The 11 things to do in Concarneau

Concarneau is one of the cities not to be missed when you walk in the South of Finistère. Proof in 11 essential things to do in Concarneau

With its City Close on a small island with a protected rade, Concarneau offers a unique landscape. Its ramparts erected by the military genius of Vauban and its alleys fixed in the Middle Ages transport visitors out of time. In addition, Concarneau houses a rich maritime heritage: a fishing port, coves and beaches for lovers of seaside tourism.

Concarneau is nicknamed "Blue City" because of the blue that serves to dye fishing nets. Those who wish to visit Concarneau will also see their stay punctuated with varied activities, sporting as relaxation. Without further delay, here are our 11 essential things to visit and do in Concarneau!

1. Make a boat ride

Beyond the enclosure of the City Close you will discover a charming fishing port which today welcomes a lot of pleasure and sparkling ships in search of small creeks dug into the rocky coast walls. It is here that the majority of shuttle departures to neighbouring islands take place.

We propose you first to caboter towards the Glénan archipelago. Little piece of paradise fallen from heaven or simple geological miracle, to you to see. The archipelago of Glénan consists of about twenty islands and islets erected at one hour from the farmland. Here you will discover authentic Brittany, iodized and frozen in an exquisite time. The islands of Penfret, Bananec, Le Loch, Drenec, Fort Cigogne and others are populated with incredible flora and fauna.

Another famous island is the Odet, impressive by the almost Caribbean aspect of its waters. Another very popular one is that of Saint Nicolas: confetti covered with white sand, floating in the turquoise sea. During the low tides, its sand tongue moves to the island of Bananec.

Also know that some stars will allow you to make a full day of navigation, to discover these three islands. The excursions are accompanied by bathing breaks, initiation to fishing and historical anecdotes.

Finally, some may prefer kayaking, more sporty and in contact with nature, to the boat? So why not explore the seabeds of these nearby islands by kayaking and appreciate the beauty of the Breton waters on the water?

2. Visit the City Close

Concarneau is best known for its Ville-Close, surrounded by ramparts, and isolated on a small island connected to the continent by a bridge. This fortress, commissioned by military architect Vauban, is classified, as the rest of his works, in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The pride point of a visit to the city is undoubtedly the walk on the ramparts. The Concarneau round path offers the most beautiful views of the bay of Concarneau and the surrounding ports. Among the major fortification points you will find several towers.

The winding and paved veneers of the City Close are packed with restaurants, art shops and cafés. In the evening, concerts of folklore or modern music flood the Carré des Larrons.

3. Preach on the beach and indulge in water sports

Among the treasures to visit in Concarneau, there are simply the beaches. They riment, in turn, with fierce and aquatic activities.

• La plage des Sables Blancs : is undoubtedly the best known. A family, at the foot of the splendid villas and stretching beautifully between two rocky points, this sandy language is a true paradise. If swimmers and tanning enthusiasts like to take care of it, it is also the den for many sailing planners, catamaran and kayakers.
• The beach of Kernous : more confidential and wild, is dug in a deep and treed handle. The fine sand mixes with clear water, under a sun always present;
• The beach of the Beautiful Star : is also very appreciated for its calm but also its shrimp benches. This is why you will often see the silhouette of a fisherman stalking the small dunes such as a meticulous hunter;
• La plage des Dames : agrained with rocks, she is surely the one who enjoys the most beautiful view. It opens on a remarkable panorama towards the bay of Concarneau. In addition, the beach is backed by old bourgeois villas very aesthetic;
• The beach of the 4 sardines : it is the beach to visit in Concarneau the most difficult to access. It is only on foot, by a almost virgin and always sunny path. The beach of the 4 sardines is actually a wooded, limpid creek, and enjoying a privileged location on the beach of Cap Coz to the promontory of Beg-Meil.

4. Discover the manor of Keriolet

A five-minute walk from the City Close, Keriolet's historic castle stands out for its neo-Gothic style and intact architecture. This magnificent millennium manor, flanked by sublime gardens, has its lot of legends. He would have even been the theatre of the secret love of the Russian imperial princess Zénaïde Narischkine for a rotary man.

In the 20th century, the manor house of Keriolet passed into the hands of various owners, whose identity and history you can discover during the guided tour.

5. Make Marinarium

It rains and you despair of being able to visit Concarneau? Don't worry, there are things to do in the rain in Brittany. For example, visit Marinarium: the oldest marine station still active. This marine biology station offers a visit to less than an hour and sensitize visitors to marine biodiversity and local fish.

6. Visit the Fishing Museum

The rain still falls? So go to the Fisheries Museum this time. This place is a must to do in Concarneau if you want to understand the link between the Blue City and the harbour traditions. The museum is located at the entrance of the City Close and offers a very playful visit, accompanied by retrospectives, models of boats and a nature-sized tray to visit at the dock.

7. Participate in the Blue Filet Festival

The first edition of the Blue Filet Festival dates back to August 1905. Since then, this event has become a true legend throughout the region. The program? Music, plays in traditional costumes, folk dances and freshly cooked fish stands.

Originally, the Festival des Filets Bleus was designed to help people cross the hollow periods of fishing. Concarneau docks were then covered with the famous blue nets dedicated to sardine capture. This tribute was supposed to bring luck to the fishing industry.

Today, more than a thousand five hundred Bretons dressed in traditional costume take part in this huge parade whose masterpieces are, of course and always, blue nets.

8. Visit the town of Pont-Aven

Pont-Aven sums up in three surprising figures. Fourteen mills, fifteen houses, one of the largest marinas. Despite its size, this town has a magnetic aura with travellers. Its location is not for nothing: between the wood of Love and the river of Aven.

The peaceful and flowery city invites you to a quiet walk along the docks of the small port and in the middle of the alleys lined with art galleries. Speaking of art, the Musée de Pont-Aven houses some grandiose works by Gauguin or Sérusier and is truly worth a visit.

Before continuing to visit Concarneau, make a small stop crêpes or fish soup in the heart of the village. Conversely, if you want to extend your visit, climb up to the chapel of Trémalo, cross the village of Nizon or rent a small boat to get back to Aven.

9. Explore the Lanriec neighbourhood

The lovers of tranquility and beautiful views will hardly understand why Lanriec sits among our must-sees in Concarneau. This area is won by a footpath that runs along the promontory to the east of Ville-Close.

On the way, you will have to climb into a ferry that is used to carry passengers from one shore to another. Named Passage Bac, this unusual place exists since the Middle Ages. Once on the other side, you’re only a few blocks away from the residential area with pretty houses.

10. Visit the historic city of Bénodet

Definitely, many things to do in Concarneau concern the visit of adorable villagers. There is no exception to the Balnean and Historical Station of Bénodet. At the mouth of the Odet, the city is rich in its commercial pre-port past for the exchange of cereals, wines, canvases, wood, fish and others. Bénodet quickly gained the heart of a cosssue population, in search of the pleasures of the resort, villas in the countryside, castles and manor houses.

The erection of hotels, the creation of walks and walks, as well as the installation of bath cabins on the Trez beach continue to seduce visitors. The latter also bear witness to a strong enthusiasm for the practice of sea baths and beautiful pleasure.

11. Discover the forest-Fouesnant

The Breton village of the Forêt-Fouesnant, equipping Bénodet and Concarneau, marks the last of our must-sees in Concarneau. It is especially characterized by its trails of walks and stretched hikes from its old port and its beautiful granite church. Like everywhere on the coast, Forêt-Fouesnant has its own sandy beach.

Its particularity lies in its golf where white ball lovers take advantage of the wide air and green with full lungs. The marina of Port la Forêt-Fouesnant, the third marina of South Brittany, welcomes the best Atlantic sailors. This is the perfect place to start aboard a sailboat or a star and fake company to your bronze companions to try out the nautical activities.

Where to eat in Concarneau

The Breton cuisine is part of the French culinary heritage. Visiting Concarneau is therefore a taste of local specialities. Thus, browse the restaurants recognized for their delicious pancakes and cakes. With a predominant marine setting, blue and white, for a total immersion.

If the traditional complete cake, ham ef cheese, is an immanquable, try the daring mixtures too: pear and ants of Ambert, raw ham and reblochon, leek and Beaufort or ratatouille to become a good conscience.

Impossible to mention the dishes of Cornwall not to mention restaurants specializing in fish and seafood. Facing the Atlantic Ocean and accompanied by a glass of white wine, it’s even better! Drain shells and crustaceans 100% local.

Otherwise a good authentic tavern offering a lamb of pre-salé breton, a Breton pot or a daube of congre charnue will be besieged for the day!

How to get to Concarneau

Concarneau is easily accessible by car (or taxi) from several major cities in Brittany, Nantes and Paris . If the capital is located at 6h drive, Nantes is only 2h30 and the Breton cities are less than yet ( Rennes 2:15, Vannes 1:15, Brest 1h, Quimper 25 minutes)

Quimper has the nearest airport to the city (25 kilometers). It is followed by the airports of Lorient (50 kilometers) and Brest (100 kilometers). Regular flights of only one hour from Paris and from various French metropolises (with or without a call depending on the season and the airline). You can easily find the airline tickets that suit you on a Compare flights .

Would you like to visit Concarneau by the rail? The Rosporden train station 10 kilometres from the village is served daily from Paris. Otherwise Quimper has its own TGV station. You will then have to borrow a taxi, rent your car or climb in a public transport.

Where to sleep in Concarneau

The range of accommodations to sleep in Concarneau is wide. Everyone will find his happiness by going on one Compare hotels or on Airbnb : hotels, campsites, seasonal rentals, rooms at the inhabitant or hostels of the village.

To sleep close to the City Close while enjoying the rhythm of life surrounding by the sea, choose accommodation in the marina. For one night in the green, favor the Cabellou: the place-dit of sunsets to fall. Between the two, why not the huppé and residential area of Beuzec Conq?