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Finistere, France travel guide

photo of Finistere

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Finistere occupies the western tip of Brittany. It is a little harder to reach than some parts of the region, but in return for your efforts offers some very dramatic coastline and scenery, and access to some of the most interesting Brittany islands.

The region has 1,200 kilometres of coastline, often very scenic, and as a result tourism is very important to the department - see Brittany seaside, coast and islands for the coastal highlights. Fishing ports and villages are not surprisingly also one of the big attractions in Finistere.

Venture away from the coast a little and you will discover the central part of the department - the Parc d'Armorique.

Selected Finistere highlights

In Roscoff see the Church Notre-Dame-de-Kroaz-Batz and its lantern tower. Nearby visit Morlaix and St Pol de Leon (cathedral town), then perhaps the lively town at Landerneau. The highly decorated churches at Guimiliau and Saint-Thegonnec are also very worth visiting, along with others that you will come across during your travels through Finistere. Another popular destination in the north is the very well fortified renaissance castle at Kerjean.

The little village of Le Conquet is right at the western end of Brittany beyond Brest.

Chapelle Saint-Michel
Castel Kerambleiz, Plomelin / Locronan

Places of interest in the central Parc Armorique region include the Monts d'Arree, with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the wilderness that Brittany can offer, and In the east the deep forest around Huelgoat abounds with myths and legends, while to the west be sure to visit the viewpoint at Menez-Hom for some very impressive views across the countryside and coastline.

Continuing further west see Camaret and then the exceptional views from some of the headlands along the coast eg Pointe de Dinan and nearby Pointe de Pen-Hir, on the Crozon peninsula, heading to Audierne and the Pointe de Raz.

For more prehistory see the Cairn de Barnenez at Plouezoch.

Heading south, at the head of the Baie de Douarnenez visit the classified most beautiful village at Locronan. To the east of Locronan, the town of Pont-Croix merits a visit, as does the impressive boating 'museum' in the harbour at Douarnenez.

Note that the Pointe du Raz, at the far west of this part of Finistere, is one of just a handful of classified Grand Sites of France'.

Chapelle Saint-Michel
Chapel at Saint Michel, Monts d'Arree / Pointe du Raz

Benodet is one of the popular resorts here, while the important town of Quimper (also a cathedral town) is to the south of Finistere, as are the fishing port of Concarneau and the town of Quimperl�.