Island guide
What to do on Ouessant: the guide
Boats from Brest and Le Conquet, the Créac’h and Nividic lighthouses, the Pointe de Pern, Lampaul and the ecomuseum: what to do on Ouessant, at the far end of France.
6 min read
Ouessant is the westernmost inhabited land in mainland France. An island of short heath, low walls, sheep and lighthouses, set at the entrance to the Channel, on one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
How to get there
Boats leave all year round from Brest and Le Conquet, and in summer from Camaret; the crossing from Le Conquet is the shortest. A small plane also links Brest to the island. You arrive at the port of Le Stiff, a few kilometres from the village of Lampaul.
The lighthouses
The black and white striped Créac’h is one of the most powerful lighthouses in the world. Le Stiff, built by Vauban, overlooks the harbour. At sea, Nividic, La Jument and Kéréon can be seen from the coast. The lighthouse and beacon museum, at the foot of the Créac’h, has closed for a long renovation: check whether it has reopened before you come.
The lighthouses of Ouessant
LighthouseCréac’h LighthouseOuessant · 1 to 2 hours in the area, as part of a full day on OuessantOuessant’s 54.85 m black and white tower, two flashes every 10 seconds, a range of about 30 nautical miles and one of the most remarkable optics in Europe.
LighthouseStiff LighthouseOuessant · 45 minutes to 1 h 30Commissioned by Vauban and first lit in 1700, the Stiff is one of the oldest working lighthouses in France: 104 steps at the highest point of Ouessant, facing the Iroise Sea.
LighthouseNividic LighthouseOuessant · 30 to 60 minutes at the Pointe de Pern.A 35.55 m lighthouse at sea on the Men Garo reef, about 100 m off the west coast of Ouessant, with a quick light and a 6-mile range.
LighthouseLa Jument LighthouseOuessant · Depends on the viewpoint or the boat trip.A legendary 47.40 m lighthouse at sea, built from 1904 to 1911 on the Ar Gazeg reef, with a red light of three flashes and a current range of 10 nautical miles.
LighthouseKéréon LighthouseMer d’Iroise · Depends on the boat trip.A 45 m lighthouse at sea in the Fromveur passage, in service since 1916, famous for its exceptional interior and listed as a historic monument.
The Pointe de Pern and the coast
At the western tip, the Pointe de Pern ends in jagged rocks facing the Nividic lighthouse. Walking round the island on the coastal path takes two days; by bike, one day is enough to see the essentials.
Lampaul and the ecomuseum
The village of Lampaul has shops, crêperies and the small harbour. The Niou Uhella ecomuseum, in two traditional houses, shows the life of the women of Ouessant, long alone on the island while the men were at sea.
Where to stay on Ouessant
Stay in Ouessant
Places to stay that are still available, with current prices, compared across the main booking platforms.
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