Formerly an island, Île Renote was joined to the mainland in 1895 by construction of a road, forming a peninsula. It has an exceptional geological and human history. Inhabited for 5,000 years, it has remarkable chaotic granite rock formations which form a unique natural landscape. Shaped by the sea, sculpted by the salt spray, the top of the rocky clusters is in places is studded with depressions (or crevices) nicknamed "bidets de la vierge" (the Virgin's bidets) or "empreintes du diable" (the devil's footprints). You can also see the rock known locally as "La palette du peintre" (the Painter's Palette). Be careful not to venture onto the neighbouring islands without checking the tide times. The currents in the area are extremely dangerous.
Be sure to visit the rural hamlet of Saint-Samson, a quiet spot in the country with a chapel, a menhir and a fountain. The chapel, constructed between 1575 and 1631, is a superb example of the...
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This large, traditional "lavoir" – an open-air pool or basin set aside for clothes to be washed – is located on Île Grande and dates from the nineteenth century. Two sources supply it and can be...
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Construction of Saint Jacques Church began in the eleventh century using granite from the area and further construction followed over the years, resulting in today's patchwork of architectural...
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Several hundreds of millions of years old, granite is timeless. Even now, its high quality makes it a material of choice for many uses. The marine bears testament to this: its wall was built from...
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