Belle-île, a trail runner's paradise

Varied routes amid Stunning landscapes Organize your trail trip

With its 2800m of elevation change over its 85km course, France’s favourite GR® of 2022, the “GR® 340 Tour de Belle-île-en-mer” is more akin to a mid mountain hike in the middle of the Atlantic. This variety of rugged reliefs and flat plateaus offers runners the opportunity to vary and fine tune their training regimens. From detailed itineraries and route descriptions through to accommodation and transport, this article will lay out everything you may need to know to best organise your trip to Brittany’s largest Island. Not to mention the monuments, sights and places not to be missed! Plan your trip ahead, as a stay on Belle-Île isn’t something left to improvisation.

#1 Le Palais-Locmaria

A pleasant, long hike

To the discovery of Belle-Île

plaisance, voilier, déconnexion, tranquilité, Plages - Partir à la plage, Nature - île photogénique, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

With 676 m of elevation change along its 17.3 km course, this segment presents a rather smooth profile, lending itself perfectly to long, pleasant outings with magnificent views of the Ocean and fine sand beaches. This portion of the “customs trail” is rich in historical monuments, giving you the opportunity to truly delve into the local maritime history, such as Locmaria’s set of “fortins” (small forts) designed to protect Belle Île from English attacks. Being Belle-Ile’s most verdant section, the trails are lined by tall grass and bushes that provide much needed shade during hot, sunny days.

Though beware! Certain uphill sections may catch you off guard as Christophe Malardé, historical figure of Breton Trail Running and godfather of the Belle-Île Trail explains.

Se dépasser - sports, Trail, Belle île En Mer, île De Bretagne, Bretagne Sud, Au Large Du Golfe Du Morbihan

Christophe Malardé’s advice:

This is my favourite trail… especially in the early morning, when the sun rising from the ocean can keep you company for a good while. The bumps are short but often quite steep. From the very first ones, take your time, walk… you’ll thank me for it later 😉

Oh, and by the way: basic trail running calculation… 17.3 km with 676 m of elevation gain is equivalent to 23.4 km on flat terrain.

Christophe Malardé

The beaches
Where to get supplies?
The visits

This itinerary passes by the great sandy beaches of the island: Bordardoué, the Pointe du Gros Rocher, Grands-Sables, Port Andro.

Histoire - Patrimoine bâti, Plages - Partir à la plage, ,Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

Plages - Partir à la plage, Traversées lignes régulières, saisonnières, plaisance, Océan - Profiter de l'Océan, Changer de rythme - déplacement doux, déconnexion, tranquilité, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

Nature - île photogénique, Océan - Profiter de l'Océan, Plages - Partir à la plage, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

On the course in Port Andro, the Mabalulu beach restaurant, in season, offers cold drinks, ice cream and full meals.

Along the way, near Bordardoué, the Belle-Fontaine is open to visitors every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from June 1 to September 30.

Continue your day on the sea!

Water activities

From Palais and Locmaria

Enjoy the beaches and coves of the gentle coast from the ocean! Sailing, paddle, sea kayak, or motor boat rental, there are a thousand ways to explore the coastline between Le Palais and Locmaria.

#2 Le Palais-Sauzon

the difficult course

Explore the protected sites

Randonner -autour de l'île, Nature - île photogénique, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

With all its climbs and descents in the small creeks, and its numerous restarts, this 13.9 km route with 600 m of difference in altitude seems to have been built for runners who wish to train uphill, and to take a lot of pleasure!

The route also offers an excellent view of the local heritage. It starts with a passage between the ramparts of the Vauban Citadel and then heads towards the coastal path and the beaches and creeks located between Le Palais and Sauzon: Port Fouquet, Port Collen and Port Jean. The descents in these coves give this segment an interesting profile for runners who want to work on their technique in the steep parts. The steep climbs and descents are non-stop and allow for a significant change in altitude over a short distance.

However, be careful not to start too fast or you may burn your quadriceps!

The advice of Christophe Malardé, sponsor of the Belle-Île en Trail

It is a magnificent trace where we advance from beach to beach by discovering Sauzon at the last moment. It is a beautiful immersion but there still… walking is not a failure ;-))

Christophe Malardé

Good to know!
Where to get supplies?
Sites to visit

A walking trail has been laid out around the Palais urban precinct. The loop measures 2.5 km and allows you to warm up and discover the military heritage of the city. The route follows the fortifications that were built during the Second Empire.

You’ll find all the necessities at the two convenience stores in the city center: The Super U and the Spar convenience store.
You can also buy fresh produce with the daily market held in the mornings from Tuesday through Saturday.

Vauban’s citadel. The self-guided tour lasts 1.5 hours and gives access to the Museum of Art and History, the Navy Hall, the corps de place, and the citadel. Guided tours of 2 hours are also available. Schedules and fees

#3 Sauzon-les Poulains-Apothicairerie-Sauzon

An easy loop for

Explore the nature reserves

With 15 km and 320 m of difference in altitude, this loop with a rather flat profile allows you to realize an exit with a soft rhythm. This route will also allow you to discover the nature and the heritage of the north of the island:

La pointe des Poulains which is 6 km from the port of Sauzon. The path between Sauzon and Les Poulains is dotted with small sheltered coves. Arriving at the Pointe des Poulains, you can go down to the beach and run around the Poulains lighthouse and enjoy a superb panorama of the Ocean.

Please note, the lighthouse and Pointe des Poulains is not accessible at high tide. To ensure you can access the site, please check the tide schedules.

This route also gives you a first glimpse of the wild coastline, its jagged coastline, ragged moorland and high rocky plateau. Beware though, this route even if it is flat, is quite exposed to weather conditions. An important detail as Christophe Malardé notes:

The advice of Christophe Malardé, sponsor of the Belle-Île en Trail

It is a varied loop in terms of landscapes and difficulties. The exit is beautiful, but very exposed to the wind and the sun. It is necessary to be aware of this in order to engage and not to have a hard time.

Christophe Malardé

Natural sites of the course
Where to get supplies?
Swimming break

After your passage on the point, you switch to the wild coast and its natural reserves. You run for 2.5 km on the rocky plateau of the west coast before reaching the two Natura 2000 sites:

The Koh Kastell Bird Sanctuary is home to many protected bird species.
The site of the Apothecary located about 5 km from the Pointe des Poulains offers a remarkable view of the moor. You can also see the cave of the Apothecary from the cliffs.

In the village of Sauzon:

The Vival grocery store, open from 8:30 am / 12:30 pm 3:30 pm / 7:30 pm in mid-season and from 8 am to 8 pm in July-August has many regional products and basic necessities.
In summer, on Fridays, two markets are organized. The first one takes place in the morning (8am-1pm) at the parking lot of Pen-Prad at the entrance of the village. You will find there, a roaster, a market gardener, a fruit and vegetable seller. The second one takes place on the Port of Sauzon from 5:30 pm.

Don’t forget the swimsuits! At the end of the trail, Ster Vraz beach offers a beautiful sheltered swimming spot.

Swimming, sunrise or sunset, family break

The beaches of Belle-île

On your run, or after your training, you will inevitably find a beach that corresponds to your expectations. The diversity of landscapes and reliefs give incredibly diverse beaches: small sheltered creeks, large sandy beaches, or surf spots, there are 58 beaches listed on Belle-Île!

#4 Needles of Port Coton - Herlin Beach

A short route

Various terrains

Nature - île photogénique, Océan - Profiter de l'Océan, Randonner -autour de l'île, Port-Coton, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

With 11 km and 427 m of elevation gain, this route is perfect for a dynamic outing. This route is ideal for runners looking to train on difficult terrain. This section of the GR is particularly rocky. The moors are covered with rocks, and the steep descents in the valleys require extra vigilance. You will also evolve in a multitude of different environments: moors, valleys, pine forests. This is particularly beneficial for working on stride technique as Sylvain Bazin editor-in-chief of WiderMag and judge of my Favorite RG:

Randonner -autour de l'île Se dépasser - sports, Trail, Belle île en mer, île de Bretagne, Bretagne sud, au large du Golfe du Morbihan

Sylvain Bazin, editor in chief of Wider Magazine

On this itinerary, we go quickly from one terrain to another: sand, small stones, or grass. It’s interesting to work on your footing. Runners used to mountainous terrain will not find the trail particularly technical, but you have to be careful because some steep descents are difficult!

Sylvain Bazin

Where to get supplies?
Good to know!
The monuments of the route

In the hamlet of Kervilahouen:

The grocery store/bar Le Kervi is open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

In the town of Bangor:

The bar restaurant Le Cabestan offers in summer, burger, sandwich and snack
The bookstore cafe The Nightlight offers coffee, tea, cake and savory pie. Open daily (10am-7pm) except Tuesdays.

How about a detour to the Bangor market? The largest market on Belle-Île takes place on Sunday morning. You will have the opportunity to buy fresh products from Belle-Île: cheeses, cookies, fruits and vegetables, and to recover over a coffee. It is also possible to buy various souvenirs: clothes with the effigy of Belle-Île, paintings …

What if you were to try a sporty visit? A 5-minute walk from the needles, the ascent of the Grand Phare with its 247 m steps will warm up your calves, and give you a breathtaking view of the wild coast. Prices and opening hours.

#5 Herlin-Locmaria Beach

Climbing the highest cliffs of the island

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This last course located on the wild coast gives access to steep and playful grounds. The 12 km and 527 m of elevation change of this route will make you pass multiple environments and landscapes: beaches, creeks, wooded valleys, dirt roads or covered with small pebbles. This route also offers a superb view of the ocean. It is indeed in the commune of Locmaria that the cliffs are the highest of the island. This wild part of the coastal path is also very exposed to weather conditions. This will give an additional difficulty to your outings, as one of the greatest hopes of the French trail, Yves Heloury, who usually comes to Belle-île to train, remarks.

Sport Se Dépasser, Trail, Belle île En Mer, île De Bretagne, Bretagne Sud, Au Large Du Golfe Du Morbihan

Yves Heloury: French champion of the vertical kilometer and winner of the Trail du Ponant

This is the most beautiful part of the coastal trail for me. It is beautiful and wild, when you run, you are alone in the world. It is also the most difficult part of the tour of the island. The ascents and descents are longer, and when it is windy it can be a real ordeal!

Yves Heloury

Where to get supplies?
Sites to visit
Beach break

In the town of Locmaria:

Spar grocery store operates Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday).
Spar bakery is open from 7am-8pm Tuesday through Sunday.

In the village of Locmaria, you will find the oldest church on Belle-île. In this building you will find the Ex-Voto, a model of a ship which is 2.80 meters long and 2.38 meters high.

The Locmaria coast is generally better sheltered from the prevailing winds. At the end of your itinerary, two swimming spots are available:

The beach of Port Blanc and its fine sand
A few hectometers from the town of Locmaria, the small cove of Port Maria its fort and its pier

The restaurant break

In Locmaria

After the training

Creperie, oyster bar or grill, the restaurants of the small town of Locmaria offer a wide choice of menus that will satisfy all desires. our selection of the best restaurants in Locmaria