Quieter than Belle-Île, Groix appeals to those looking for a change of scene without the crowds: cliffs, wild coves, a past as a great tuna-fishing port, and a golden tuna weathervane on top of the church tower.
Getting there
- From the Lorient ferry terminal (30 minutes from the house): the Compagnie Océane ferry, all year round, about 45 minutes' crossing. Booking strongly advised in July and August
- From La Base, in Lorient: other boats leave from the La Base harbour
- From Lomener (Ploemeur): in season, Laïta Croisières runs a crossing of about twenty minutes, from April to the end of September
- From Doëlan: there is no longer a boat to Groix from the harbour
Leave early, around 8 am, to make a full day of it. A car is useless and hard to get onto the ferry in season: the island is best on foot or by bike.
Beaches for children
- Port-Lay: a small sheltered sandy cove, ideal with children
- Moustéro: calm water for swimming, facing the mainland
- Les Grands Sables: a convex beach, rare in Europe, with coloured pebbles and grains. For picnics and curiosity
- Locmaria: the wilder coast, for walking
Cycling round the island
The hire shops in Port-Tudy, right where the boat comes in, have bikes, child seats and trailers. The full tour of the island is a long, sporty day; with children, aim for one beach and one lighthouse.
- Pen Men, at the western tip: the lighthouse and the François Le Bail nature reserve with its protected coastal flora
- Port-Tudy: the old tuna warehouses turned into galleries and restaurants, and ice creams
The island's history
For a long time Groix was one of France's great tuna-fishing ports. The ecomuseum in Port-Tudy tells that story: model tuna boats, nets, tales of seafaring families. Children find out why a tuna sits on top of the church tower.
Our typical day with the children
- Morning boat, bikes hired in Port-Tudy
- Swim and picnic at Port-Lay
- The ecomuseum early in the afternoon, when the sun is strongest
- An ice cream on the harbour, and the boat back
Bring good shoes, sun cream (the wind makes you forget the sun), a picnic or a restaurant booking. Check boat times and fares with the companies each season.