THE GLENAN ARCHIPELAGO IN FINISTERRE
WHERE IS THE GLENAN ARCHIPELAGO?
The Glénan islands are the pride and joy of Brittany with their transparent water and beautiful beaches. This crucial string of islets is located 10 nautical miles south of the town of Fouesnant in Finistère, in southern Brittany, only one hour’s crossing of the continent and the Domaine de Pendruc, camping Finistère sud.
The picturesque islands that make up the Glénan archipelago are scattered over a calm azure blue sea and offer a heavenly spot for a stopover rich in discoveries and emotions.
THE MAIN ISLANDS OF THE ARCHIPELAGO
The coveted Glenan Archipelago has nine main islands and numerous islets. It offers a vast area for walking, swimming, scuba diving and enriching exploration, with an impressive fauna and flora. Holidaymakers inevitably fall under the charm of the Glénans archipelago.
It is also a real little paradise for fishermen. Here are the most visited islands of the Glénan archipelago and their main attractions. Discover Cornwall, its trails and white sandy beaches from the Atlantic Ocean to South Finistère.
Stork Island
Stork Island, which is located in the center of the Glenans Archipelago, is easy to spot with its fort built in 1756 and at the top of which a lighthouse is built to guide privateers. A tower served as a speed calibration base for army planes. This isle of Glenan which belongs to the state is home to a world famous sailing school. It has a long hiking trail which will please nature lovers to discover this seaside resort of the Breton riviera.
Saint Nicholas Island
The island Saint Nicolas Bretagne without any construction is classified as a “picturesque natural site” for the concentration of maritime wonders and its particularly rich flora. It is on this island that one can observe in its natural environment the Glénan narcissus flower, a plant endemic to France. Its natural aspect is well preserved to give visitors a simple and wild environment, which is becoming increasingly rare. Saint Nicolas is the capital of the archipelago and is home to the Glénan International Diving Center.
The island of Bananec
This small island with calm waters in Pays Bigouden is connected to Saint Nicolas by a long sand bar called tombolo which is discovered at low tide. It belongs to the sailing school Les Glénan which established the only large construction there. It is the perfect place for a walk to breathe the fresh sea air and the ideal stopover for sailboats.
The island of Quignénec
This island west of Quignénec is the association of three very close islets that once formed a single block. It is characterized by ruins of old buildings and a small old farmhouse which inspire serenity, ideal for those seeking calm and tranquility.
The island of Penfret
This island, the easternmost of the archipelago, is also home to an ancient lighthouse and the Semaphore of Glénan 26 m high with 8 m in diameter. In the 19th century, a strong with three guns and two mortars was built there, but after dismantling, only ruins remain. This island is the most storied and relates the activities of the scientific army during the First World War. Since 1984, the electricity supply on this island is provided by a wind turbine.
- Glénan Archipelago
- Glénans Archipelago
- Glenan Islands
- Island Glenan
The island of Loch
It is the largest of the ile Glenan by area. It is home to an impressive mixed colony of herring and brown gulls that find the plants they love.
It features an old farmhouse with a brackish water pond that has been developed into a successful modern fish farm. A soda factory was once built here, but was later abandoned to preserve the beauty of the ile des Glenans.
