A Day in St. Jacut de la Mer, Bretagne, France

As the weather is finally getting warmer here in the U. S. and the beaches are starting to open again in Brittany, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share one of the loveliest places in the Côtes-d’Armor department of Brittany.

St. Jacut de la Mer is located on the Emerald Coast of the Côtes-d’Armor, about 81 kilometers from Rennes by car. The town has fewer than 900 residents and while it has some interesting sights, visitors are generally here for its beaches – 11 of them, to be exact.

When our friends first suggested we visit their favorite spot for a seaside lunch, we were excited (they’ve never steered us wrong, after all). We were blessed that day with the perfect weather for a picnic. When we arrived, I was immediately struck by how strikingly beautiful the water was. It was the color of blue one sees on a poster in a tourism office, of some exotic island in the South Pacific or maybe the Bahamas. It is no exaggeration to say that the beauty of this region never ceases to amaze me.

While we were eating, I noticed that the tide had slowly gone out a bit. Our friends pointed out a sand bar that seemed to have come out of nowhere, leading out to a small island just beyond the peninsula …

We continued enjoying our packed lunch and glass of wine, while the sand bar continued to reveal itself, begging for us to see what lie at the other end. This was truly a surprise for me, as I was perfectly content with our long and leisurely lunch. I had not expected to have an adventure to an actual deserted island …

With that, we began the descent onto the sandy bridge that would lead us to this mysterious little island …

Our friends also mentioned that before traveling to this location today, they researched the tides very carefully, as some become stranded on the small islands if they are not mindful of the hour. Thankfully, our friends also came prepared with proper footwear for us, as my sandals would surely have not fared well in the mud.

We were not alone in this adventure, as several others had a similar idea …

I spotted many a colorful seashell, and soon my hands and pockets were overflowing with them. Thankfully, my friend “JY” offered to carry the next 9,308 shells I found. They now rest in a glass jar at home, reminding us of this special day last year.

After some time, we reached the little island. It seemed as though we had arrived somewhere quite otherworldly.

Black rocks of all sizes were scattered about, almost as if we had taken a trip to the moon …

It was breathtakingly beautiful and tranquil, as if time had suddenly stopped for a little while. In that moment, all that mattered was walking with loved ones, the bright blue sky, crisp breeze, and the sound of the birds.

As if the sea gods weren’t shining bright enough on us that day, we came across this lovely scene: a sailboat anchored in a little bay, rocking gently back and forth with the breeze and waves. How incredible, I thought, to witness such a peaceful place.

The sun (and our watches) told us it was time to get back to shore. As I left, and followed my husband and friends back across the sand bar and to our lunch spot, I was overcome with gratitude for witnessing this incredible gift from nature. With all the troubles in the world, we can count on nature to remind us that all will be OK, life will go on, and there is always, always something to be thankful for.

When we arrived back at our site, I looked back to see the tide was coming in, erasing our tracks and making the little islands once more out of reach from the mainland. With that, we made our way back home, tired from our day but incredibly happy to have spent the day together in this magnificent and magical spot.

Good to know before you go …

St. Jacut de la Mer is about 81 kilometers from Rennes by car.

Market Day is on Friday mornings.

There is a Breton festival held every year in July (with the exception of this year) with traditional music and dancing.

A Benedictine monastery was built in the 5th century that later became an Abbey, restored in 1875. It is now a spiritual retreat with 100 rooms that accommodates both singles and families. More information can be found here: https://www.brittanytourism.com/offers/labbaye-saint-jacut-de-la-mer-en-1966595/

Guided tours can be found here: https://www.dinan-capfrehel.com/en/group-tours/guided-tours/our-seaside-resorts/saint-jacut-de-mer-old-fishermans-village/

Additional information about beaches and seaside resorts can be found here: https://en.plages.tv/seaside-resorts/saint-jacut-de-la-mer-22750 The site also contains a handy interactive map.

Thank you for traveling back to St. Jacut de la Mer with me. I would love to hear about one of your favorite summer outings/memories. Please do share in the comments so others can enjoy too.

Have a wonderful rest of your day.

Amy, from Tales from Brittany