City guide
What to do in Douarnenez: the complete guide
The Port-musée, the port of Le Rosmeur, Tréboul and its beaches, the Île Tristan at low tide, kouign-amann and Locronan: what to do in Douarnenez, the town of the sardine fishermen.
6 min read
Douarnenez was one of the great sardine ports of France, with its canneries and its penn sardin, the women workers in their headdresses. The town keeps three harbours and one of the most beautiful bays in Brittany.
The Port-musée
On the Port Rhu, the Port-musée brings together boats from all over the world, afloat and indoors. You can go on board some of them, and workshops show sailors’ skills. It opens mainly in the summer season.
What to see in Douarnenez
MuseumPort-Musée de DouarnenezDouarnenez · 2 h 30 to 3 h 30, half a day with activitiesOn the Port-Rhu, more than 2,800 m² of exhibitions, around 10,000 objects and more than 280 boats tell the story of the maritime cultures of the world. Several large historic ships can be visited directly afloat.- MarketHalles de DouarnenezDouarnenez · 1 to 2 hoursFrom Monday to Saturday morning, the covered market in the centre of Douarnenez offers fresh produce, between Place des Halles and Rue Anatole-France.
VillageLocronanLocronan · 2 hours to half a day, a full day with a hike or DouarnenezLocronan lines up granite mansions, cobbles, a Gothic church and art workshops around an almost untouched square, the legacy of a town made rich by sailcloth and the Troménie.
Le Rosmeur and the Île Tristan
The port of Le Rosmeur, with its colourful houses and restaurants, is the liveliest. Opposite, the Île Tristan, owned by the Conservatoire du littoral, opens to the public on certain days, on foot at low tide or on a guided tour.
Tréboul and the Sables Blancs
On the other side of the Port Rhu, Tréboul has its villas and the Sables Blancs beach. The coastal path leads to the Pointe du Leydé and the bay, facing the Crozon peninsula.
Kouign-amann
This flaky cake made with butter and sugar was born in Douarnenez in the 19th century. Every bakery in town claims to have the best recipe.
Around Douarnenez
Locronan is a quarter of an hour away, the Pointe du Raz and Cap Sizun half an hour, Quimper twenty five minutes.
Less than half an hour away
ViewpointPointe du RazPlogoff · 1 h 30 to 3 h, depending on the route and the time you spend.One of Finistère’s great panoramas, a Grand Site de France, with cliffs, the Raz de Sein strait, La Vieille lighthouse, the Île de Sein and the vast Atlantic.
BeachBaie des TrépassésCléden-Cap-Sizun · 2 to 5 hours, a full day with a hikeBetween the Pointe du Raz and the Pointe du Van, the Baie des Trépassés is a huge sandy beach exposed to the Atlantic, known for surfing, its waves, its panorama and swimming that calls for real care.
VillagePont-CroixPont-Croix · 1 h 30 to 3 hours, half a day with the banks of the GoyenPont-Croix stacks its stone lanes above the Goyen, around the imposing collegiate church of Notre-Dame de Roscudon and a remarkably well-preserved group of old houses.
Heritage siteQuimper and its cathedralQuimper · A full dayThe capital of Cornouaille, where three rivers meet, around a 92-metre Gothic cathedral whose choir is out of line with the nave.
Where to stay in Douarnenez
Stay in Douarnenez
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