Auray: Historic Quarters, Harbour and Coastal Paths

Auray offers several distinct aspects to consider when planning your trip: a well-preserved maritime heritage at Saint-Goustan harbour, historic quarters and paths through protected landscapes. If you’re looking for a hotel in Auray, you can first decide whether to focus on history and townscape, walks or a combination of these. The following places and activities can help you choose a destination that suits your interests.

Saint-Goustan and the historic quarters

Auray-Saint-Goustan comprises two historic quarters, each with its own landmarks: Saint-Gildas Church is at the heart of the upper town, while the lower town lies on the Loch. Saint-Goustan harbour has a well-preserved maritime heritage. You can explore the entire historic area on foot along the Auray River. This allows you to make the harbour and river a focus of your stay, while the upper and lower towns reveal other aspects of Auray’s historic layout.

The “Coeur historique” walking tour is a good way to explore Auray’s oldest streets. Another historic landmark is the Chapelle du Saint-Esprit, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. Both can serve as starting points if you’re interested in how the town has developed: the walking tour passes through the oldest streets, while the chapel’s date places a single building within the town’s history.

From Saint-Goustan, visitors can also take cruises along the rias or towards the Gulf of Morbihan. Alongside exploring the historic area, trips on the water are another option. Operators and timetables may change, so check which trips are available before making plans.

Paths through protected landscapes

The “Le Hameau de Kerléano” walking tour crosses protected land along sunken lanes. This offers a different experience from a walk through Auray’s oldest streets: here, the protected landscape and the sunken paths shape the route. If you’re considering both walks, you can choose between them based on their distinct character without assuming a particular duration or connection between them.

The coastal path also offers a different perspective on the landscape. It leads to the mudflats and salt marshes of Anse du Govillo, which are linked to the region’s oyster-farming history. The natural environment and its past use go hand in hand here: the salt marshes and mudflats are part of the landscape, while oyster farming provides a historical context for the area. Auray lies entirely within the Gulf of Morbihan Regional Natural Park.

These routes cater to different interests: the historic walks take you to streets, buildings and sunken lanes, while the coastal path links mudflats and salt marshes with the history of oyster farming. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus more on the town’s history or its landscape.

Plan your journey and check dates

The high-speed rail line connects Auray with Paris; the stated journey time is 2 hours and 40 minutes. Journey times and services may change, so check the latest timetable before travelling. A local producers’ market takes place in Auray on Fridays at Place Notre-Dame. As the schedule may change, check the current market times before including a visit in your day’s plans.

The train connection relates to getting there, the market to a particular day of the week, and the cruises to a possible activity from Saint-Goustan. These address different planning questions and can be considered independently. When looking for a hotel in Auray, you can first decide which of these aspects matter to your stay. Then, when comparing specific accommodation, check which location best suits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Le Courégant, Pleugriffet, Saint-Barthélemy, Plumelec, La Trinité-Sur-Mer, Quéven, Larmor-Baden, Noyal-Pontivy.

Back to the main travel overview: Morbihan.