At a glance
Domaine de Mesqueau, Plougasnou
Pointe de Primel and Le Diben harbour
Monts d’Arrée 45 min away, Brest less than an hour
Table from the Domaine, by car
Activity ideas for all ages
Rules vary between sites and beaches
Where to go from Plougasnou, and how long does it take? Here is our map of North Finistère: the must-see sites of the Bay of Morlaix, the Léon, the Monts d’Arrée and the neighbouring coast, with actual distances from the Domaine.
Map of sites around Plougasnou
Plougasnou is ideally located: on the Bay of Morlaix, between the Léon to the west, the Trégor to the east and the Monts d’Arrée to the south. In less than an hour’s drive, you can go from a white sandy beach to wild heathland, from a historic small town to a car-free island. The list below gathers the places we most often recommend to our guests.
- Domaine de Mesqueau
- Plougasnou and Pointe de Primel
- Barnenez cairn
- Château du Taureau (boats from Le Diben)
- Morlaix
- Locquirec
- Carantec and Île Callot
- Roscoff and the Île de Batz
- Saint-Pol-de-Léon
- Huelgoat
- Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts
- Roc’h Trévézel
- Guerlesquin
- Lannion
- Trégastel
Distances from the Domaine de Mesqueau
The travel times below are by car from the Domaine, excluding summer traffic jams. They give a rough idea to help you plan your days. For ready-made plans, see our days out around Plougasnou.
| Destination | Distance and time | What to do there |
|---|---|---|
| Plougasnou (village centre) | 5 km · 5 min | Shops, market, start of walks |
| Pointe de Primel | 9 km | Coastal path, beaches, granite boulders |
| Le Diben harbour | 9 km | Boats to the Château du Taureau |
| Barnenez cairn | 10 km | Largest megalithic mausoleum in Europe |
| Morlaix | 13 km · 15 min | Viaduct, half-timbered houses, shops |
| Locquirec | 12 km · 15 min | Harbour, nine beaches and coves, surfing |
| Carantec | 28 km | Beaches and Île Callot at low tide |
| Saint-Pol-de-Léon | 32 km | Cathedral and Kreisker chapel |
| Roscoff | 37 km · 40 min | Old town, harbour, boats to the Île de Batz |
| Guerlesquin | 35 km | Small historic town |
| Lannion | 31 km | Town of art, banks of the Léguer |
| Roc’h Trévézel | about 40 km | Ridge of the Monts d’Arrée |
| Huelgoat | 42 km | Forest, granite boulders, lake |
| Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts | 46 km | Chapel and panorama at 381 m |
| Trégastel | about 55 km | Pink granite rocks, beaches |
| Brest (Océanopolis) | 72 km · less than an hour | Ocean discovery park |
The Bay of Morlaix, around the Domaine
This is the Domaine’s immediate playground. The Plougasnou coastline alternates sandy beaches, coves and rocky headlands, with Pointe de Primel as a spectacular promontory over the bay. Le Diben harbour is where boats leave for the Château du Taureau, a fortress set on an islet in the middle of the bay.
10 km away, the Barnenez cairn has overlooked the bay for some 6,000 years: 70 metres long and nearly 8 metres high, it contains eleven burial chambers and is considered the largest megalithic mausoleum in Europe. On the other side of the bay, Carantec and Île Callot, reachable on foot at low tide, complete the picture.
- Visiting the Château du Taureau from Plougasnou
- Plougasnou and its wild coastline
- Discover the Bay of Morlaix
- Understanding the tides in the bay
Roscoff, the Île de Batz and the Haut-Léon
To the west, the Léon is a land of vegetables, church spires and characterful harbours. Roscoff charms with its granite old town and its harbour, where boats leave for the Île de Batz, a quarter of an hour’s crossing away. On the island, you can walk or cycle between the lighthouse, the beaches and the Georges Delaselle garden.
On the way, Saint-Pol-de-Léon is worth a stop for its cathedral and the spire of the Kreisker chapel, which towers over the vegetable plain.
The Monts d’Arrée, Brittany’s mountains
Less than an hour to the south, the scenery changes completely. The Monts d’Arrée, in the heart of the Armorique Regional Nature Park, unfold heathland, peat bogs and rocky ridges. Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts and its chapel, Roc’h Trévézel and Lake Brennilis can all be explored in the same day.
A little further east, Huelgoat and its forest strewn with granite boulders are perfect for a family walk among rocks, river and legends.
- Mont Saint-Michel de Brasparts
- Hiking in the Monts d’Arrée
- Huelgoat, forest and granite boulders
Locquirec, Lannion and the Pink Granite Coast
To the east, Locquirec marks the edge of Finistère with its tiny harbour and nine beaches. Just beyond, you enter the Côtes-d’Armor: Lannion and the banks of the Léguer, then Trégastel and Ploumanac’h, where the pink granite rocks take on astonishing shapes. A full day out.
- What to do in Locquirec
- Visiting Lannion
- Trégastel and its pink rocks
Three ideas for a week’s programme
If you love the sea
Pointe de Primel and the beaches of Plougasnou, the Château du Taureau from Le Diben, the Île de Batz from Roscoff, then Locquirec and its coves.
If you love walking
The GR34 coastal path between Primel and Locquirec, the ridges of the Monts d’Arrée, the Huelgoat forest and a walk round the Île de Batz.
If you are travelling with children
Easy walks around the Mesqueau pond and Primel, Île Callot at low tide, rock-pooling, Océanopolis in Brest on rainy days.
- Our easy walks with children
- Where to swim safely
Good to know
- In July and August, set off early for Roscoff, Locquirec and the Pink Granite Coast to avoid the crowds.
- The islands (Batz, Château du Taureau, Île Callot) depend on the tide or boat timetables: check them the day before.
- The Monts d’Arrée are cooler and windier than the coast: bring an extra layer.
- Rules for dogs vary between beaches and sites: check the signs on site.
From the Domaine de Mesqueau
Staying at the Domaine means having the Bay of Morlaix on your doorstep and all of North Finistère within easy driving distance. In the evening, come back to the calm of the wooded, pedestrian-only grounds, your premium cottage and the heated indoor pool.
Frequently asked questions
For a first stay: Pointe de Primel, the Château du Taureau, the Barnenez cairn, Roscoff and the Île de Batz, then the Monts d’Arrée for a change of scenery.
It makes things easier: most sites are between 10 minutes and an hour away by road. Around the Domaine, many walks can be done on foot or by bike.
About 40 minutes by car from the Domaine, for 37 kilometres.
No: the Monts d’Arrée are about 45 minutes from the Domaine.
Yes, Trégastel is about 55 km from the Domaine. It makes a lovely day out combined with Lannion or Locquirec.
