Saint-Malo – Saint-Brieuc: Emerald Coast and Cap Fréhel

Program

Day 1

Check-in at the hotel in Saint-Malo intra-muros

From the very first evening in the city, memories of sailors, privateers and explorers are very present. A walk to and around the ramparts offers a complete panorama of their discoveries and the daring that always characterized those who, not quite Breton, define themselves as “Malouins”. Check-in at hotel.

Day 2

From Saint-Malo to Saint-Briac-sur-Mer (17.5 km; +225 m)

Leaving the ramparts of Saint-Malo, you take the waterbus to Dinard, a mecca of Art-Nouveau elegance, with its Belle Epoque mansions. This “fleur de mer” hike will take you from cove to cove, with the island of Cézembre on the horizon. At the end of the day, you’ll reach Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, an authentic gem that has been a favorite of many artists.

Day 3

From Saint-Briac-sur-Mer to Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer (20 km; +130 m)

At the start of the hike, you’ll reach Lancieux, a small seaside resort with eight beaches. Then, to reach Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer, you have to head up a vast bay which, like an ancient fjord, leads you inland. This is Argoat, the land of crops, sunken lanes and fragrant undergrowth.

Day 4

From Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer to Saint-Cast-le-Guildo (18 km; +275 m)

On the other side of the bay, still following the GR34, the land once again gives way to sand. In focus, the superb panorama of the Hebihens archipelago. Taste the contrast between Argoat and Armor, as you follow the Arguenon, which gradually becomes a small river whose fresh waters meet the salty flow of the tides. Depending on tidal coefficients and times, the landscape changes completely: from the inlet to the foreshore, where the mud, rich in shellfish and worms, is a larder for wading birds.

Day 5

From Saint-Cast-le-Guildo to Petit Trécelin (19 km; +350 m)

The immense bay of La Fresnaye, 6km deep, has been specially chosen by oyster and mussel farmers. Thanks to the quality of its fresh and salt water, it’s an ideal place for maturing oysters and mussels. It’s a demanding job, in all weathers, at sea and on land, to select a product whose flavor perfectly matches its terroir.

Day 6

From Petit Trécelin to Sables-d’Or-les-Pins (25 km; +400 m)

You overlook the sea along a path of gorse and heather. The legendary Cap Fréhel fully deserves its reputation. A bird sanctuary, its cliffs tower over 70 metres above the sea. Along the way, you’ll see the famous Fort La Latte, the setting for many a film: it dominates the waves like a rocky outcrop armed with the will to be impregnable. Then, a cliff of pink sandstone slopes gently down to the vast expanse of Sables-d’Or-les-Pins.

Day 7

From Sables d’Or les Pins to Pléneuf-Val-André (24 km; +440 m)

Cap d’Erquy offers a variety of coves with particularly clear waters. Its cliffs are the perfect place to take a closer look. Wild, they are softened by the pink of the sandstone and alternate with long, deserted beaches. The old quarries bear witness to a history highlighted by an educational trail. Continue along the trail to the île aux Oiseaux du Verdelet, opposite Val-André. Cap d’Erquy is a 170-hectare listed site, owned by the Conseil Général des Côtes d’Armor since 1977.

Day 8

From Pléneuf-Val-André to Morieux. Transfer to St-Brieuc (17 km; +400 m)

The landscape, hitherto of beaches and cliffs, gives way to a narrow path punctuated by two small natural harbours; Dahouët, a perfect refuge for the former terre-neuvas, whose memory remains inscribed in the almost austere simplicity of their homes. Then, even more discreetly, there’s Jospinet, with its rows of bouchots. Here, the sea retreats far into the distance, and the silhouettes of fishermen on foot at high tide show that the foreshore is more than just a larder for birds… Transfer to Saint-Brieuc.