The Côte des Légendes: a place steeped in magic

Cover photo: Côte des Légendes, Brittany © Shutterstock / BreizhPixelWeb

The Côte des Légendes (Coast of Legends) takes its name from the many historical sites that inspired Breton legends, tales, and folklore. It stretches for nearly fifteen kilometres between the towns of Guissény, Goulven, Kerlouan, Brignogan-Plages, and Plounéour-Trez. Let’s set off to discover this land of legends, with its authentic monuments, unspoilt nature, and dramatic coastline. If you take your time, you’ll find that Breton magic is all around you: behind every corner, a fountain of youth awaits, and a megalith rises from the middle of a field. Every place is steeped in enchantment. 

Lesneven, the charm of heritage

Begin your journey through this authentic heritage in the town of Lesneven. Capital of the former Pays de Léon, Lesneven reveals itself through granite-hued streets, old Breton houses with blue shutters, and age-old legends. Since 1720, the former Ursuline Convent has watched over the town. This multifaceted building has served as a maritime hospital for Brest fishermen, a girls’ school, and now stands as a guardian of regional history as the Léon Museum. Its former chapel, cloister, arcades, and stained-glass windows offer visitors a true journey through time. 

Immerse yourself in 50 years of history by watching the film about the Léon Museum, tucked away in the heart of the convent, or explore the heritage of the Pays de Léon on a connected walking tour through its streets.
As you wander through the town, take the time to slow down and enjoy the Monday market! Crowned the ‘Most Beautiful Market in France’ by TF1 in 2021, the square comes alive with authentic local traders offering honey, beer, Breton crêpes, and more not to mention live music and passionate artisans who delight visitors of all ages.

Lesneven is full of surprises. At every turn, you might stumble upon the Eye of Lesneven, a striking sculpture by artist Marc Didou, inspired by a 1628 engraving and now a landmark of local heritage.
Let yourself be captivated by Place Flo and its mysterious “watchful eye”… and above all, by the timeless charm of Brittany’s most authentic villages.

Coast of Legends and Faith

The tour of the Côte des Légendes continues in Folgoët, a medieval town where a spiritual atmosphere seems to permeate the winding streets. At the heart of it all stands a true architectural gem: the Basilique Notre-Dame de Folgoët. This imposing Gothic church, adorned with black kersanton stone and majestic stained-glass windows, has stood here since 1423, resisting both fires and the ravages of the Revolution. Now over 600 years old, the basilica was once a favourite of Anne of Brittany and remains a place of mystical contemplation.

The builder’s words are said to still echo within these sacred walls. According to legend, Salaün ar Fol prayed to the Virgin Mary throughout the construction, and upon his death, a lily engraved with the words Ave Maria miraculously appeared on the home of the young craftsman, who is said to have lived in a hollow tree.
The town takes its name from the Breton word Folgoad, meaning “the madman of the woods,” in homage to its builder. Since then, the monument has been considered sacred, becoming a major site of pilgrimage. Every year, 20,000 travellers come in search of the mystery behind the healing fountain of Folgoët. And since 2020, artist NUSH has drawn inspiration from this local legend to create The Hollow Tree — an installation located behind the Basilica that symbolically retraces the story.

If you’re lucky enough to be near the Basilica, you might spot some black Ouessant sheep or ditch goats — one of the smallest sheep breeds in the world.

Unspoilt Nature and Rich Biodiversity

The Côte des Légendes is a concentrated dose of unspoilt nature. Its black cliffs, unpredictable waves, and salty sea air conceal a landscape as breathtaking as it is mysterious. Modest in size — just fifteen kilometres long — the Côte des Légendes nonetheless reveals unexpected treasures, including three natural gems classified as Natura 2000 sites.

From the Curnic marsh in Guissény, where reeds rustle in the wind and dunes shelter rare orchids (eleven species in total), glass-winged dragonflies, and silent storks, to the Landes de Langazel, guardians of 11,500 years of history, where meadows, ponds, discreet insects, and wild carnivorous plants still whisper ancient tales of life… and finally to the Bay of Goulven, a vast amphitheatre of foam and sky, a sanctuary for over 20,000 birds and 163 species, protected under the RAMSAR convention.

A short walk, yet a profound journey through time, life, and nature’s unbroken memory. For the more adventurous, the GR34 offers even greater rewards, 2,000 km of Breton coastline revealing wonders of authenticity, including the small town of Meneham and the legendary lighthouse of Pontusval.

Meneham has stood the test of time, its appearance shaped by wind and tide: once a guardhouse watching over the sea, then a barracks, a hamlet of peasant fishermen, and later a village of artisans.
Today, it stands as a living jewel of Breton heritage. Between Roscoff and Les Abers, you’ll find a string of thatched cottages nestled against the rocks, a landscape sculpted by granite and time, where beaches blend with dark stone blocks like remnants of another world. Its name, derived from Menez and Ham, meaning ‘hamlet on the hill’, already evokes the delicate balance between sky and earth.

Listed as a historic site since 1975, it now celebrates, like Teritoria, 50 years of recognition. This is where the land of Pagan begins: a place of legends, shadows, and ancient tales. It is said that the great stones are creatures frozen by a spell. The most famous legend tells of the Paganiz and their ghostly shipwreckers, who lured ships to the coast to plunder the wrecks under the black moon. Today, Meneham has been transformed into a creative haven, a village of artisans where you can discover the skills of leatherworking, woodworking, ceramics, and even photography. Each workshop is a window into a craft, a memory, a hand shaping the present.

A few kilometres from the village of Meneham rises the Pontusval Lighthouse, an 18-metre-high structure perched on the rocks of Plounéour-Brignogan-Plages, where it has stood for over 150 years. Once used as a blockhouse during the Great War, it is now one of fourteen lighthouses in Finistère listed as historic monuments, though fully automated since 2003. In Breton, the word for lighthouse is tour-tan, meaning “tower of fire”, a fitting name for Pontusval, which is deeply tied to fire through local legend. According to the tale, a dragon once lived in the valley at Pontusval, feasting on three innocent victims every Sunday. One day, when the beast set its sights on the lord’s son, the despairing father threw himself from a cliff, only to be saved at the last moment by the knights of Pontusval, who rose to face the dragon and ultimately cast it into the sea. The name of the town is said to come from this legend: from the Breton Poul Beuz an Aneval, meaning “the abyss where the beast was drowned.” 

As a tribute to the legend, The Dragon’s Egg is an art installation created by Les Nouveaux Voisins as part of the Ribin’ de l’Imaginaire festival. This charred wood structure, shaped like an egg, rests among the rocks and crystal-clear waters. 

Dsicover this unique path, where every stone, every wave, and every breath of wind tells a story. Whether you’re a dreamer, an explorer, or simply curious, your legend begins here.

If you’ve been enchanted by the magic of the Côte des Légendes, explore Teritoria’s hotels and restaurants across Brittany to plan your stay. Browse our gift shop to bring home a little Breton magic, or subscribe to our free newsletter for inspiration, travel ideas, and stories from the region.   

By Émilie FALLOT NGUYEN