The guide books give Pointe du Raz the 5* treatment and it is the place everyone heads for. There is a huge car park (charge), Visitor Centre and even a free shuttle bus for those not keen on walking the 1km to the headland. You enjoy the scenery with hundreds of other people. Yes it may be spectacular but you are unlikely to enjoy it in peace.
The guide books suggest Pointe du Van as being quieter (debatable) and nearly as good scenically (again debatable).
Having seen the the car park from the road and people scurrying around the headland like ants we decided to miss Pointe du Raz and head for Pointe du Van.
Again there is a huge car park and it was busy when we arrived. There is a small creperie set into a large grassy mound and stall selling post cards, ice creams etc. There isn’t the rigid control over tourist development here as there is at Pointe du Raz.
A large gravel track (wheelchair and push chair friendly) leads to the headland and is roped off to stop people wandering over the headland and allow the vegetation time to recover from damage caused by pressure of feet. It is a loop path which brings you back past the small Chapelle St They.
There was a steady stream of visitors, we could have been walking down the local high street. There was no where to sit down. The end of the headland is rough grassland and boring as it wasn’t possible to get close to the edge to see the cliffs and rocks.
If you take the right hand turn before the headland and walk away from Pointe du Van, the coastal path becomes more interesting, It isn’t roped off, the views are better and you can sit on the rocks to admire the scenery.
If these are ‘must sees’ then try and visit first thing in the morning or evening when most of the tourists have left.
To enjoy windswept scenery with few people, head further east along the north coast. Try Pointe de Brezellec or Pointe du Millier. There is car parking at the end of the road at both. The walking along the coastal footpath is superb and although there may be other cars in the car park you are unlikely to see many people on your walks.
