are most likely to hear people speaking Breton, a Celtic language closely related to Cornish and Welsh. It was once the language of the rich, now it is mostly the language of the poor and the elderly. It is classified as “critically endangered” by Unesco.
Some people might be able to kick with a heavy pack on their back but we are all worn out, so we organized our trip through Normandie Rando, a cycling and cycling specialist who provides the tour, makes hotel reservations and arranges baggage transfers. . When we arrived in Morgat our bags were delivered to the small hotel. In this part of the world health department vehicles double as taxis so our bags usually came by ambulance.
There are two decent fish restaurants in Morgat as well as a pizzeria. This coast is a land of oysters and lobsters, not to mention moules-frites, and vegetarians should head to the nearest crêperie. They also love butter and there is a lot of it biscuits where they make biscuits like shortbread and the famous British cake.
Morgat acted as a base camp for the first three nights and the walks for the following two days were loops. On the second day we chose the longer loop (13 miles) to reach the Cap de la Chèvre at the tip of the peninsula. Much of the first part of the walk is along the GR34 through woods above the sea and the first few miles are probably the most difficult of the five days, with quite steep climbing and descending until you reach over the Pointe de St-Hernot and the Île Vièrge.
La Palue is not very accessible and there are no beach bars, which is part of its charm
Be prepared for all weather as it can change. A three minute squall of horizontal rain at Cap de la Chèvre was all it took to give us a good soak, but it was worth it for the view when the sun came out. The path then continues along the top of the cliff as you approach La Palue, considered one of the best surfing beaches in Brittany. High tide is the best time to catch good waves.
The beach is not very accessible and there are no beach bars or webcams, all of which are part of its charm, but you will need to bring your own boards and other supplies. It is not a great beach for swimming.
Related: Megaliths and hoops: chance meetings in anonymous Brittany
The third day was a 10 mile loop of the same peninsula, but this time cutting across inland to the coast at Lostmarc’h where you pick up the GR34 again for a delightful cliff top walk with wildflowers towards the Château de Dinan . The path then cuts back inland through the village of Dinan and back to Morgat. The next day you have the choice of a 13 mile walk from Telgruc-sur-Mer or eight miles from Saint-Nic (Sant Vig in Brittany). The taxi (ambulance) dropped us off at Saint-Nic before taking our bags on to the hotel at Trefeuntec.
The late Gothic church in the village, with its slender and elegant tower, is worth a visit before heading out towards the sea. Depending on the tide, you can walk along or over the beach of La Liuee de Grève until you reach the beautiful headland of Pointe de Tal on Grip and after that another long beach, Sainte-Anne, takes you to Trefeuntec . All in all, an easy day’s walk.
The fifth and final day takes you on an eight-mile path along the cliffs to Douarnenez, the last stretch of which passes through the beautiful Les Plomarc’h nature reserve. Douarnenez is a large town with plenty of bars and restaurants on the banks of the Pouldavid River. It was once a major sardine cannery, although its days are long gone. In 1921 it was one of the first towns in France to elect a communist mayor.
And so from Douarnenez it was on to Quimper and our separate ways, west to Roscoff and east to Paris. Until next year.
The trip was supported by Normandie Rando, which offers self-guided walking and cycling holidays, and costs €660pp, including six nights in hotels, breakfast and luggage transfers.
