The Renote peninsula in Trégastel: the walk among the pink rocks

The Renote peninsula is the jewel of Trégastel: a headland of pink granite jutting into the sea, covered in jumbles of rock in extraordinary shapes and fringed with small white sand beaches. Less well known than Ploumanac’h, it’s every bit as impressive. Here’s how to make the most of it.

The walk in brief

• Start: the Renote peninsula car park, then the sandy path running alongside the beach
• Distance: around 2km for the full loop via the coastal path, which forms part of the GR34
• Duration: 45 minutes to an hour, not counting photo stops
• Difficulty: easy, though in places you’ll be walking between and over rock boulders
• Access: free and open, all year round

Some of the wider paths are pushchair-friendly; the full loop among the rocks is not.

The rocks not to miss

Wind, frost and rain have sculpted the granite over thousands of years, and locals have given names to its most curious shapes:

• Le Dé (the Dice), a boulder balanced on top of another. It can only be reached at low tide, and the currents around it are strong, so take care.
• La Palette du peintre (the Painter’s Palette) and la Pince du crabe (the Crab’s Claw), whose names speak for themselves — see if you can spot them.
• Castel Menguy, at the tip of the peninsula facing Ploumanac’h, accessible only at low tide.

Toul Drez beach

This is the peninsula’s main beach, and one of the quietest in Trégastel even in summer: it takes around a quarter of an hour to walk there from the car park. Ideal for a secluded picnic.

When to go

• From May to October, for mild weather and lovely light, avoiding the middle of the day in July and August when the site gets very busy.
• Late in the day, to watch the granite turn red at sunset.
• At low tide, to get close to Le Dé and Castel Menguy, keeping an eye on the incoming tide.

Our tips

• Sturdy footwear: the rocks are slippery when wet.
• Tide times: essential if you want to head out to the rocks at the tip.
• A windproof jacket: the peninsula is exposed. If you’ve come without one, the Horizon Marin shop sells traditional oilskins.
• Stick to the paths: the dune and rock vegetation is fragile.

From L’Anse Roz

The peninsula is just a few minutes from Trégastel village. When you get back, the terrace hot tub will be waiting for you, in service all year round. For more ideas, read what to do in Trégastel and our guide to the beaches.