Portsall: Harbour, Coast and History

Portsall brings together a harbour, coastal scenery and historic landmarks. When looking for a hotel for a stay here, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on: would you like to learn about the Amoco Cadiz disaster, explore the coast, or discover the megaliths and the history of the church? The different sites and activities offer distinct highlights and give your trip a theme.

Harbour, Museum and Water Sports

The L’Ancre An Eor Museum, dedicated to the Amoco Cadiz disaster, is located in the harbour at Portsall. Its exhibits include models, interactive terminals and extensive documentation about the disaster. One of the supertanker’s anchors is on display opposite the museum all year round—another reminder of the disaster at the harbour.

The nautical centre is open year-round in the L’Ancre-An-Eor building at the harbour of Ploudalmézeau in Portsall. It offers the opportunity to sail in a sheltered bay. On kayak trips with Nautisme en Pays d’Iroise, you can get close to the rocks and observe the wildlife there without disturbing it. The CNPK offers an introduction to sailing at Beg al Lan. Kayaking, sailing in the sheltered bay and the sailing introduction are different ways to enjoy a stay focused on the water.

Coast and Trails

Pointe du Guilliguy is a rocky headland overlooking the harbour at Portsall. Next to the harbour is Beg al Lan, a small bay of sand and gravel. For a longer coastal walk, the La Littorale en Iroise route starts in Portsall and runs for more than ten kilometres towards Landunvez. The local walking routes also include one called Circuit de Portsall.

The GR-34 also leads to the Megaliths of Guilliguy, which are 600 metres away. The named trails and coastal route offer different ways to explore Portsall on foot or along the coast. If you plan to visit Île Carn, the tide is especially important: a 600-metre isthmus leads to the island from Porsguen beach and is passable only at low tide. Check the tides before your visit.

Megaliths and Building History

The covered gallery of Guilliguy is a Neolithic burial site. The dolmenic gallery and the small, leaning menhir of Guilléguy have been classified as historic monuments by decree of 4 March 1921. On Île Carn, the cairn has been classified as a historic monument since 1955. Its chamber dates back to at least 4200 BC, making it more than 6,000 years old. In Portsall and on Île Carn, you can therefore encounter traces from very different periods of history.

The church at Portsall also has a long building history: the chapel, or church, was built in 1896 and first expanded in 1921. The expanded church was blessed by Bishop Fauvel on 19 September 1957.

Explore More of Portsall

If you would like to explore the surrounding area as well as the waterside paths, bicycles are available for hire in partnership with Les Frères Complices. Availability may change, so check in advance if you are planning a bike ride. When choosing a hotel, consider whether you want your trip to focus on the harbour and museum, coastal paths, water sports or cultural heritage.

For the broader travel overview: Ploudalmézeau.