May, 6, 2022 – Distance on the GR 34: 15 km from l’Arcouest to Lézardrieux

My plan for this day was to walk the 15 km from l’Arcouest to Lézardrieux, and my hope was to do the walk in less than 5.5 hours in order to catch the bus from Lézardrieux back to Paimpol at 2:57 because the next bus (and last) would leave only four hours later! I took the first (now familiar) bus from Paimpol to l’Arcouest, arrived at 9:20, and promptly set off on the GR. I traversed the large parking lots reserved for passengers travelling on the ferries to l’Isle de Bréhat, but just beyond that all was quiet as I walked along a path that bordered these two curved beaches.

At the end of the second beach the trail veered away from the sea to travel along fields, past a large farmhouse, and into a wood that was sometimes dense and dark, and sometimes more open with occasional views of the sea.

I did quite a bit of trail-side munching as I walked along as most of my favourite wild snacks were available this morning including borage flowers (delicious), the yellow flowers of canola or wild mustard, spearmint (I tucked a few stems in my pocket for tea later), grass shoots (the bottom right photo shows my favourite kind), sheep sorrel leaves (also known as shepard’s purse, but when I was a kid we just called them ”sour leaves”), and pink clover blossoms (you pull off the pink petals and eat the sweet white part). Very fun!

I walked along happily at a good pace and when I noticed that I was going a bit too quickly and thinking about the time and buses rather than enjoying my walk, I forced myself to slow down – ”If I get there, I get there, and if I don’t that’s fine too.” Soon the path led out of the woods and down to an oceanfront road. Looking out to sea, I surmised that the lighthouse on the horizon on the left was the one that I had seen from the ferry while crossing to the Isle de Bréhat.

The road eventually led to the long, curving, rose-coloured beach of the bay of Gouern,

and I must admit that I groaned a bit when I saw the distance to the far point, but the trail surprised me by cutting across the point just past the houses in the distance. It emerged on the other side and arrived rather quickly at the port of Longuivy which is known for its fishery of lobster and langoustines. Pleasure boats were anchored in the small inner harbour,

and the fishing boats and loading facilities, with their accompanying sounds of a busy working day, were off to the eastern side of the harbour.

The GR 34 wove its way through several narrow streets lined with small stone fishermen’s cottages and then emerged again at the sea, leading me towards the Trieux River estuary.

Just past the white house, and around the corner, I arrived at the Trieux, and out across the water I could clearly hear a group of excited kids starting a sailing lesson, with their instructor shouting instructions from a dock. There was also a GR sign which I interpreted as “6 down, 9 to go”, and the trail ahead looked wonderfully level and easy.

Of course the trail didn’t stay level, but the climb was worth it for this view down to the now-quieter students sailing upriver with their instructor following along.

This was the view looking out to the sea, with the Bréhet archipelago towards the right,

and this was the view upriver. What a beautiful day!

I kept a steady pace (I hadn’t really stopped yet except to take photos), but I was reluctant to look at the time as I was already thinking on it too much. Soon though, I began to despair a little as I met staircase, then down, after staircase, then down.

At one point I had a decision to make as there was a 450 metre trail that led away from the GR to the allée couverte de Mélus, a neolithic dolmen or rock-covered tomb. It was excavated in 1933 and the artefacts that were uncovered included flint blades, polished axes, and pottery vases and shards. I really wanted to see the dolmen, but I also really did not want to wait for a bus for four hours in Lézardrieux! I finally looked at the time and found that I had kept a very good pace indeed. I would likely be able to catch the earlier bus so I reluctantly gave up on the idea of detouring to see the dolmen. (I knew that there was another dolmen further along in my journey, but I was still disappointed to not see this one.) I carried along on the trail,

and it soon became a perfect trail. Gone were the staircases and the ups and downs and instead there was a gently undulating path, soft underfoot with pine needles on soil, but with enough bumpy rocks and roots to help keep my mind focused and in the present. There were river views, beautiful old pines, and the weather was perfect for walking with cool air and a constant fresh breeze.

I had seen a few walkers and joggers earlier in the morning on the path along the bay of Gouern, as well as several people out and about at the port of Longuivy, but so far today I had had the entire GR to myself which was amazing to me. At one point, the river widened, and I began to see the marinas and buildings of Lézardrieux in the distance.

I kept looking ahead as I got closer and closer, hoping to see the suspension bridge,

and then finally I caught a glimpse of it,

and then more than a glimpse. Almost there!

Except I wasn’t (!) because there was a ravine in the way so the GR led me away from the river up to some quiet roads and then down to a tunnel under the main D road to a beach on the river almost almost a kilometre south of the bridge! Hmmmph!

Oh well! The route then rose up to a trail through a very pretty meadowy park that paralleled the D road (the meadow and its many butterflies was good compensation for the detour) and then finally I was on the bridge.

Here is a view from the centre of the bridge looking down the river. I would be spending my very last day in Bretagne exactly one week later at the small town of Pontrieux which is about 20 km downstream from here.

I made my way into town along the GR and then found the bus stop. I had completed the 15 km walk in only 4.5 hours and had an hour to spare before the bus! I sat to rest and finally eat my lunch and then I waited for the bus – and waited and waited. At about twenty minutes past the scheduled arrival time, it dawned on me that perhaps the bus route had been diverted because of nearby road work. ”Oh non, non, non!” I basically wailed out loud as I began to look for information on my phone. A man from across the street, who had been watering his garden as I waited for the bus, was crossing to his car and stopped to ask, ”Est-ce que je peux vous aider?”. I explained the situation and he happened to be going to Paimpol to pick up his daughter at school so he offered to give me a ride. Saved! Quick as a wink I was back in Paimpol, very thankful for the kind help, and very happy with my somewhat speedy but wonderful day of walking along the on the GR 34.

Day 7 on the GR – Distance: 9 km from Lézardrieux to Pommelin

This was the first day that I would be walking with my big backpack and I was somewhat nervous about it. Luckily I only had nine kilometres to walk, and thankfully my previous days of walking had conditioned me somewhat. I took a taxi to Lézardrieux (no bus on a Saturday), regained my place on the GR 34, and passed by the town’s large church. I had planned on touring the interior but found I was in the mood to just get going. The trail started out wonderfully, with a narrow green trail that led from behind the church down to the marina, but then there was a very long road walk straight back up to the top of the hill! Thankfully, the route soon led me to quiet country roads along fields and beside woods, with occasional views of the river below.

The trail went past this beacon that was in operation from 1869 to 1944. Its red light was visible for 16 nautical miles and was synchronized with another signal beacon to facilitate marine access to the port of Lézardrieux. From there, there were more hilltop country roads until the route descended again to river level on the approach to, and past an old tidal mill.

After a short section along the narrow bay, the trail rose once again, this time alongside a small creek, and the forest here was dense with trees and ferns. Soon after there was another thickly forested section that was part of a nature reserve. I only passed one person doing the GR today, another woman walking it alone but in the opposite direction.

Back up at the top there was more road walking along very quiet roads as well as down long green walkways between stone walls completely covered in vegetation, and I really enjoyed passing by pretty stone cottages and farms. It was a warmer day today, with a sleepy feeling in the air, and I was happy to take my time with no bus schedules to be concerned about.

I arrived at Kermouster, a lovely little town with a 13th century chapel that had a small picnic area with a fantastic view over the river towards the port of Longuivy. I really don’t mean to brag, but I walked all of the shores that you can see in the distance!

I was already almost at my accommodation and luckily my hostess, Yveline, had said that I could check in early. There were a few more country roads, pathways, fields, and pretty houses to enjoy but that was certainly no hardship!

I neared Pommelin and then I travelled a short kilometre or so off trail to arrive at Yveline’s beautiful country house where I received a warm welcome and was shown to this lovely room with access to a reading room, the kitchen and dining room, and the sun room. I had a refreshing shower, was able to do laundry, worked on my ipad in the sun room, and made a simple dinner in the kitchen. Yveline and I conversed a lot and she kindly offered me a ride that would make it possible to turn one too-long day into two shorter days of walking. Even better, she joined me on the hike and the kilometres went by very fast with someone to talk to. She’s in the picture, bottom right, waving me off when I left the next morning. Bonjour Yveline!

And that was my seventh section on the GR 34, for a total distance of 85.5 km, with only 30.5 to go!