Le cap de la Chèvre

Go wild

Picture 1 Le cap de la Chèvre Picture 2 Le cap de la Chèvre Picture 3 Le cap de la Chèvre

Part of the Armorican Regional National Park, the Crozon Peninsula juts out into the sea south of Brest. Its southernmost tip culminates in Cap de la Chèvre, a wild and windswept rocky outcrop. On the way you’ll discover charming villages, fortifications, scenic footpaths, rare flora and a grotto.

Unique flowers

Start at the Maison des Minéraux mineral museum in Crozon village where you’ll find out how the peninsula was formed and the wealth of flora and fauna that exists on it today. French-speakers can hire an audio-guide for a self-guided tour of the Cap – see if you can spot the small blue crozonnaise flowers that are unique to this location.

Military might

Once a fishing port that brought in tuna and sardines, nearby Morgat is now a pleasant summer resort boasting a long sandy beach with a kids’ club in high season. Like the rest of the peninsula, the village has its fair share of military history including the remains of an 18th-century gun battery and a 19th-century barracks – the tourist office has designed a marked trail of the peninsula’s 200 or so fortifications, which is headed by the impressive Vauban tower in Camaret-sur-Mer in the far west.

Little donkey

About 25 miles (40km) of marked trails cross this part of the peninsula, through gorse and heather and past charming stone villages, and visitors have a choice of transport: on foot, by bike, on horseback or even accompanied by a donkey. But many people take a boat trip or hire a kayak to see the Cap from a different angle: the pretty cove of Ile Vierge, a marine grotto including the 26ft (8m)-long Altar Cave and glimpses of seabirds and seals.

Surfing and sounds 

On the west side of the Cap is La Palue beach. Although out of bounds to swimmers due to its strong currents, this attractive sandy expanse is regarded as one of the best places in France for surfing and attracts a young crowd. Many of them no doubt head over to Crozon during the first weekend of August when the Festival du Bout du Monde takes place – a world music festival that features many acts you’d see at Glastonbury or WOMAD.

Did you know? 

The tower at the tip of Cap de la Chèvre is a lookout owned by the French Navy.

Liens utiles

Site internet de l'office de tourisme de Crozon : http://www.officedetourisme-crozon-morgat.fr