Ponant Trail

Distance : 20 KM
Time : 5 h 00

Starting point:
Quai Carnot - Port-Joinville.

Sights :
1. Port-Joinville and its fish auction
2. Table de Ker Difouaine (megalith)
3. Dolmen des Petits Fradets
4. Dolmen de la Planche à Puarre
5. Le Caillou Blanc
6. La Pointe du But
7. Le grand phare (lighthouse)
8. Pointe du Châtelet
9. Le Vieux Château (old castle)
10. Le Port de la Meule (harbor)
11. Pierres du Chien à l'Affût
12. La Bergerie (sheepfold)
13. Le Fort de la Citadelle

Description :

Via Quai Carnot, walk to “Place de la Norvège” (Square of Norway). Pass the urban area up to fallow land at Ker Pierre Borny. The landscape is made of gorse, sloe trees, willows and Monterey cypresses. After the megalith of Ker Difouaine engraved with cupules, the path leads to a funeral dolmen, “Les Petits Fradets”. Cross the road and walk through the short grasslands of the coast. Walk west towards the headland “Point du But”. Stop at the dolmen “Planche a Puare” and take another break at the landmark “Caillou Blanc” (“white stone”, it's a reef of quartz). It was used by many navigators. At the headland, an old foghorn (1893) still stands and, at sea, the deadly reef of Chiens Perrins is signaled by a lighted beacon.

After Ker Arnaud, follow the road – make a short detour to the stone engraved of cupules of Chien à l'Affut and pass through the sheepfold (more than 3000 sheep during the 19 th century). Walk through Ker Chauvineau and Ker Borny. Cross the Citadelle's woods. A fortress, “fort de Pierre Levée”, stands there. Maréchal Pétain was kept prisoner there from 1945 till 1951. Walk back to Port Joinville through its streets and lanes.

PORT-JOINVILLE
Most insular activities now revolve round the present administrative capital of the island, Port Joinville. The latter changed names quite a few times. It finally became “Port Joinville” in 1846. A large number of news buildings were erected (breakwater, jetty, a modern fish auction ...)

LE VIEUX-CHATEAU
On its rocky islet, in the heart of the wild coast, the Castle stands proudly in the middle of a dramatic and chaotic landscape. It was erected during the 14 th century in order to ensure the security of the islanders in case of foreign invasion. Louis the XIV ordered its destruction at the end of the 17th century. It's a classified monument since 1890. It's restoration began in 1969 and has since continued.

Continue southward. Get to the headland, Pointe du Chatelet, a strategic site, a spit of land dating from the Iron Age. The “Calvaire des Marins” (Seamen's Calvary) (1934) now watches over this place. Continue by the beach les Sabias.

After the Old Castle, a site now considered sacred with its 14th century towers and high walls, walk along the wild coast up to the little harbor of La Meule, the gem of the island. Admire the Chapel Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle up the hill. Go through La Meule and its typical houses and leave the coast.