Now let’s swing you back to my department 56 Morbihan in my beautiful Bretagne. This town I passed several times and is part of the wonderful Presqu’ïle de Quiberon peninsula, heavens on the beach/coast side and only 40 minutes from my house. Obviously I have written plenty in my blog on it but it really needs more, so much beauty to see around here , all natural and the car is king. Let me tell you a bit on Saint Pierre de Quiberon.
Saint-Pierre-Quiberon is located on the south coast of the Morbihan department 56 and the Brittany region. Saint-Pierre-Quiberon constitutes the northern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the town of Quiberon occupying the southern part. Saint-Pierre-Quiberon became a full-fledged town in 1856, under the name of Saint-Pierre, and took its current name in 1962 The town has 13 beaches! accessible to swimmers, ten beaches on the bay side .Of course our favorites are in Penthièvre bay side and Penthièvre ocean side, On the west coast of the peninsula, the Côte Sauvage, renowned and beautiful driving or biking along clifs and the wide blue ocean in front of you on 6.7 km of road and the property of the coastal conservatory. Most of the famous sites on the Côte Sauvage, such as the Port-Blanc arch, are located in the town of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon.
However, Penthièvre is the northernmost village of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon. It is bounded to the north by the Quiberon national forest located in the town limits of Plouharnel, to the east by Quiberon bay, to the west by the ocean, and to the south by the village of Kerhostin. It is in Penthièvre that the isthmus is located which forms the entrance to the Quiberon peninsula. I have written on these places in my blog this is additional material and photos.
The Fort of Penthièvre is a fortified structure placed at the entrance to the Quiberon peninsula commands access to the level of the isthmus at its narrowest point. Following the siege of Lorient and the looting of the Quiberon peninsula in 1746, the construction of a new defensive structure was decided in 1747 as part of a more general framework for strengthening the defenses of the southern Brittany coast. This effort was undertaken by the governor of Brittany at the time, Louis Jean Marie de Bourbon, Duke of Penthièvre, who will give it his name . The fort is built on an escarpment calle La Palice at narrowest spot on the peninsula.
In 1795, the Royalists landed on the peninsula coming from England (the immigrant Bretons) and besieged the fort on June 27, renamed Fort Sans-Culotte, which eventually fell after four days, its defenders being short of food. Eventually 400 out of the 700 that the fort counted , then agreed to enlist in the Catholic and Royal army. Signaling the end of the expedition, it will be stopped by General Hoche’s troops (the pacifiers of the uprisings against the French revolution). In 1800, at the instigation of the First Consul Napoleon, and Armand de Marescot, the fort was reinforced and modernized while France had just defeated the Second Coalition. During WWII, the Nazis forces integrated this fort into their Atlantic Wall. It also served as a prison and place of execution at the end of the war: 59 resistance fighters died there between April and July 1944, including 50 on July 13, 1944. A monument was erected on the site behind the fort in their memory. The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment of Vannes has used it as a training base since 1969.
The fort is off limits the monument can be visited. Here is the Min of Defense of France on the fort in French: Ministry of Defense of France on Fort Penthievre
Memorial webpage on the resistance executed there and behind there is the cave where they were killed with a stone memorial , more in French here: Memorial on the executed of 1940 1944 at Ponthiévre
The tourist office of Bay of Quiberon on the Fort Penthiévre in French (more info): Tourist office Bay of Quiberon on the Fort
Another great moment to be here and we love it are the beaches. This is a laidback beach town as you can recall any and I grew up on one and lived next to them for many years of my life, I still enjoy going to them if for different reasons.
Penthièvre Beach in Saint-Pierre-de-Quiberon is the first beach on the Quiberon peninsula. It extends on the continent at the level of the town of Plouharnel, making it the largest beach on the peninsula with several km of white sand. It is bordered by dunes call the falaise or cliff. You can practice sand yachting, kitesurfing and surfing. Please note, you are on the west coast, the ocean can be rough with the east side on the bay more protected. To get to this beach, take the D768 road (straight down from me) towards Quiberon. At the entrance to the peninsula, at the La Penthièvre sign, there is a car park on the left near the level crossing. The beach is on the right ,you have to cross the road. Note that dogs on a leash have been tolerated on this beach are allowed ,the only one on the Quiberon peninsula.
The plages tv webpage that has been my favorite for many years on beach information in France in English: Beaches of Penthievre
Tourist office of Brittany on the beach at Penthiévre in English: Tourist office of Brittany on Penthiévre beach
And there you go we live in heavens in land and so close to the marvelous Breton coast filled with hundreds if not thousands of beaches and all fun related to the sea. And do you know the Bretons are the best marines! Hope you enjoy the Saint Pierre de Quiberon area.
And , remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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