In Belle-Île-en-Mer, those who reach Sauzon stay for good
Second biggest port of Belle Ile en Mer (Brittany, France), Sauzon probably takes its name from the English occupation (SAOZ in Breton). Located at the end of a bay more than one kilometre long, and seven kilometres from the port of Palais, you can take in the atmosphere of a small Breton port, both typical and alive. The activity is due to fishing, sailing and its connection to the mainland. At the northwest tip of the island, Sauzon is divided between the "inner" coast facing the continent, calmer, and the untamed coast, beaten by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The spectacular sites are almost as numerous as the birds in the sky. There are 14 beaches in Sauzon.
The second biggest port of the island is smaller than the port of Palais, quieter but very much alive.
On the quaisides, there are small hotels, bars and restaurants.
At the heart of the port of Quiberon, are the fishing and sailing activities (including many foreign yachts) and the link to the continent.
Poulains’ Point is located at the far northwest of the island. Overlooking an automated lighthouse with a range of 23 miles, with an autonomy guaranteed by solar panels, the site offers spectacular views. On clear days, the view stretches to the island of Groix, Lorient and takes in all of the bay of Quiberon. Set between steep rocks, there are beautiful and soft sand spits as in this photo shows at Poulain Beach.
In 1894, after returning from an international tour, the great actress Sarah Bernhardt discovered the island with her friend Clairin, a painter, and acquired a former military fort at Pointe des Poulains. There, she will spend the last thirty summers of her life, always surrounded by family and friends, building for them the villa of the "Five Parts of the World" and the villa "Lysiane." Since April 2007, the villa has become a museum and celebrates the life and work of the famous actress, while the inside of the fort was restored to its original state.
The seat that the artist had carved to contemplate the sea view.
An 18-hole golf course is located nearby, and a restaurant: Sarah’s Farm.
Copyright : OT Belle-île Bathilde Chaboche
Among the numerous caves dotted along the coast of Belle-Ile, this is probably the most famous, if not the most beautiful. It owes its name to the cormorants that once housed them, posed on the inside of the overhanging rocks as like jars on a chemist shelf. Due to potential risk factors, the access to the cave is prohibited, but the panoramic views offered by its site on the untamed coast and the moor is unique.
The untamed coast is also peppered with coves, gulleys and holes ... where the more knowledgeable fishermen try their luck from the cliff tops, often in a agitated sea.
But sometimes you find it is a little deeper in the bays so providing a refuge for passing boats against the wrath of the ocean.
A paradise for sailing, but extra care is required as it is a difficult coast line with rolling waves.
Donnant beach, in the southwest, with its high rolling froth crested waves which are highly appreciated by both surfers and body-boarders.
Copyright : OTBI Philippe Ulliac
There are not only sheep on the sea but also on the grasslands of the island, which are appreciated for their flesh.
The complete tour of the points of interest requires two to three days and, at the end, you can recuperate on the terrace of the Hotel du Phare, a good address.
