Côtes-d’Armor offers several highlights for a short stay: coastal heathland and birdlife, cycling and water sports, as well as culture and regional cuisine. Cap Fréhel is home to around 414 hectares of coastal heathland, while the Sillon de Talbert stretches almost three kilometres out to sea. Choose where to stay based on the experiences that interest you most.
Coastal landscapes and nature watching
The Sillon de Talbert is a major European shingle spit that stretches almost three kilometres out to sea. The Sillon area is home to an algal bed with 400 recorded species, considered the most important in Europe. The Sept-Îles archipelago is France’s largest bird sanctuary and is also home to the country’s only colony of northern gannets. Those interested in birdlife will find a different natural focus here than at Cap Fréhel or in the Sillon area.
Lan Bern is home to 85 recorded bird species, 15 amphibian and reptile species, and 300 insect species. You can explore the area on an 11-kilometre discovery trail; there is also a flat, sandy and accessible two-kilometre route. The different trail lengths can help you decide how much time to allow for a walk, without implying that the shorter route is rated as easier.
La Vallée des Saints is freely accessible every day of the year, around the clock. Visitor facilities include bicycle shelters, e-bike charging stations, a pump station, lockers, picnic tables and shelters. As access arrangements and services may change, check the visiting conditions in advance.
On foot, by bike and on the water
The GR®34 is the department’s coastal route, while cyclists can take La Vélomaritime–EuroVelo 4. La Vélomaritime crosses Côtes-d’Armor, passing through valleys and hamlets, by characterful harbours and remarkable places close to the sea. This lets you plan a cycling trip around different route features from those of a hike on the coastal route. Which routes you link together depends on your itinerary; the two routes do not automatically form a single stage.
The Centre nautique de Fréhel offers catamaran sailing, windsurfing, wingfoiling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and land sailing. If water sports are part of your travel plans, check which activities are available before you arrive; the operator’s offer may change.
Culture and history
Abbaye de Beauport is the only Premonstratensian abbey in Brittany. You can discover its more than 800-year history on a guided visit or explore independently with a bilingual audio trail. As visiting formats may change, check which option is available before your trip. Château de la Hunaudaye offers guided tours of its five towers and introduces visitors to the site’s medieval history.
The Domaine de la Roche-Jagu covers more than 64 hectares and is recognised as a Jardin remarquable for its landscape and botanical qualities. Côtes-d’Armor’s archaeological heritage ranges from prehistoric megalithic alignments to the remains of Gallo-Roman cities. If you would like to include culture in your stay, you can choose between architecture, the history of individual sites and traces of different eras.
Regional cuisine and getting here
In Côtes-d’Armor, buckwheat crêpes and galettes are the same dish; their texture differs between the west and east of the department. The Bay of Saint-Brieuc has France’s largest natural scallop bed, covering 150,000 hectares. Scallops from the bay are served raw or cooked, including as carpaccio or in galettes. The certified designation «Coquille Saint-Jacques des Côtes d’Armor» specifies the origin, catch date and shipping period.
In Erquy and Saint-Quay-Portrieux, the main scallop landing ports, tourist offices organise guided visits to the fish auctions. Check the specific visiting offers in advance. For rail travel, Paimpol and Dinan have SNCF railway stations, complementing the department’s TGV stations. Routes and timetables may change, so it is worth checking current connections before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Pommerit-Le-Vicomte, Begard, Berhet, Binic, Bourseul, Bréhand, Brelidy, Bringolo, Buhulien, Camlez, Carnoët, Cavan, Coatreven, Corlay, Crehen, Erquy, Étables-Sur-Mer, Fréhel, Grâces, Guingamp, Hénanbihen, Henon, Hillion, Kerbors, Lamballe, Lancerf, Lancieux, Langourla, Languenan, Langueux, Laniscat, Lanmodez, Lannion, Lanvollon, Larmor-Pleubian, Lezardrieux, Trédrez-Locquémeau, Loguivy-Lès-Lannion, Louannec, Maël-Carhaix, Mantallot, Matignon, Morieux, Mûr-De-Bretagne, Paimpol, Pédernec, Penvénan, Planguenoual, Pledeliac, Plédran, Pleguien, Pléhédel, Plélauff, Plélo, Pléneuf-Val-André, Plerin, Plestin-Les-Grèves, Pleubian, Pleudaniel, Pleumeur-Bodou, Pleumeur-Gautier, Plévenon, Plouagat, Plouaret, Ploubalay, Ploubazlanec, Ploubezre, Plouër-Sur-Rance, Plouezec, Plougrescant, Plouguenast, Plouguiel, Plouha, Ploulech, Ploumilliau, Plounérin, Plounévez-Quintin, Plourivo, Plouvara, Plouzélambre, Plufur, Pluzunet, Pommeret, Pommerit-Jaudy, Pontrieux, Pordic, Prat, Quemper Guezennec, Quemperven, Rospez, Ruca, Saint-Alban, Saint-Brandan, Saint-Briac-Sur-Mer, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Carré, Saint-Cast-Le-Guildo, Saint-Gilles-Les-Bois, Saint-Gilles-Vieux-Marché, Saint-Hélen, Saint-Jacut-De-La-Mer, Saint-Julien, Saint-Michel-En-Grève, Saint-Quay-Perros, Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Saint-Rieul, Squiffiec, Trébeurden, Trédaniel, Tréglamus, Trégomeur, Tregueux, Tréguier, Trelevern, Trémel, Trévéneuc, Trévou-Tréguignec, Dinan, Pleudihen-Sur-Rance, Dolo, Saint-Gouéno, Plourhan, Pludual, Ploézal, Runan, Kermaria-Sulard, Pléhérel-Plage, Lohuec, Meslin, La Vicomté-Sur-Rance, Trezelan, Plessala, Pont-Melvez, Saint-Martin-Des-Prés, La Roche-Derrien, Gommenec'h, Pluduno, Plouëc-Du-Trieux, Belle-Isle-En-Terre, Plurien, Saint-Donan, Saint Mayeux, Plésidy, Plancoet, Le Gouray, Lantic, Treduder, Aucaleuc, Noyal, Trémeur, Taden, Saint-James, Plorec-Sur-Arguenon, Loudéac, Louargat, La Richardais, Caurel, Pléboulle, Coëtmieux, Saint-Agathon, Tréméreuc, Yvias, Evran, Tréméven, Saint-Méloir-Des-Bois, Calanhel, Saint-Igeaux, Locarn, Goudelin, Trédarzec, Allineuc, Trégastel, Trémorel, Saint-André-Des-Eaux, Plouisy, Saint-Gelven, Glomel, Trébrivan, Le Moustoir, Caouënnec-Lanvézéac, Coatascorn, La Landec, Landebaëron, Langoat, Lanvallay, Le Bodéo, Loguivy-Plougras, Minihy-Tréguier, Plaine-Haute, Pleslin-Trigavou, Quessoy, Saint-Denoual, Tonquédec, Trégrom, Ploumagoar, Moncontour, Duault, Le Vieux-Marché, Saint-Gildas, Saint-Laurent, Callac, Trézény, Lanloup, Saint-Lormel, Lannebert, Le Faouët, Jugon-Les-Lacs, La Bouillie, Saint-Trimoël, Saint-Samson-Sur-Rance, Plusquellec, Trévron, La Motte, Ile-De-Bréhat, Plénée-Jugon, Ploeuc-Sur-Lié, Plumaudan, Saint-Bihy, Saint-Carreuc, Saint-Connec, Saint-Fiacre, Saint-Gilles-Du-Mené, Saint-Gilles-Pligeaux, Saint-Juvat, Saint-Nicolas-Du-Pélem, Saint-Péver, Saint-Pôtan, Trédias, Yvignac-La-Tour, Bulat-Pestivien, Cohiniac, Eréac, Gomené, Guenroc, Gurunhuel, Hénansal, Kerpert, La Chapelle-Neuve, La Malhoure, Landéhen, Langrolay-Sur-Rance, Lanrelas, Lanrivain, Lanrodec, Lanvellec, Le Foeil, Le Hinglé, Léhon, Les Champs-Géraux, Loscouët-Sur-Meu, Maël-Pestivien, Magoar, Mellionnec, Pabu, Plaintel, Plémet, Plémy, Pléven, Plounévez-Moëdec, Saint-Clet, Landébia, Boqueho, Le Leslay, Plestan, Ploufragan, Quévert, Vildé-Guingalan, Bourbriac, La Meaugon, Saint-Glen, Saint.-Servais, Kerfot, Pouldouran, Trégon, Tréméloir, Trémuson, Le Merzer, Lescouët-Gouarec, Mégrit, Plélan-Le-Petit, Plougonver, Plourac'h, Plumieux, Plussulien, Quintin, Rostrenen, Sévignac, Saint-Adrien, Saint-Caradec, Saint-Carné, Saint-Judoce, Saint-Launeuc, Saint-Maden, Saint-Maudez, Saint-Michel-De-Plélan, Trébry, Tréguidel, Troguéry, Andel, Bobital, Broons, Brusvily, Canihuel, Caulnes, Corseul, Guitté, Hengoat, Kermoroc'h, La Harmoye, La Prénessaye, Merléac, Yffiniac, Lanleff, Langast, Plougras, Plouguernével, Gouarec, Merdrignac, Lanmérin, Uzel, Perros-Guirec, Saint-Nicodème, Plessix-Balisson, Trévé, Perret, La Chèze, Gausson, Moustéru, Illifaut, Kerien, Kergrist-Moëlou, Treffrin, Tréfumel, Le Quiou, Saint-Thélo, Le Quillio, Collinée, Saint-Connan, Coadout, Coëtlogon, Tressignaux, Paule
For an overview of the wider region: Brittany.
