Entre Dunes et Bouchots

Heigh-ho, Heigh-ho, back from bouchot! 🍎

Want a great breath of Brittany? Come clear your head in the Côtes d’Armor by taking part in the trail "Entre Dunes et Bouchots". It takes place every year in the coastal town of Hillionsince 2006 🗓️. Several races are on the program, so you have a choice between short trail runs with the "Trail des Marais" and its 9 km and 106 mD+ "Trail des Guettes" of 14 km and 222 mD+or "Les Hauts du Pont Rolland" of 27 km and 720 mD+, or longer trails with "Le Grand Tra-Hillion" of 40 km and its around 832 mD+ 😁. The village sits on the wonderful Côte de Penthièvre that you’ll be able to admire 🕶️, no matter which route you choose 🖼️. The race takes place in April and the weather is quite changeable at this time 🌦️, plan ahead and bring some warm clothes 🧥.

By the way, what are bouchots? 🤔 They’re wooden piles 🪵 used for the farming of mussels and shellfish 🐚. They’re part of the scenery you’ll enjoy throughout your effort 🥵. Yes, because the landscape is the charm of the course 😍. In fact, most of your epic will be on seaside paths of the coast 🌊 where you’ll alternate between forest paths in the nature 🏞️, sand runs ⛱️ and cliffside passages along the cliffs ⛰️. With the marine wind to your face 🌬️, you’ll quickly acclimate to the vibe in Brittany 😅. Breathe in that fresh air and take in the 180° panorama 📸 over the Saint-Brieuc Bay ⛵ from the Pointe des Guettes. The path will wind across the many sandy expanses that dot the coast. Do your shoes squeak with mud? 👟 Yes, that’s part of the charm of racing in Brittany 🤗. The course isn’t a seaside stroll; expect plenty of surprises 😵. For example, you’ll have to, like a salmon 🐟, climb back up from babbling streams step by step to forge a path through the forest 🌲. But your effort will be rewarded with breathtaking viewpoints 🤩, which will be the case when you pass the legendary Viaduc des Ponts-Neufs (not the one about lovers). You’ll also pass by the chapelle Saint-Maurice ⛪ overlooking the Saint-Brieuc Bay with the sea in the background, it’s a real painting on offer 🎨. Your visit to this open-air museum isn’t finished since you can also admire the Château du Val 🏰, another work showcased on the Trail of Hillion ! And the atmosphere of fire will only enhance the experience you’re about to live 🔥. A truly packed program awaits you, you won’t know where to look first with all these landscapes and monuments to see 🤯.

If you want to know all the distances details, check the description for each of them a little further down 👇.

If after all these adventures, you want to keep the adventure going in the region 🎒, head to the “House of the Bay” of Saint-Brieuc to discover more about the nature and the heritage of the coast 🌅. You can also take a detour around the the medieval town of Moncontour ⚔️, to catch up on the troubadour era 🛡️. After your visit, you must absolutely taste mussels 🦪 which are the specialty of the region

So, ready to bouchot? 😉