And why not staying in nice Finistére dept 29 of my lovely Bretagne and update this older post of coastal Audierne! The port and the sea are it, beautiful scenery. Hope you enjoy it as we do.
We did passed by the harbor beach town of Audierne, this is very picturesque like a post card and great ambiance along the waterfront. I love the town and will be back in the Pays Capiste (Cape country) ,just before the Pointe du Raz (see post). You take the N165 from Vannes direction Lorient, then continue direction Quimper/Brest; just past Quimper take the D784 direction Landudec/Plozévet/Plouhinec until you reach Audierne. You can park along the wharfs by the harbor or port. You could take the train from Paris-Montparnasse to Quimper and here take bus 53 from the train/bus station direction Quai Anatole-France in Audierne, but never taken public transports here so just for info and please check.
Audierne was born on Jan 1st 2016 of the merger of the two towns previous Audierne and Esquibien. The current Breton name of the town is completely different from that used in French since it is “Gwaien” and is the same as that of the river, the “Goyen”. It is derived from the name of the Breton Saint Gwaien.
The port of Audierne initially developed in a cove on the right bank of the estuary of the Goyen making way to the east, thus in a situation of shelter in relation to prevailing winds; but the port, due to the small size of the site, had to gradually expand downstream along the right bank in less protected places . Audierne was in the 19C an important center of activities related to the seaweed, picked up especially throughout the Bay of Audierne. In Audierne, the growth of the canneries, then called “fryers”, was late; more than 20 years after Douarnenez and Concarneau for example. The port was mainly fishing for lobster, shrimp,and sea spider, species developing in the depth of the bay of Audierne.
Access to the port of Audierne was formidable because not only the currents and pitfalls of the Raz de Sein, the reef of the Gamelle and the bar at the entrance of the port, as well as the unstable sand banks of the mouth of the Goyen caused many shipwrecks. However, between the Pointe de la Torche and the Pointe du Raz. Audierne is, with Saint-Malo, one of the first two French ports where Admiral Rigault de Genouilly created, from February 12 1865, the central rescue society for shipwrecked people, (or société centrale de sauvetage des naufragés) the pioneers of today’s SNSM (societé national de sauvetage de mer or national sea rescue company) because the port of Audierne was one of the most dangerous of the French coastline, a dreadful bar rising facing its entrance to the heights of the Gamelle’s shoals.
As said ,worth the detour for the sea scenery worthy of a good painter; tranquile ambiance and great family place.
Some webpages to help you plan your trip here are:
The Audienne, Pointe du Raz, Sein island tourist board on the port: https://audierne.info/le-port-de-plaisance-daudierne/
The Cap Sizun pointe du Raz tourist office on Audierne: https://www.capsizuntourisme.fr/cap-sizun-pointe-du-raz/incontournables/audierne
The town of Audierne on the port: https://audierne.fr/aud-esq/port-daudierne/
And if need more info have it at the town of Audierne in French on its history/heritage: https://audierne.fr/aud-esq/decouvrir-audierne/histoire-audierne/
Lovely place deep into the corner of the Finistére or the end of the Earth! lovely harbors and beaches all around you. Especially here for the sea life and the seafood ,second to none. After all, Brittany is the best agro sea region of France! Enjoy the port of Audierne!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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