Piriac-sur-Mer, la carte postale

Piriac-sur-mer, a charming resort

Piriac-sur-Mer, a seaside resort full of character, has preserved and enhanced the evidence of its rich and turbulent past. Today, the town remains strongly marked by its Breton origins, both in its architecture and in the names given to its streets and houses.
As you explore this small town, you'll discover a heritage that's as rich as it is diverse: natural, architectural, literary and legendary.


A little history...

Steeped in more than 6,000 years of history, Piriac has retained its Breton identity.
In the 6th century, a Breton chieftain named Waroch II, king of Vannes, landed on our coast and named the place "Pen Kiriak", meaning "bad point", as the coast was dangerous for navigation.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, fishing was one of Piriac's main economic activities, helping the village to grow and prosper. At the time, the people of Piriac used to set sail for faraway places such as Terre Neuve.
In the 19th century, Piriac was frequented by writers such as Daudet and Zola, and was a source of inspiration for both writers and sea-bathing enthusiasts, who took advantage of the arrival of the railway to Le Croisic.1850 saw Piriac welcome its first "bathers", and it gradually became a renowned seaside resort, with the number of holidaymakers increasing every year.


A small town with character
Piriac was awarded the "Petite Cité de Caractère" (Small Town of Character) label in May 2002.
From the salt trade to cod fishing and sardine canning factories, Piriac's granite houses are over 300 years old.
The harbour and its colourful sails, the narrow cobbled streets lined with hydrangeas and hollyhocks, and the beach of Saint-Michel are all inviting places to stroll.

Venture into the streets of Piriac. Breathe in the sea air and, at the bend in some of them, let yourself be surprised by the magnificent views out to sea.


A breathtaking natural heritage

Piriac is bordered by 11 km of coastline shaped by the ocean, alternating between spectacularly shaped rocks and fine sandy beaches. Discover all its charms along the coastal path, overlooking mysterious caves and secret coves.
Let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of these landscapes, their colours changing with the seasons.

Here are a few places not to be missed:


Rue du Corps de Garde, in the centre of Piriac: a breathtaking view of the open sea and, in front of you, Ile Dumet, the only island in the Loire-Atlantique region. On the right is Pénestin, with its golden beaches and cliffs, and, further on, the Rhuys peninsula.



La Pointe du Castelli: When the Breton chieftain Waroch landed here in the 6th century, it was probably this place, now known as "La Pointe du Castelli", that he named Pen Kiriak, or "the bad point". The Pointe du Castelli, the furthest point in the Loire-Atlantique department, is very dangerous for shipping. It is also the site of the Piriac-sur-Mer semaphore, where the French Navy keeps watch over the coast from Le Croisic to the Quiberon peninsula.

The Pointe du Castelli offers a magnificent panorama, stretching from the Pointe du Croisic to the Pointe de Saint-Gildas de Rhuys. On a clear day, you can even see the islands of Houat and Hoëdic, and on a clear day, Belle-Ile can be seen behind them.
The Pointe du Castelli boasts a surprising natural ensemble sculpted by the ebb and flow of the sea: the Passage de la mariée, the Oreillers, the Couette, the Chandelier and the Grotte à Madame.

Pointe de la Croix : From here, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Rhuys peninsula, Sarzeau, Pénerf, Damgan, the mouth of the Vilaine, the Pointe du Bile, Pont Mahé bay and its bouchot mussel beds, and the Anse de Lanséria (Quimiac beach).



Piriac: Land of legends

As you walk along the customs path between Lérat and the Pointe du Castelli, you'll come across a multitude of sometimes surprisingly shaped rocks, often associated with legends:


Les dents de Madame (on the Grand Lanroué beach): Two eroded rocks in the shape of teeth.
Le tombeau d'Almanzor (Almanzor's tomb): Located on the coast at a place called "la mine", just before the Pointe du Castelli, this very special rock stands out from the others. Legend has it that Almanzor, Lord of Lauvergnac, set off with Saint Louis to the East on the 8th Crusade. While awaiting the knight's return, Dame Yseult, his wife, came to the coast every day, sometimes taking shelter in her grotto, "la grotte à Madame". After a long absence, Almanzor returned from the crusade, but a violent storm sank his ship and the waves washed the battered body of the valiant warrior to the foot of the rock, which from then on became his tomb for ever...
La grotte à Madame: Accessible at low tide from the beach. This cave refers to Almanzor's companion, Dame Yseult. It was also the setting for the fertile romance between Madame Chabre and a Piriacais in Emile Zola's "Les Coquillages de M. Chabre".
La Couette et les Oreillers: Always a reference to Madame.
The cat's cave
Le trou du moine fou (just before the Closio beach).




We recommend one of the tours offered by the Tourist Office, to make sure you don't miss out on anything of this pretty town.