Brittany: Between Wild Coasts & Lighthouses with Ponant

Description

PONANT invites you to take to the sea, without a care in the world, to enjoy a break from reality in a privileged setting, and cast a fresh eye over the infinite riches of the French coastline. As your journey unfolds and depending on the elements, you will enjoy magnificent moments as unique as they are unexpected.

From Saint-Malo, recharge your batteries during this authentic 7-night journey aboard Le Bellot to discover the natural wonders of the Breton coast and its lighthouses.

You will discover the Ponant Islands, which owe their name to the westerly location: Ponant means literally “where the sun sets”.

One of our favourite destinations is Bréhat Island. Also known as the Island of flowers for the wide variety of flora there, it will surprise you with the beauty of its landscapes, alternating rich vegetation and pink granite rocks. Made up of two islets, the northern part has a wild coastline, the extreme tip of which is marked by the Paon lighthouse. This visit in Glénan Islands will offer you a picture-postcard setting: its white sandy beaches and emerald green waters evoke the exoticism of the distant Seychelles. To the north of the aptly named Belle-Île-en-Mer [Beautiful Island in the Sea] the Pointe des Poulains headland offers a natural and inhabited panorama with unspoiled beauty: eroded schist cliffs, caves, fine sandy beaches and heather-strewn moors form a setting that is ripe for exploration.

After an escapade in Douarnenez Bay and before the Tas de Pois at the furthest tip of the Crozon peninsula, you will reach Saint-Malo for the conclusion of this journey to the heart of wild and majestic Brittany.

The conditions will be ideal for nautical activities such as kayaking, far from the crowds, allowing you to enjoy these moments in peace and quiet. You will sail to the heart of bucolic and unique landscapes, discovered at high tide, which encourage contemplation and observation of nature.

Trip Name

Brittany: Between Wild Coasts & Lighthouses with Ponant

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Luxury Expedition / Cruise Ship Length: 131 metres Passenger Capacity: 184 Built: 2019-2020 Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed staterooms, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 staterooms and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience. As the first ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Bellot will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort. Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service. Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel. RESTAURANTS As it is an essential part of French culture, gastronomy will naturally have pride of place aboard this new ship. To the back of Deck 4, you will find a 260 m² panoramic restaurant which can accommodate all of our passengers in a single sitting. Designed differently to that on our other ships, this dining area, which opens onto the outside, will have a buffet of salads, desserts and cheeses at your disposal. Our discreet and attentive crew will provide table service for hot meals. In a relaxed atmosphere, an outdoor grill on Deck 3 will serve grilled meats with a variety of salads and desserts. PUBLIC AREAS Le Bellot has many common areas that are designed and equipped to meet all of your needs while preserving the intimacy of each passenger. A 140 m² reception area includes: A reception/concierge desk, An excursions desk, The ship’s administrative services, The sales office, manned by our Guest Relations Officer, Our 50 m² boutique which sells clothing, jewellery, beauty products, postcards and various accessories, Toilets accessible to passengers with reduced mobility. A new hydraulic platform with adjustable height provides: Easier boarding than on any other cruise ship, Easier Zodiac embarkation and disembarkation for expeditions, Easier access to the sea for swimming and practising various water sports such as kayaking or paddle-boarding. A pool deck offering: A pool with a panoramic view, equipped with a counter-current swimming system, A pleasant solarium, An outdoor bar and lounge with armchairs and sofas. A 200 m² main lounge which can accommodate all of our passengers to share convivial moments and to host activities organised during the day or evening. Lastly, a theatre that seats 188, equipped with: The latest sound and lighting technology, A LED wall as the stage backdrop, for the projection of high-resolution images and videos.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Day 1 SAINT-MALO

The mere mention of Saint-Malo’s name is enough to plunge us back into the richness of its past. The fortifications stand as testimony to the Malouins’ determination to defend their citadel, fought over by France and Britain in turn. When we drop anchor here, immerse yourself in the diversity of its heritage: the time when privateers sailed the oceans in search of trade and victories; the legendary yacht races the port city is still famous for, such as the Route du Rhum; and the final resting place of the French writer François-René de Chateaubriand, who was born here and chose to be buried here anonymously.

Day 2 - Day 2 OUESSANT

Chart a course towards the sentinel island, the most westerly point of mainland France, recognised as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1988. Some 7 km long, Ouessant boasts a wild and bitter beauty. Its landscapes carved by the sea and the wind, the vegetation of the moors and the heather, the rocks ceaselessly whipped by the Atlantic waves, are the home to thousands of sea birds. The island has been continuously inhabited since prehistoric times, with women dedicating themselves to farming while the men were fishermen and sailors. From Lampaul, the “capital”, you can admire the powerful lighthouses that adorn the Ouessant coastline, including the Créac’h lighthouse, which stands out from the rest with its black and white stripes!

Day 3 - Day 3 GLÉNAN ISLANDS & GROIX ISLAND

A little like the Seychelles…The Glénan archipelago and its string of islets offer you a magical spectacle with their white sand beaches and emerald green waters, evoking the exoticism of distant islands. Located around 10 nautical miles from the French mainland, the Glénans are a succession of seven islets, coiled around an interior sea with a paradisiac decor. To the east, Penfret shelters the lighthouse. Further on is the island of Loch, the largest one, recognisable by its chimney stack. Then come Cigogne with its fort, Drenec, Bananec, Guéotec, and finally Saint-Nicolas. The daffodil is the emblematic flower of the Glénan Islands; these pretty white flowers decorate the idyllic landscape of the archipelago in springtime … A waking dream.“Qui voit Groix voit sa joie” (“Whoever sees Groix will see its glee”) — this proverb will make perfect sense as soon as your ship reaches Groix Island. Located around 4 nautical miles from Lorient, Groix stretches 8 kilometres long and is home to pretty low houses and colourful gardens. There is much contrast in the panorama: mainly wild and craggy landscapes to the west, and long beaches to the east, inviting conviviality and relaxation. At the beginning of the 20th century, Groix was the leading tuna port in France and the tuna-shaped weathercock, perched atop the church belfry, illustrates this activity.

Day 4 - Day 4 GULF OF MORBIHAN

To the south of Brittany, the Gulf of Morbihan is the heart of a little paradise of land and sea, embellished by the subtle variations in the light throughout the day. You will chart a course towards this veritable inland Small Sea (from the Breton Mor-Bihan) spanning some 12,000 hectares where the Atlantic Ocean penetrates, at Port Navalo, far inland, sheltered from the sea winds. Created in 2014, the Gulf of Morbihan regional natural park is home to a rich and varied biodiversity, largely thanks to the many natural habitats of the site. Blessed with a mild micro-climate, this charming landscape will reveal around forty islands including l’île aux Moines, “jewel of the gulf” which is one of the Ponant Islands.

Day 5 - Day 5 HOUAT & BELLE-ÎLE-EN-MER

Located between Belle-Île-en-Mer and the golfe of Morbihan, near Hoëdic, the island of Houat is home to less than 200 inhabitants all year round. It belongs to Mor Braz, a vast body of water that includes the peninsulas of Quiberon, Rhuys and Guérande. Houat is immediately striking thanks to its immaculate appearance and its sandy creeks bathed by emerald waters. If you walk briskly, it’s possible to get around the island in a couple of hours, admiring its landscapes, which are a paradise for amateur botanists, honeysuckle, tamarix, everlastings, sea pink, and more.Lying to the South of Brittany, Belle-Île is very aptly named. The largest of the Ponant islands, it owes its glowing reputation to its exceptional environment and generous natural attributes: pristine moors and dunes, headlands and cliffs cut into granite points, rocky inlets, and sheltered bays with sandy or pebble beaches. Aboard your ship, let the wild coastline of Belle-île-en-Mer surprise you, this little speck of land lying on the ocean, sparkling with colours in the morning light.

Day 6 - Day 6 SAILING ALONG TAS DE POIS & ANSE DE MORGAT

The Pointe de Pen Hir is reputed for the six rocks that prolong it, known as the Tas de Pois. Each of them bears a pretty Breton name. To the west, you will see Bern-Id, meaning ‘mound of wheat’, the most charming of them because of its pointed shape like a Chinese hat. Then there are Ar Forc'h and Chelott, Pen Glaz, Petit Daouët and finally, Grand Daouët, which connects to the French mainland. Legend has it that they were built by Titans… The spectacle of the waves coming crashing against the rocks and the very particular and ever-changing light are what make the Tas de Pois so beautiful.Located between the Crozon peninsula to the north and the Raz headland to the south, Douarnenez Bay forms a vast arc more than 16 kilometres wide and 20 kilometres long. To the north, on the Crozon Peninsula, lies anse de Morgat with its beautiful sandy beach between two rocky outcrops.

Day 7 - Day 7 BRÉHAT ISLAND

The island of Bréhat, which has banned cars from its streets, became France’s first classified natural site in 1907. As it’s 3.5 km long and 1.5 km wide, the island promises a change of scenery, one imbued with the maritime and military history which marked it from the Middle Ages. Its nickname is the Island of Flowers for the variety of its flora with agaves, echium, hydrangea, mimosa, mulberry trees, eucalyptus, aloes, camellias and the emblematic agapanthus. All year round, it enjoys the influence of the Gulf Stream which gives it a particularly mild microclimate, even in winter. It’s also a paradise for birds, with 120 different species identified.

Day 8 - Day 8 SAINT-MALO

Day 9 - Please Note:

This itinerary is given as an indication only. Based on tide times and weather conditions, the Captain and the Expedition Leader may need to change the order of certain ports of call to ensure guests have the best possible experience.Encounters with wildlife are possible but cannot be guaranteed.

Trip Dates

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Inclusions

Travel in France, and (re)discover the beauty of the Breton coast.
A quest for wide-open spaces and recharging of batteries in the comfort and calm of a PONANT ship.
Enjoy the expertise of a team of English-speaking naturalist guides aboard ship and during activities.
Discover the Ponant Islands, the symbol of our company.
Enjoy views of the majestic Breton lighthouses in their magnificent natural settings.
You may have the chance to observe dolphins, grey seals, Northern gannets and other seabirds and nesting birds in their natural environment.
Outings and shore visits in Zodiac® inflatables.
Far from the crowds, including nautical and land-based activities.