Pink Granite Coast (Perros-Guirec)

Brittany's north coast of pink granite boulders, where the Customs Path at Ploumanac'h, the pink lighthouse and the Seven Islands bird reserve are worth a few nights.

The Pink Granite Coast lies on the north coast of the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany, France. Centred on Perros-Guirec, it stretches about 30 km from Trégastel-Ploumanac'h in the west to Trégastel and Plougrescant in the east. The granite, formed about 300 million years ago, is rich in potassium feldspar and shows a rare pink to orange-red colour. Wind and waves have eroded it into boulders shaped like mushrooms, turtles and skulls. It glows most intensely at sunset, and it is one of only a few pink granite coasts in Europe.

The core of the area is Ploumanac'h in Perros-Guirec. Walk the GR34 coastal path, the 'Customs Path', from Trestraou Beach to Ploumanac'h harbour, passing the pink granite lighthouse and the Saint-Guirec chapel. Ploumanac'h was voted France's 'Favourite Village of the French' in 2015. The Seven Islands nature reserve offshore has the largest gannet colony in France, and in summer you can take a boat trip around the islands from Trestraou Beach. To the west, Trégastel has Renote Island and a marine aquarium beneath the boulders. In Pleumeur-Bodou, you can see the radome at Telecom City. To the east, you can visit the Cathedral of Tréguier and the boulder-strewn huts at Plougrescant, and a 45-minute drive further to Pointe de l'Arcouest, a boat takes you to the car-free island of Bréhat.

The best season is May to September. July and August are the peak holiday months in France, so book accommodation early. Spring and autumn are quieter, with softer light. Winter is windy, but the coast can still be walked. The weather changes quickly, so bring a windproof jacket.

Getting there: from Paris, a high-speed train to Lannion takes about 3.5 hours (or change at Guingamp), followed by a bus or taxi of about 20 minutes to Perros-Guirec. Driving is the most convenient option. Plan 2–3 days.

Notes: the tidal range is very large, so check the tide tables before going to the intertidal zones or the islands. Do not climb the boulders within the protected areas along the Customs Path.

Top sights

• Sentier des Douaniers, Ploumanac'h – The highlight of the GR34 coastal path, running from Trestraou Beach to Ploumanac'h harbor past clusters of pink granite rock formations.
• Ploumanac'h Lighthouse (Mean Ruz) – A lighthouse built of pink granite and standing on a pile of boulders, the most representative landmark of the Pink Granite Coast.
• Sept-Îles Nature Reserve – One of France's oldest bird reserves. Rouzic Island is France's largest northern gannet breeding colony, and boat trips offer close-up view…
• Saint-Guirec Oratory & Cove – A small stone oratory on the rocks of the Ploumanac'h cove, standing in the sea at high tide and surrounded by pink boulders like a fairy t…
• Île Renote – A peninsula at Trégastel connected by a sandbar, covered in pink boulders, white-sand coves and a Neolithic dolmen, which can be explored o…
• Trégastel Coast (Coz-Pors & Marine Aquarium) – Trégastel's main beach, ringed by boulders such as Turtle Rock, with a marine aquarium housed in a natural granite cave beside it.
• Trestraou Beach – Perros-Guirec's largest beach, the starting point for Sept-Îles boat trips and the Customs Path, with Belle Époque villas lining the seafro…
• Château de Costaérès – A late-19th-century neo-Gothic castle built of pink granite on a small island in Ploumanac'h bay, visible only from the shore.
• Traouïero Valleys – Two wooded ravines between Perros-Guirec and Trégastel, with moss-covered granite boulders beside the streams and a tidal mill at the valle…
• Chapel of Notre-Dame de la Clarté – A 15th- to 16th-century Gothic chapel built of pink granite, with a tall bell tower; a place where sailors have long prayed for safe passag…
• Cité des Télécoms & Radôme – The giant radome where the first transatlantic live satellite TV broadcast took place in 1962; the Cité des Télécoms next door, Europe's la…
• Île-Grande – A granite island linked to the mainland by a bridge, with a coastal trail through heathland and bays, a bird rescue centre and prehistoric…
• Tréguier Cathedral – One of Brittany's finest Gothic cathedrals, with an elegant cloister and the tomb of Saint Yves, patron of lawyers, in a historic medieval…
• Castel Meur House (Le Gouffre), Plougrescant – A seaside cottage wedged between two boulders, one of Brittany's most famous photographs; the nearby 'Abyss' sea inlet is full of crashing…
• Île de Bréhat – The 'Flower Island', where private cars are banned; reached by a ten-minute ferry, it is best explored by bike among pink rocky shores, gar…
• Beauport Abbey – A 13th-century abbey ruin on the shore of Paimpol Bay, where Gothic walls meet a seaside garden in a serene setting.
• Lannion Old Town & Brélévenez Church – A town on the Léguer river with half-timbered old houses around its central square; the Brélévenez church on the hillside requires climbing…

Where to eat

• La Table de Mon Père (Castel Beau Site) – A hotel restaurant beside Saint-Guirec Beach in Ploumanac'h, serving modern French cuisine built on Brittany's seasonal…
• Gwinizh-du Crêperie – A young chef's modern crêperie with about 90% of its ingredients sourced within 30 km, listed in the Michelin Guide.
• Les Bassans – A seaview hotel restaurant converted from the Manoir du Sphinx, where every table overlooks the Pink Granite Coast and…
• L'Anthocyane – A one-Michelin-star restaurant in Lannion, built on Breton seafood with Japanese cooking techniques.