In Planguenoual, coastal scenery and architectural history come together along the same route. The Balade littorale starts at the Jospinet car park and follows the GR®34, also known as the Sentier des Douaniers. The route offers views of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc and the Jospinet mussel beds; it also passes the Pigeonnier de Vaujoyeux and the Chapelle Saint-Marc.
The Coastal Route and Its Stops
A variant of the Balade littorale is 14 kilometres long and passes through the traditional rural village of La Cotentin. This lets you combine the route with another local point of interest, while the coastal sections frame views of the bay and the mussel beds. Check local route conditions before setting out.
The coastal cliffs are another distinctive feature of Planguenoual. They stretch from Pointe de Longue Roche to the Ermeleux rock formation and offer special viewpoints over the Bay of Saint-Brieuc. The extensive tidal flats cover more than 300 hectares and have a sandy-muddy seabed. They are connected to the bay biologically, ecologically and in terms of their landscape.
Plage de Jospinet is an unsupervised sandy and pebbly beach bordered by rocks, where you can collect shellfish at low tide. Beach conditions and access rules may change; check them before visiting.
Chapels, the Church and Traces of History
At the Pigeonnier de Vaujoyeux, the route and architecture meet: the dovecote has a quatrefoil-shaped ground plan and has been listed as a historic monument since 29 December 1982. The Chapelle Saint-Marc was mentioned as a ruin in 1793 and rebuilt in 1859. The Chapelle Sainte-Barbe was restored and altered in 1822. It stands on the site of an older chapel, which René Couffon dates to the 16th century.
The Church of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul was built between 1902 and 1903 to plans by the diocesan architect Le Guerranic. Its architecture combines Romanesque and Gothic elements. The architectural features of the Chapelle Saint-Yves du Hourmelin can be described in more detail: it has a rectangular ground plan, a single-nave interior, a polygonal chancel and a gable wall with a bell turret. The chapel has been known since the 17th century. René Couffon gives 1863 as the year it was rebuilt, while Henri Frotier de la Messelière gives 1864.
Another trace of history is the “Ancienne croix de cimetière, dite croix de jubilé” (“Old cemetery cross, known as the Jubilee Cross”). It was erected in 1875 to mark a jubilee, comes from the former cemetery and is a remnant of a cross made in Yves Hernot’s workshops.
Plants and Maritime Activities
Herbarius is a medieval botanical garden in Planguenoual. Its collections include edible, medicinal, aromatic and dye plants, as well as nectar- or honey-producing plants and other useful varieties. The garden showcases a range of plant uses, from food and medicine to fragrance, colour and nectar.
Mussel farming on bouchot poles is also part of the area’s coastal activities. From the Jospinet landing stage, visitors can take a boat trip to discover mussel farming in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc with Le Panier iodé. The experience depends on the tides and the season.
Discover more destinations: Penvénan, Plessix-Balisson, Quévert, Plourhan, Saint-Maudez, Bourbriac, Uzel, Le Bodéo.
For the regional travel overview: Côtes-D’armor.
