Boat trip around the Golfe du Morbihan with
Vedettes Angelus
“Morbihan” is Breton for ‘little sea’
Locmariaquer
Locmariaquer is a small picturesque harbour village which is 8.5km south of Auray on the west side of the Golfe du Morbihan. Its a great place to start your day out as there is ample parking and some lovely coastal walks across the headland. There are also some interesting megaliths here and if you can include time to visit it is well worth it. For more information click HERE
Boat Trip Golfe du Morbihan
We began our day by booking our tickets at the office which is located on the Quay which was an easy process the staff here also speak English. we collected a baguette picnic lunch from the wonderful harbourside boulangerie.
September is a great time to explore here as the tourist season is coming to an end and the hustle and bustle of the summer rush is dissipating.
Note:- if you are wishing to visit during the summer months then I recommend using the Vedettes Angelus website to book tickets in advance. Direct Website Access HERE
Dependent on tides there may be a short walk to a nearby Quay to board the boat. Boarding is safe and there are people on hand for those who need a little assistance. The boat offers both inside and outside seating and there is a toilet on board.
I love sitting outside when taking boat trips feeling the sun on my face and a great place to see all that is going on whilst whizzing along on the water. We departed on time and then made our way from Locmariaquer across the mouth of the Golfe to Port Navalo where, should you wish, you can disembark and spend the day here, on Friday mornings there is a busy and vibrant street market and also a very nice sandy beach. Reaching the Beach is about a 10 minute walk. Top Tip there is a very good ice-cream / cafe/ bistro by the beach Called Bar de la Plage at Port Navalo.
Golfe Du Morbihan
Crossing this short stretch of water from Locmariaquer to Port Navalo can be a bit ‘ choppy’. It is here that the Golfe du Morbihan connects with the Atlantic Ocean through a channel of 900m which forces the tidal waters through with a significant power, notably some of the strongest tides in Europe. During our trip the sun was shining there was no wind and the rush of the water was noticeable and truly fascinating to watch. On board the boat we felt the bumps of the water but it was nothing more than a bump, I do however, wander if in different weather conditions or with a stronger wind this may have been a different experience. That said I am sure that the boat takes all the safety measures and weather reports into consideration before setting sail.
After the short stop at Port Navalo the boat turned and we headed into the Golfe passing some extremely beautiful boats and sailing ships and grand homes on the waterside some with private beaches.
Legend says there are 365 islands in the Gulf du Morbihan this legend also says
“That fairies cried so much when they were kicked out of the Broceliande Forest by the Korrigans that they created the Gulf du Morbihan with their tears and as they fled the forest out to sea they dropped their flower crowns and this created the 365 islands in the Gulf, and that three flower crowns flew as far as the ocean and formed the islands of Houat and Hoedic and Belle ile ( the most beautiful ) the island of the queen fairy”.
There are not 365 Islands there are 42, many of which are privately owned and if you just so happen to be looking to buy your own private island with chateau you may be in luck as there is currently one for sale ( 26.01.24) for the guide price of de 5 000 000 € à 10 000 000 €!! 
Our Boat tour took us winding through the water passing many of the islands and with a fantastic commentary, we learnt a lot about the islands history.
Ile aux Moines
Ile aux Moines the word Moines mean Monks and so named after the Monks of Redon following the gift of the island to the monks in the 9th century. We opted for the stopover at Ile aux Moines. This is the largest island in the gulf and is only 15 Km from Vannes, there is a year round connection to the Island from Port Blanc at Toulindac 56870 Baden. This Short journey from the mainland to the Island allows local people to commute, but also tourists especially cyclists and walkers.
walking map ile-aux-moines-2024
Ile aux Moines is 7km by 5km making it the perfect size for exploring either on foot or by bike. On disembarking the boat a short walk along the jetty you will find a plethora of places to hire bikes to allow those who can ride the ability to explore further around the island. We opted to go by foot and made our way over to the beach at Plage du Drehen – the Grand Plage
I have a love of swimming and I knew I wanted to swim here when we arrived at the beach, the beach is lovely white sand and the sea gentle and shallow and with little current. We saw many of our fellow boat trippers on the beach. The visit is a brief 1hour 30 minutes so taking the 9km walking route wasn’t an option this time. We will return for this for sure most likely during the spring months.
This walk around the island is a 16.5km / 9 mile walk and the duration of the walk is 3 hours 25 minutes, this walk is recommended for birdwatching too.
This walk will be on the list for our Walking Community self guided walks which we run from the B and B
Photo – rippling water in the Golfe du Morbihan
If you are staying longer than one day Lomariaquer is also home to some of the fascinating ‘Menhirs‘ – standing stones that Brittany is also famous for and a recommendation for accommodation is La tykoumad we had a very pleasant one night stay in the annex with very knowledgeable and friendly hosts.