City guide
What to do in Paimpol: the complete guide
The port of Paimpol, the Abbaye de Beauport, the Pointe de l’Arcouest and the Île de Bréhat, Loguivy-de-la-Mer and the sea shanty festival: what to do in and around Paimpol.
6 min read
Paimpol was the port of the Iceland fishermen, those of Pierre Loti’s novel. The town keeps its shipowners’ houses around the harbour, and it is the starting point for the Île de Bréhat.
The harbour and the old town
The docks welcome old rigs and pleasure yachts. The big Tuesday market fills the Place du Martray and the neighbouring streets.
The Abbaye de Beauport
By the sea, on the edge of town, the ruins of the 13th century abbey open onto the bay, among gardens and salt meadows.
What to see in Paimpol
VillagePaimpol, port and historic centrePaimpol · At least half a day, a full day with Beauport or BréhatPaimpol mixes a marina, cobbled lanes, shipowners’ houses and the memory of the Iceland fishermen, with Beauport Abbey and Bréhat a few kilometres away.
Heritage siteAbbaye de BeauportPaimpol · 1 h 30 to 2 hours, half a day with the estateFounded around 1202 on the bay of Paimpol, the only Premonstratensian abbey in Brittany: a roofless church, cloister, chapter house, orchards and a free 120-hectare natural estate.- MarketGrand marché de PaimpolPaimpol · 1 to 2 hoursOn Tuesday mornings, 119 traders run the Paimpol market, on Place du Martray, Place des Halles and Place de la Vieille-Tour, in the heart of the town.
FestivalFestival des Vieux GréementsPaimpol · Half a day to 3 daysThe Festival des Vieux Gréements in Paimpol: maritime heritage, traditional sailing ships, sea shanties, music and harbour festivities. The 2027 dates have not yet been announced.
The Pointe de l’Arcouest and Bréhat
A few minutes away, the Pointe de l’Arcouest faces the Bréhat archipelago, ten minutes away by boat. Loguivy-de-la-Mer, a small fishing port nearby, is one of the most picturesque on the coast.
Around Paimpol
ActivityVedettes de BréhatPaimpol / Arcouest · 2 hours to a full dayCrossings to the Île de Bréhat all year round from the Pointe de l’Arcouest, every 30 minutes in season, and guided cruises around the island.
Natural siteBréhat IslandÎle-de-Bréhat · A day, ideally a night on the islandFrance’s first listed site, ten minutes by boat from L’Arcouest: a car-free island, flowery in the south, wild in the north, surrounded by an archipelago of pink granite. On foot or by bike.
LighthousePaon LighthouseÎle-de-Bréhat · 2 h 30 to 4 hours there and back from the landing stage, depending on pace, breaks and how you travelAt the northern tip of Bréhat, a small pink granite tower rebuilt after 1944 overlooks the Pointe du Paon and marks the dangerous Horaine area.
LighthouseLa Croix LighthousePloubazlanec · A quick look, or part of a boat trip on the Trieux.A 13 m offshore lighthouse at the mouth of the Trieux, first lit in 1867, rebuilt after 1944 and paired with Bodic to guide ships up the channel.
The sea shanty festival
Every two years, the port hosts one of the great maritime festivals in Europe. The next edition will take place from 6 to 8 August 2027.
Where to stay in Paimpol
Stay in Paimpol
Places to stay that are still available, with current prices, compared across the main booking platforms.
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