A cottage wedged between the rocks and Tregastel

 

Thursday 19th June 2025

I'm loving this Rose Granite Coast, I love the giant granite rock formations that litter the coast and make it so unmistakable and memorable.

The first call today was The Gouffre de Plougrescant a remarkable granite cottage built in between two giant granite boulders.

It's a remarkable sight, unlike anything I've seen before and sits in an idilic position overlooking a sea lagoon to the front and the bay to the rear.

It appears to be occupied judging by the car parked outside and I guess privately owned, although not much information is available on it.

The coastal landscape around Gouffre de Plougrescant 

After we'd wandered around and enjoyed the scenic coast, it was onto the next place I'd researched and to our overnight parking for tonight.

We've come to the dedicated motorhome Aire at Tregastel.

Tregastel - does that sound a little Cornish ?

It's not a particularly attractive aire, but clean and functional and more importantly close to the little village of Ploumanac’h I'd read about.

The dedicated motorhome Aire at Tregastel

I researched a walk along the headland of what is meant to be one of the best parts of the côte de granite rose, the pink granite coast.

And so it turned out.

The smooth sculptured rocks were formed by the erosion of cooled magma then shaped by the rain, salty sea spray and wind. They look like a surreal painting, but when the granite is cut, processed and polished it looks even pinker.

Granite boulders on the beach

The walk follows the GR34, also known as the Sentier des Douaniers (the coastguards’ watch path) for about six kilometres east around the headland from Ploumanac’h.

Walking down the street in the village I noticed that many of the houses are either built with or have pink granite trimmings, as are garden walls, and kerb stones. In fact the whole place has a pink hue about it.

On an island just off the shore stands a pink palace; Château de Costaérès, which in Breton means “old drier”, because the island it sits on was where local fishermen used to dry their fish in the sun.

Château de Costaérès

As I rounded the coast, the views got better and better. 

A pink granite lighthouse sitting amongst the chaotic rock formations is called Phare de Mean Ruz, from the Breton Men Ruz, meaning pink stone. The lighthouse built 1860 using grey granite, but was blown up with dynamite by German troops before their surrender in August 1944. Pink granite was used to rebuild the lighthouse in 1948, which was automated in 1980.

Mind your head, ouch, too late !

Ploumanac’h village beach

So it was a great day's exploring the rose granite coast and the village of Ploumanac’h.

Apparently it enters a national competition to find the most desirable villages in France to live, and often comes first in the contest.

Cameras still playing up, exposure sometimes wrong and I think focus is out a bit too sometimes.

The weather has been excellent, clear blue skies, warm sun but without the extreme heat and humidity you seem to be getting at home, and a cool breeze to freshen things up.

So Louis and I are tired after walking, so it's achey feet and paws up and resting with a beer tonight for me and a bowl of eau for Louis 🙂