Ile aux Moines

Visit Ile aux Moines, Brittany

The Ile aux Moines is the largest island to be found in the Morbihan Gulf, and is approximately 6km long by 3km wide. Approximately 600 people live on the island, a number greatly increased during the summer tourist season.

The Ile aux Moines can easily be reached by boat from Port Blanc, the crossing only takes a few minutes, and is a lovely place to pass a day, exploring the countryside, enjoying the traditional Breton houses, and lazing on one of the beaches.

Exploring the Ile-aux-Moines

The most populated part of the island is towards the north, near the port, where you can stroll through the narrow streets enjoying the lovely houses in typical Breton architecture style, dating mostly from the 17th-18th centuries. The southern end of the island is quieter, with just the occasional hamlet set in the countryside.

There are footpaths and cycle paths to help you make the most of your visit - again the port is the best starting point (you can also hire bikes here in the port of Ile-aux-Moines to help you explore further).

The island has lovely countryside to explore - my partner assures me we were admiring wild mimosas and camelias, and there are some wooded areas to provide shelter along the way - and the coast is never far away since the island is long and thin (cross shaped).

The main beach on Ile-aux-Moines is the 'Grande Plage' near the port while another popular beach is at Goret, half way along the western coast of the island.

You can also visit several interesting prehistoric / neolithic sites of interest. These include the 'cromlech de Kergonan' and the dolmen at Penhap.

The Ile aux Moines, receiving warm tides from the Atlantic, has its own micro-climate, much warmer than most of Brittany, and as you travel around you will see fig trees and mimosas, usually confined to the southern parts of France

Note: Photo by pinpin: see credit and copyright

See Brittany and Morbihan (the region and department for Ile aux Moines) for more travel ideas...

Suggested places to visit near Ile aux Moines, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Port de Crouesty 8km; Locmariaquer 8km; Vannes 9km; Sarzeau 9km; Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys 11km; Saint-Goustan 13km; Auray 13km; La Trinite sur Mer 14km; Sainte-Anne d'Auray 14km; Carnac 18km; Carnac Plage 18km;

Ile aux Moines tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Golfe du Morbihan - site of natural beauty (3km) : Megaliths of Locmariaquer - national monument (9km) : Megalithic site of Carnac - national monument (18km) : Jardins de Kerambar’h - remarkable garden (24km) : La Vraie-Croix - ville fleurie 4* (25km) : Massif Dunaire de Gavres-Quiberon - grand site of france (40km) : Marais Salants de Guérande - site of natural beauty (40km) : Parc Victor Chevassu - remarkable garden (42km) :

See more places and a map at places near Ile aux Moines