Groix Island is located inside the heart of southern Brittany, is only a 45-minute boat ride from Lorient and enjoys a unique microclimate.
As a gem of southern Brittany and the Morbihan islands, Groix is a part of the European nature conservation community "Natura 2000."
Whether you're staying for a weekend or just a few hours, you can explore this 14.82 rectangular kilometer haven. Walk along the coastal paths (27 kilometers across the island) or cycle on greater than 40 kilometers of trails, wherein all of the treasures of Groix Island will spread before you. When traveling to Groix Island, go away your car at the back and immerse yourself in nature!
| Name | Groix Island |
| Country | France |
| Department | Morbihan |
| Coordinates | 47°38′22″N 3°27′13″W |
| Area | 14.82 km2 (5.72 sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC +1 |
| Population | 2,282 |
| Airport | N/A |
Groix Island: History
Groix Island was renamed by some as "the Pebble of Brittany," and was born more than four hundred million years ago from the collision of two tectonic plates.
The island has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era and had early exchanges with the mainland, as evidenced by way of the polished axes discovered and preserved by way of the Groix Island Museum inside the following intervals.
These indirect witnesses of seafaring and exchanges had been confirmed during the Bronze Age (consisting of the burial at Port Melite), the Gallic generation, and the Gallo-Roman length. The Vikings then left their mark on Groix Island: weapons, graves, and the famous Viking deliver burial—a unique and extraordinary discovery in France—proving that Groix changed into indeed located on a prime island.
From the 14th to the 16th century, Groix ships traded with England, Flanders, and Portugal. By the 18th century, many sailors from Groix joined the ships of the East India Company, whose headquarters were positioned in Lorient, simply throughout from Groix Island. In 1666, the corporation settled in Port-Louis and Lorient with the aid of Colbert.
From the mid-nineteenth century, the Groisillons by and large lived off sardine fishing and different coastal fisheries, though they quickly sought to diversify economically in anticipation of the important sardine crisis.
Groix Island as a consequence became France's first tuna port at the start of the twentieth century, establishing 5 canneries. Their merchandise has been exported as a way as Switzerland, England, Germany, and Algeria. The humans of Groix took superb pride in this fulfillment—they even changed the traditional fowl atop their village church with a tuna! It can still be seen there these days.
Tuna prompted the entire society: fishermen aboard the well-known Dundee workboats, shipowners, cannery people, blacksmiths, carpenters, sailmakers, and even local pharmacists who made ointments from tuna roe.
The turbulent Second World War additionally left its mark on Groix Island, where many bunkers served as shelters for the German navy. You can find them today with the aid of taking walks alongside the Pen Men cliffs.
Groix Island: Main Villages
Port Tudy
Port Tudy serves as an essential hyperlink to the mainland and Lorient, its interest punctuated with the aid of the arrival of boats. Before continuing your exploration, the café terraces across the small harbor offer a pleasing prevent in which you may lease a bicycle or electric-powered automobile.
As you stroll towards the village, you’ll come across charming shipowners' homes and a family cinema with façades decorated by Italian craftsmen. In the mornings, the marketplace hall offers a whole lot of island products from each land and sea. The church tower, decorated with the well-known tuna, stands as a reminder of the deep legacy of tuna fishing. The village of Groix Island additionally functions as eating places, shops, and cafés.
Locmaria
Locmaria quietly nestles around a small bay, with its maze-like streets, washhouses, and fountains, and the Notre Dame de Plasmanec church at its center.
Here, you could enjoy a coffee or forestall for lunch by using the water, whilst youngsters build sandcastles on the seashore.
Groix Island: Marina
Port-Lay
Port-Lay will captivate you with its charm. This small harbor became once a bustling hub all through the era of tuna and sardine canneries, a maritime life that also lingers today, as the Groix et Nature cannery keeps this lifestyle.
Each year, the Groix Island International Film Festival (FIFIG) is held here, in which, over three days, filmmakers, musicians, dancers, and sculptors gather to share their island reports with the public.
Port Saint-Nicolas
Port Saint-Nicolas, nestled in a gorge that transforms superbly with the seasons—pink in spring, red in autumn—overlooks the double-access ria. It is an herbal haven, far away from the open sea, regularly website hosting sailboats, kayaks, and small motorboats.
Groix Island: Beaches
Red Sands beach
“Garnet Island”—this is how some check with Groix Island because the particular mineral discovered on this seashore creates an enthralling spectacle with pink streaks in the sand. Between the Red Sands beach, emerald waters, and the azure sky, a stunning palette of colors unfolds. A sight not to be neglected!
Les Grands Sables
A significant stretch of pleasant white sand, nestled along the coastal route, with crystal-clean, emerald waters—a promise of bliss! In the summer season, you may hire windsurf boards, small boats, or paddleboards. The ideal manner to enjoy a splendid summertime day with the aid of the ocean!
Groix Island: Lighthouse
Pen Men Lighthouse (Phare de Pen-Men)
At the island's facet lies the Pen Men Lighthouse. Here, the wild coast well-known shows its complete beauty: beautiful coastal heathlands and cliffs. This area, a natural reserve on Groix Island, serves as a sanctuary for infinite seabirds.
Tip: During the excessive season, you may go to the Pen Men Lighthouse with the Maison de los Angeles Réserve Naturelle (02 97 86 55 97), or explore the black bee hives on Groix Island with the Asan.GX association.
Le Chat Lighthouse (Phare de la Pointe des Chats)
At low tide, a mind-blowing rocky plateau emerges, shimmering with a silvery glow—a mix of mica schist, garnet, and glaucophane, growing a sensitive mineral harmony.
Le Chat Lighthouse, not the most effective picturesque, is likewise the sentinel at the southern tip of Groix Island.
