Toute l'année, le Gulf Stream assure à ce magnifique endroit un véritable micro climat. Accordez-vous une journée pour découvrir ses maisons pleines de charme et ses criques sauvages.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Oubliez la voiture ! Ici, pas de moteur. On ne circule qu'à vélo ou à pied. Seule commune insulaire du département des Côtes d'Armor.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Bréhat, longue de 3,5 kilomètres et large d'1,5 kilomètre, s'articule autour de deux îles principales. Au sud, le bourg et son église du 16ème siècle et au nord des paysages qui évoquent  l'Irlande.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Hortensias, mimosas, mûriers, eucalyptus, aloès, camélias ... le surnom de cette île n'est pas usurpé ! Mais parmi toutes, la fleur qui symbolise le plus cette île est l'agapanthe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            De juin à septembre, vous verrez sa fleur bleu violacé s'épanouir au croisement de tous les chemins bréhatins.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Une plante jadis ramenée d'Afrique du Sud par des marins. D'autres plantes exotiques telles que l'agave ou l'echium s'épanouissent ici.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Fortifiée au Moyen-Âge, l'île de Bréhat occupa longtemps une position stratégique. Lors de la guerre de Succession, puis de la Ligue, elle fut disputée entre Bretons, Français, Anglais et Espagnols.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Son château, maintes fois rasé, fut finalement démantelé sous Henri IV. Aujourd'hui, seuls les touristes font passer chaque année sa population d'environ 400 à 2 000 personnes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Le gel y est rarissime. Quant aux oiseaux, plus de 120 espèces sont recensées sur l'île. Au printemps, vous ne manquerez pas d'entendre les mésanges, pinsons, rouges-gorges, alouettes ou grives  musiciennes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Au nord de Saint-Quay-Portrieux, vous découvrirez les plus hautes falaises de Bretagne.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Haute de 104 mètres, la Pointe de Plouha est le point culminant de la côte rocheuse longue de 14 km et abritant des criques dissimulées, des aires de nidification pour oiseaux, un ancien port ainsi qu’une chapelle renfermant des fresques terrifiantes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Il est des lieux mythiques pour les marins. Le raz de Sein est de ceux là. Ses courants comptent parmi les plus puissants au monde et, quand le vent et le courant s’affrontent, même les pêcheurs locaux respectent une trêve. Un dicton local dit : "Qui voit Sein, voit sa fin" ...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Dominant la mer de plus de 70 mètres, les falaises de schiste et de grès rose du cap Fréhel offrent l’une des plus belles vues de Bretagne.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Site d’exception, réserve ornithologique, entre ajoncs et bruyère, la promenade mène jusqu’à l’illustre Fort de la Latte.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Vous êtes ici sur l’un des plus impressionnants sites de la région. Surplombant une mer d’émeraude, battu par les vents, le Cap Fréhel enchante par sa beauté et ses couleurs chatoyantes.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Ses falaises, à pic comme des murailles, abritent des centaines d’oiseaux nicheurs. De la pointe du Grouin jusqu’à l’île de Bréhat, le cap offre aussi 400 hectares de landes, parmi les plus vastes d’Europe et un majestueux phare de 103 mètres.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Balade jusqu’au Fort de La Latte  ...  Par temps clair, vous pourrez admirer le panorama qui s’étend depuis le Cotentin et Jersey, jusqu’à Paimpol.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Après un détour par le phare actuel construit dans les années 50, empruntez le sentier côtier jusqu’au fort. 1h30 de balade jusqu’à ce monument historique, dont la visite vaut vraiment le détour.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Les amateurs d’histoire et les enfants adoreront accéder à la chapelle, au corps de garde et surtout au donjon. De là-haut, le panorama sur le paysage environnant y est à couper le souffle.

Les visiteurs qui viennent au raz de Sein par la terre peuvent admirer les « marmites de l’enfer » qui cascadent autour du phare de la Vieille et qui entrent dans la bien nommée « baie des Trépassés ».

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Cette sentinelle veille, avec sa comparse « la Plate » sur ce passage qui sépare l’île de Sein du continent et permettent aux marins de l’emprunter en toute sécurité, de jour comme de nuit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   La Plage de la Baie des Trépassés , avec sa belle eau limpide et vivifiante,  fait le bonheur des surfeurs et des baigneurs. Mais c’est aussi pour sa vue imprenable sur la pointe du Raz d'un côté et celle du Van de l'autre, que la plage de la Baie des Trépassés est connue et appréciée.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Située sur Cléden-Cap-Sizun, dans le Finistère ,  cette plage est réputée pour les surfeurs de tous horizons ... A marée basse on distingue des grottes dans les falaises. Hors surveillance, la baignade est interdite.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Par beau temps, les superlatifs ne manquent pas devant ce paysage de granit aux eaux turquoise.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Les promeneurs qui cheminent sur le sentier côtier n’imaginent pas, par gros mauvais temps, le déchaînement des flots – dont la couleur vire du vert au gris – avec des bouillons larges comme des lacs et des véritables rivières aux accents de torrents de montagne.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

L'île de Sein, vue sur le phare d'Armen.

Le long des côtes de Bretagne, voici quelques photos de ces imposants bâtiments, sentinelles de la mer, guides des marins.

(image en titre) - Allumé en 1869, le phare de Pontusval sur la pointe de Beg Pol en Brignogan est le modèle de maison-phare le plus courant en France.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Le phare des Poulains est construit sur la pointe occidentale de Belle-Île ; il est allumé le 15 septembre 1868. Publié dans Les Maisons-Phares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Le phare de la Jument situé à Ouessant, en mer d'Iroise. Il a été érigé entre 1904 et 1914. Sur cette photo : le gardien Théodore Malgorn à la porte du phare lors de la tempête du 22 décembre 1989. Publié dans De mémoire de phares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Le phare du Paon au nord de l'île de Bréhat, au large de Paimpol. Le premier phare a été construit vers 1860, électrifié en 1942. Dynamité par les troupes allemandes en 1944, il a été reconstruit en 1949.  Le phare actuel est en granit rose de la région. Il est automatisé. Publié dans Les Maisons-Phares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Le phare des Pierres Noires a été construit de 1867 à 1871, sur la commune du Conquet. Il éclaire et sécurise la pointe de Saint-Mathieu. Sur la photo, relève par téléphérique (1989). De mémoire de phares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Le phare des Sept-Iles, sur la commune de Perros-Guirrec (première construction en 1832-1835). Sur la photo, l'aérogénérateur à gauche assure l'autonomie du feu. Publié dans L'histoire de tous les phares.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Le phare des Roches-Douvres, au nord-nord-est de l'île de Bréhat. A gauche, pendant la construction. À droite, vue aérienne actuelle. La tour cylindrique est en granit. Publié dans L'histoire de tous les phares.

Fils de marin pêcheur finistérien, Ronan Follic,  n’a pas poursuivi le métier, c’est au contact de la mer qu’il a décidé de réaliser des images traduisant un « finis terrae » où l’homme côtoie souvent l’extrême. 

Ronan fait partie du collectif Breizhscapes. Créé en 2012, il compte 5 autres photographes, tous spécialisés dans les photographies de Bretagne.Leur passion, il la partage dans le livre Regards croisés de Bretagne, auto-édité grâce au crowdfunding et disponible en ligne. Un voyage à travers la Bretagne à toutes les saisons, de Saint Malo, à Ploumanach, en passant par Ouessant, la Pointe du Raz, la baie de Quiberon, la forêt de Brocéliande... 

Des quais ombragés de l'Odet au mont Frugy, des venelles médiévales au quartier de Locmaria, il faudra vous plonger dans le vieux Quimper pour apprécier les richesses d'une ville où l'art, l'histoire et la culture tissent l'âme profonde de la Cornouaille.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        La cathédrale Saint-Corentin, joyau de la ville, avec la statue équestre du Roi Gradlon qui se dresse entre les flêches.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Oublié le parking qui meurtrissait la ravissante place Terre-au-Duc. La toponymie des voies alentour nous raconte le temps où cette partie de la ville était propriété du duc de Bretagne :

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Rue de la Herse, venelles du Pain-Cuit, du Moulin-au-Duc. Le Steir, qui coule juste derrière ces maisons, marquait la frontière avec la ville épiscopale.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Depuis la gare, on rejoint le centre-ville. Une minimuraille se dresse.  il s’agit d’une partie des remparts de 1 500 mètres datant du XIII^ème siècle.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Une fois la porte franchie, on se trouve dans les jardins de l’Évêché et l’ancien palais des évêques de Cornouaille (XVI^ème _  XIX^èmesiècles) qui abrite le Musée départemental breton.

Costumes, faïences, mobilier, mais aussi arts populaire et ancien y sont exposés.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       La rue Laennec honore le médecin quimpérois inventeur du stéthoscope : René Laennec (1781-1826). (l'hôpital de la ville porte son nom).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Au  bout de la rue, dans l’axe de la perspective, on remarque un hôtel particulier :

C’est celui de René Madec (1738-1784), autre enfant de Quimper au destin fabuleux. À 9 ans, il embarque pour la première fois, puis part pour l’Inde.

À 20 ans, il se fait mercenaire au service du Grand Moghol, devient lieutenant général de l’Empire moghol, nabab et roi du Dekkan !

Las de lutter contre les Anglais et immense fortune faite, il rentre en France en 1779.

Anobli par Louis XVI, l’aventurier meurt banalement des suites d’une chute de cheval, en 1784.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 La très vaste place Saint-Corentin est entièrement piétonnière. Un vrai luxe. D’un côté, la cathédrale Saint-Corentin, de l’autre, la mairie et le musée des Beaux-Arts.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Sans oublier les immenses terrasses des deux cafés avec vue sur la cathédrale où s’arrêter pour scruter les détails du granit sculpté du sanctuaire, et pour lever les yeux vers les hauteurs de ses flèches de 36 mètres réalisées au XIX^e siècle.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             La rue Kéréon (autrement dit, des cordonniers) est l’artère du centre-ville. Maisons à colombages, à encorbellements (la demeure de gauche date de 1552).