Perros-Guirec

Perros-Guirec – Introduction

Although Perros-Guirec is a real beachside resort, many people go there for the incredible and wild nature hikes alongside the picturesque seaside (English Channel). The town is cute but not exactly tourist worthy; you don’t go there to visit the town itself.

The earliest recording in history of the town can be found in the year of 1198.

Perros-Guirec is located alongside the sea in Brittany’s Cote d’Armor, at the end of some sloping hills. Along the hills are many pretty, and some old, mansions.

Mansion on the coast of Perros-Guirec
Mansion on the coast of Perros-Guirec

On both sides of the hills and on the drive up to the centre of town you will see several very beautifully kept mansions, often used a weekend and summer homes by Parisians and other big city folks who have kept the house in their family for generations.

Mansion on the coast of Perros-Guirec
Mansion on the coast of Perros-Guirec

The town centre itself in located at the bay’s beach, surrounded by the hills on all sides:

Town centre of Perros-Guirec
Town centre of Perros-Guirec

The town, rich was some 7,500 inhabitants, has several hotels, spas, restaurants and even a decent but small casino.

Town centre of Perros-Guirec
Town centre of Perros-Guirec

But the town centre’s houses are nothing to write home about, let alone make a postcard photo. The houses and flats are modern without much character.

Beach of Perros-Guirec
Beach of Perros-Guirec

However, the beach and it’s associated promenade is very nice and pleasant. The walk is not very long, but with plenty of things to see.

Beach of Perros-Guirec
Beach of Perros-Guirec

The sandy beach itself is wide but not very long since the hills block any further discovery. On the other side of the hill you will find the pleasure boat marina.

Pleasure boats marina of Perros-Guirec
Pleasure boats marina of Perros-Guirec

Marina lighthouse

The small harbour flows nicely into the sea, guarded by a dike and small lighthouse to show the way to the harbour:

Lighthouse at the pleasure boats marina of Perros-Guirec
Lighthouse at the pleasure boats marina of Perros-Guirec

By walking to one of the edges of the town, thanks to the several bays, it’s easy to see what lies ahead after the town.

The bays of Perros-Guirec
The bays of Perros-Guirec

It’s amongst these bays where you will find the “sentier des douaniers“, the path used by the customs agents to catch smugglers, now defined as the coastal pathways. The hiking paths run alongside the coast and take you through some amazing areas:

Hiking Path

The hiking path is an easy one for almost anyone, it is almost totally flat. Some slight ups & downs, but nothing to steep. The slopes are very gentle.

View on the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
View on the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

What makes the hike so interesting and pretty is that the whole area is made out pink granite, a stone that you will see in abundance in Paris since it’s used for the buildings there and it came from this area. The granite can see seen everywhere along you walk.

Pink granite along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Pink granite along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

It’s not only alongside the hiking path that you will see this very special rock formation. There are several islands made out of the granite, with nothing growing on them. It’s a safe haven for birds, in fact, on an island group further up in the English Channel, you will find the archipelago of the Sept-Iles (= Seven Islands), a massive bird sanctuary (mostly puffins) that can be visited and also an old lighthouse. A regular ferry from the beach of Perros-Guirec will bring you there.

Pink granite along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Pink granite along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

The colours are spectacular, especially at sunset and sunrise. The colours are warm and dramatic.

Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

The hiking path is not wide, just wide enough for one or two people. Along the way, you will find occasional signs of some former mansion or castle.

Stairs to a mansion on the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Stairs to a mansion on the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

On several places you will find public parking areas for those who do not want to drive into the town to take the hiking path.

Car park along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Car park along the coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

The “sentiers des douaniers” goes on for some 10 kilometres until the next village. You can continue the hike for much longer.

Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

Sometimes you will find some interesting building dispersed along the way; old mansions or monasteries.

Lighthouse Phare de Men Ruz

Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

The Men Ruz lighthouse is 15 meters high and was constructed in 1945. It replaced a lighthouse built in 1860 that was destroyed by the Germans in WWII.

Here is a final photo of one of the dramatic views alongside the hiking path;

Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec
Coastal hiking path of Perros-Guirec

At the end of the initial hiking path is another small village with its own harbour.

Small harbour of Tregastel, a village next to Perros-Guirec
Small harbour of Tregastel, a village next to Perros-Guirec

Technically, this is no longer Perros-Guirec, but it is part of its hiking path.

Chateau de Costqeres
Chateau de Costqeres

The castle, built in 1896, can be approached on foot when the tide is out. It was built by a Polish mathematical engineer who bought the island.

Summary

Perros-Guirec is lies in the beautiful, even wild, area of Brittany that just asks for one thing; hiking. Although there are nice restaurants, spas, beaches – the one thing that you go to Perros-Guirec for is to walk among the pink granite rocks and easy hiking path. And after you’ve done your hike, then you can go to one of the spas and get all relaxed before you head on over to one of the several restaurants.

Other articles about Perros-Guirec on this site

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