It takes three quarters of an hour to reach Groisillon by boat, ready to take on the steep paths by bike, tease the grilled sardines and sing in a cult café. In a village with low houses or in a cove with clear water, you will be able to verify the proverb: “Whoever sees Groix sees joy”.
Click. Inspire. Go…
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Discover Île-de-Groix
Four miles from Lorient, Groix stretches over 8 km in length and 3 km in width. The wild and steep west differs to the east, which is friendlier with its beaches and groves. It’s a natural miracle for geologists, who marvel at 60 varieties of minerals, including the very particular blue glaucophane. Megaliths bear witness to a very ancient occupation. But it was the sailors of Compagnie des Indes and the tuna fishermen who confirmed its prosperity and personality.
A tuna on the bell tower
In the early 20th century, Groix was the leading tuna fishing port in France. 200 yawl vessels took over the quays. The tuna fish is such a solid part of the culture that an iron fish acts as a weathervane on the church tower. The eco-museum, in a former cannery, gives pride of place to this industry, to traditional activities, accommodation, geology, the natural environment, etc. It’s an invitation to keep exploring!
Lace up your shoes and hop on your bike: from Port-Tudy, adorable ports and sumptuous sites await you. Le Méné and Kerlard have typical, low houses with rendered walls. Miniature dykes surround Port-Lay. Pointe de Pen-Men, with its square lighthouse, is on the wildest coast. Via the trails brightened by gorse and heather, you will reach Trou de l’Enfer, where the sea roars in a crack in the cliff. The much calmer Locmaria port is hidden among the winding streets with pretty houses and fountains.
Did you know
A beach that moves?
Groix likes to be original. In addition to surprising colours of schist, it has a beach that moves… Grands-Sables moves 10 metres each year.
Choose your beach
Where to stop? Beaches and coves compete in beauty. Grands-Sables is the only convex beach in Europe. Its fine sand, in every shade from garnet to white, joins clear water. Before Pointe des Chats, the exquisite Sables-Rouges beach is coloured by garnet. The coast becomes wild, but Poulziorec is a calm lagoon at the bottom of a steep path. It’s paradise!
