Things to see and do Paimpol

The tower of Kerroch offers breathtaking views over Paimpol and its bay. It was built in 1873 by Bishop Nightshade. Emblem of the commune, the Tower of Kerroc'h fest located at the top of Krec'h Mahaf (or Mazé, Mathieu). It offers an exceptional panorama on Paimpol Bay. To access it, just take the road from Ploubazlanec, at the exit of Paimpol. Before reaching the village, the tower will be on your right.

Departing from Paimpol station, this old-fashioned looking train, pulled by a period steam locomotive, takes a bucolic railway track along the superb Trieux estuary. Along the way, you will discover elegant manor houses, pretty bridges and the beautiful forest of Penhoat-Lancerf. The stop at the Maison de l'Estuaire is enlivened by a show (magic, theatre, music, tales...). The train stops in Pontrieux, where a guided tour is offered. If you take the one-way ticket, you can return by boat, on board the Passeur du Trieux.

The beating heart of Paimpol, this pretty cobbled square, which hosts a lively market every Tuesday, is lined with traditional two-storey granite and freestone houses. Stop in front of the one located at number 2 to admire its Renaissance décor, with its two carved jamb doors on the facade, its window which has retained its full surround with cornice, supporting stone and triangular pediment, and its niche in which a statue of Saint-Louis is installed. Dating from 1581, it is one of the oldest houses in the city. At the corner of Rue de l'Eglise, the beautiful building with a corner turret was once a hotel, where Pierre Loti, the author of Pêcheur d'Islande, stayed. In the novel, the heroine Gaud Mével lives there. From the Place du Martray there are several pretty little streets, such as the Place de l'Eglise, one of the oldest, or the Place des Huit-Patriotes, one of the most beautiful in the historic centre. Its name refers to the eight maquisards who fell on 16 August 1944. This narrow pedestrian alley, very lively with its many restaurants, bars and shops, reveals superb facades, some decorated with statues. Among the most remarkable: the half-timbered house at number 6, which has housed the Jézéquel family hardware store since 1886. This 1570 building has columns and beams, as well as statues at each corner, a sort of caryatids with a strange posture, bent knees and hands resting on their thighs.

Borrowed by customs officers in the nineteenth century to watch French coasts, the Customs Trail now offers 2,000 kilometers to hikers. It will take days off to make this GR in its entirety! Pending accumulation, you can start with an easy section: the Paimpol Trail in Plouha. This 13-kilometer walk brings you to the majestic cliffs of Plouézec. Overlooking the Ocean, this wild coast is suitable for picnics in love with sunrise or sunset. The circuit has other points of interest, such as the mill of Craca and the Beauport Sea Abbey, which have crossed the times with their shine.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 2 h.

Difficulty: easy.