Set sail for the largest of the Breton islands: belle-île-en-mer, "the well-named".

Who hasn't hummed Laurent Voulzy's famous refrain "Belle-île-en-Mer, Marie-Galante"?

Behind the singer's words lies a very concrete reality, that of an island that boasts 5,400 annual residents, proud of their insularity, unique historical heritage and unspoilt nature.

"I am in a country of superb savagery, a heap of terrible rocks and an improbable sea of colors".

So wrote Claude Monet about Belle-île. He painted the wild coastline for a long time. You can follow in his footsteps, near the Aiguilles de Port Coton, where he set up his easel and painted landscapes that have since gone down in history.

Later, painters Henri Matisse and John Peter Russel would also fall under the spell of Belle-île and its palette of blue-greens and contrasts.

Baie de Quiberon and Golfe du Morbihan: so far, so near

 Just 1 hour from Lorient and Vannes, 2 hours from Nantes or Rennes and now 2 hours 45 minutes from Paris by TGV, you're in the Bay of Quiberon, close to the Gulf of Morbihan. Anchored 17 km off the coast of Quiberon, in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, Belle-île-en-Mer is served all year round from Quiberon, and from April to September, from Vannes and Port Navalo. 

20km long and 9km at its widest, the island has 4 communes and over 140 villages. A land of legends, inhabited for thousands of years, everything reminds you that you're in Brittany. From the menhirs to the heath-covered cliffs, from the coastal paths where sailboats sail past to the sweet breaks in the crêperies, you're on Breton soil. Protected by the Bay, Belle-île enjoys an exceptional microclimate, with sunshine equivalent to that of Toulouse, nearly 2,000 hours a year!

Sustainable, responsible tourism that respects the island's values

Belle-île-en-Mer is an exceptional place: recognized as a Natura 2000 site of European interest,its alternating coastal landscapes and farmland support an original terrestrial and marine biodiversity of rare and sometimes unique species.

The natural areas are maintained on a daily basis by the Belle-île-en-Mer community of communes.

A specialized team of 17 coastal guards is on hand to monitor protected species, clear undergrowth and develop trails. Complementing this work is a local association , the CPIE - Maison de la Nature, which promotes public awareness and understanding of the aims of protecting the island's biodiversity. Belle-île is therefore committed to an ecological policy. Proud of its natural riches, it is turning its territory into an eco-responsible workshop, to protect them and ensure they are respected.

More info here