Visit the Botanical Gardens
A visit to the Parc Botanique de Cornouaille is an amazing experience at any time of year. Stroll along the paths through the 45,000m², English-style gardens and marvel at the exceptional trees, plants and flowers from many far-flung parts of the globe such as Chile, Japan, Canada, Siberia, Costa Rica and China.
In spring, the paths are bordered by a colourful array of azaleas and rhododendrons which contrast with the light green of the awakening trees. This exceptional and rare collection attracts gardening enthusiasts from near and far.
The Parc Botanique de Cornouaille is a « Jardin Remarquable », a distinction awarded by the Ministry of Culture.
At the end of your visit, stop off at the Mineral Museum. Admission to its fascinating collection is free for visitors to the gardens.
There is also a nursery selling plants to the public.
The Fête des Fleurs at La Torche
Spring is an ideal time to go on holiday, away from the busy summer crowds. From mid-March onwards at La Torche, Plomeur, fields of hyacinths and, later, fields of tulips start to bloom, providing an amazing backdrop for colourful, fragrant walks. Photo enthusiasts adore this time of year so why not join them with your camera or mobile phone and immortalise this unique, colourful moment in Pays Bigouden !
- Mid-march – early April : the air is scented with fields of colourful, sweet-smelling hyacinths
- Early April – mid-April : an amazing array of different coloured tulips come into bloom.
- A free walk around the bulb fields is held on Saturday 17 March at 13.30
- Nature walk organized by Plomeur Comité des Fêtes on Sunday 8 April at 09.30
- The LittleTrain service provides a safe, practical way of admiring the fields.
A walk through the reed beds
Put on your trainers, pick up your binoculars and set off along the walkway from Kerbinigou, Tréogat, through the reed beds and across the marshes to the Etang de Trunvel lake and its bird observatory. Several hundreds of birds nest or stop over in this conservation area : a paradise for bird-watchers and nature lovers !
Sea wading - an invigorating experience
In springtime, there is no better way to recharge the batteries after the winter than a sea-wading session ! Even people who feel the cold can take part in this activity wearing a wetsuit. Sea-wading involves wading along the beach with the sea up to your chest while doing easy movements. It is an excellent way to build stamina and muscles without too much effort. Anyone can do it ! What’s more, at the end you have a great feeling of well-being and of having been close to nature !
Watch surfing competitions
With the coming of spring, surf conditions return to normal and national and international competitions are organised. Local teams invite surfers from far and wide to join them, making La Torche THE surf spot in Brittany !
Competitions for up-and-coming surfers and Under-18s from Finistère : 5 and 26 May 2018.
Also the European Cup with Junior Pro La Torche E.Leclerc from 9 to 13 May 2018. An exceptional event to showcase La Torche and all the locals who promote and use it all year round ! As well as top-level surfing competitions, there will be nature walks, sea rescue demonstrations, environmental activities, concerts, skateboard and surf discovery workshops.
Festivals for everyone !
Rock-metal music enthusiasts mustn’t miss the mind-blowing Courts of Chaos Festival at Plozévet on 11 and 12 May ! In June the Arène du Graff urban art festival features exhibitions, installations, body painting, concerts etc. Finally, Groove on Earth, an eco-friendly weekend festival, marks the start of the summer season on 6 and 7 July.
For book lovers, and particularly detective novel enthusiasts, the Goéland Masqué Literary Festival will take place from 19 to 23 May. The Salle Cap Caval is transformed into a vast bookshop where visitors can meet the authors. In addition a programme of concerts, debates, creative writing competitions, lectures and films will be held at different venues in Penmarc’h.
At the same time, a group of die-hard Bigoudens have created a festival by the sea … with the theme of the sea ! The ‘Si la mer monte’ Festival at Ile-Tudy pays tribute to the sea and the local people whose history is inextricably intertwined with it. Entertainment, exhibitions, concerts and other performances in the narrow streets in a poetic, ‘watery’ atmosphere !
Cycling along the coast...
The coastal cycle route is a perfect way to discover Pays Bigouden in spring as it is very quiet. It runs for 100km from the Pointe du Raz to Sainte-Marine, past the unspoilt coastline of the vast Bay of Audierne, the fishing ports of Le Guilvinec, Saint-Guénolé, Penmarc’h and Loctudy, and the balmy, sheltered beaches of Ile-Tudy and Lesconil. Hire a bike for a couple of hours or a day and just follow the signs ! Or why not spend a weekend or longer exploring the Pays Bigouden and carry on to the Pointe du Raz !
