The natural side of France: the coast of Abers

France, the world’s leading tourist destination thanks to its cities and villages, its monuments, its museums, its beaches and ski resorts, its culture and its art of living, as well as all this nature that invites you to walk or practice hiking activities of all kinds. And if there are obviously all these national or regional parks, the country also has countless others. other natural spacesoften less known, just waiting to be discovered.

Today head to Brittany along the coast of Abers.

A bit of wild Brittany as we imagine it

The Côte des Abers is a Breton coast with spectacular landscapes located on the northern coast of Finistère. The place, a few dozen kilometers long, is distinguished by its rias and estuaries which are these deep valleys dug by the sea and which sink into the land, with the name of Aber-Wrac’h or Aber-Benoît to name only the two best known.

Here the environment, with all its contrasts, is suggestive and offers multiple discoveries. If only because at high tide the sea rises far upstream while at low tide the aber remains almost dry, revealing its muddy bottom and another environment.

As you walk you will discover increasingly beautiful cliffs, fine sandy beaches, rocky islands and islets, lush vegetation; it is all you need to seduce nature lovers. With here and there also some picturesque fishing villages, lighthouses such as the one on the Virgin Island, manors and small castles full of history and even megalithic sites.

Enough to immerse yourself in the history and local traditions of this wild Brittany as we imagine it. Whether you visit it on the water by kayak or sailboat, underwater by diving or, more simply, on foot along the hiking trails in the region.

In short, a world apart that unfortunately almost disappeared one day in 1978…

The Sinking of the Amoco Cadiz

It’s the 16th Mars In 1978 the Liberian tanker Amoco Cadiz, carrying 227,000 tons of crude oil, ran aground on the Men Goulven rocks off the town of Portsall in Finistère. Right off the coast of Abers.

This dramatic event will mark for many one of the worst ecological disasters in French history, when shortly after the grounding the stricken vessel released its cargo of oil.
Millions of birds, marine mammals and plant species will be decimated, coastal ecosystems will be severely polluted and fishing will be banned for several years, to the point that huge resources will be used to try to limit this pollution that will extend over more than 400 km of coastline. Paralyzing economic activity in the region and causing the collapse of tourism for a certain period.

And it is only after a long process that the State, municipalities, communities and other associations or organizations for the protection of the environment will achieve success and compensation for the oil spill caused. An oil spill that will remain etched in the memory of the people for a long time but that will also be partly at the origin of measures and other laws in the following decades aimed at protecting the environment.

Around the coast of Abers

Even if it means being in this part of Brittany, take the opportunity to visit the region too (or vice versa).
Starting of course from all the coast beyond the trees, Morlaix has Brest if not even to the superb Crozon Peninsula. With some stops along the way at small ports such as Conquet Beaches, Plounéour-Brignognan, Plouescat OR Saint-Pol de Léon. Always on the seashore, don’t forget the little one Batz Islandin front of Roscoffand especially Ouessant And Mullein that is worth visiting.
And for those who wish to discover Brittany from the mainland, the Armorique Regional Natural ParkTHE Arrée MountainsTHE Huelgoat Forest and the Menez Hom which dominates the region from its 330 meters high are not far away and are just waiting for you…

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