Mousterlin

Pointing to the Glénans

Picture 1 Mousterlin Picture 2 Mousterlin Picture 3 Mousterlin Picture 4 Mousterlin Picture 5 Mousterlin

On the south Finistère coast, Mousterlin’s little headland is like a thin finger pointing at the Glénans, a beautiful protected archipelago. Long, unbroken sandy beaches stretch out temptingly to east and west of the headland, but discover more secretive marshlands and birds behind the dunes.

Obvious coastal attractions

The port at Mousterlin is simply a single jetty protecting a shoal of boats, while people hang their fishing rods from its ramp. From all points, the Glénans signal their presence on the horizon. Right behind the port, holiday homes, a hotel and campsites have colonized the tip of Mousterlin’s headland. Walk away to east or west and you leave houses and cars well behind. You can follow the long beach east as far as the resort of Beg-Meil, views giving right across the bay of Concarneau. The huge western beach curves gently round almost as far as Bénodet, one stretch clearly indicated for naturists, while Kentish plovers nest more discreetly at the distant tip – panels warn you away from these shy, tiny birds.

Behind the dunes

Heading west, the land known as the Dune Domaniale de Mousterlin consists of a very long, thin barrier of sand separating the ocean from an inlet known as La Mer Blanche, or the white sea, the name derived from the dazzling sands bordering its edges. At low tide, the seawater drains away almost entirely, leaving behind sandy flats where people come to gather seashells to eat and peaceful marshlands that all manner of birds appreciate.

Rich man-made marshes

The Marais de Mousterlin, the main marshes, lie behind the eastern beach, and are now a protected site. The effects of the sea on this natural lagoon were halted when sluices were put in place early in the 20th century to drain the land for use. Today the ecosystem is being carefully managed to encourage exceptionally diverse flora and fauna. Observatories set around the lake, which teems with life, allow you to view herons and cormorants in the trees, and panels point out many other interesting natural features.

Did you know?

At low tide, you can easily walk the short distance across from Bénodet onto the Dune de Mousterlin; otherwise, it’s a much longer hike round, as the Mer Blanche inlet is some 4 kilometres in length.