Moguériec < > St-Pol-de-Léon (11.4 km) < > Morlaix >>> (25.1 km)
STAGE PROFILE: 36.5 km 9h10
The distance of this first stage of the way – the variation allowing for a departure from Locquirec – being so long, we suggest from now on for pilgrims to take this stage over two days. At St-Pol-de-Léon, you can avail of the new accommodation in the chapelle hospitallière St Joseph [chapel of hospitality] which has recently been restored.
DIRECTIONS
From Moguériec to Saint-Pol-de-Léon
00.0 – Moguériec. Depart from the north quay of the harbour, in front of the stele[stone] marking the departure point of 0km. Go round the little headland which shelters the harbour. Go onto the south quay and set out on the St-Jacques (St James) coastal path. Follow this for 4.3km, along the bay of Guillec, as far as the St-Jacques quarter (A large building which might have been an old pilgrim hospital) Cross the St Jacques bridge over the Guillec ; turn right, cross the D10 (careful ! much traffic) and take, at the end of the parking area, the left-most track, which goes towards the fountain/wash-house « Feunten ar Barres ». It curves right to join the remains of an old railway along which you go heading left, for a bit less than 300m, before turning right to get to the chapel of Notre Dame de Prat Coulm (explanatory panel) and its fountain. Leaving the chapel area, take the little road on the right which heads towards the D69 (the market town of Plougoulm is nearby, on the right)
1h20 05.5 – Cross the D69 forking left to take, immediately on the right, the avenue of Prat Coulrn (sign). At Kerlaouhic, after 500m, leave the paved road, go past a house on the left along by a hedge and continue along an agricultural access track in a field, which, at the far end, finishes by curving right (the passage is communal). At the next village, Kerautret, 700m away, cut across a tarmac road and keep going opposite towards Brenn Heskenn. After 200m, near Kervérot, go down to the left towards Goëllérien, which is 250m further. Go up left on the road for 150m; follow a field border on the right and shortly, again on the right, the remains of an old railway track which goes down a gentle slope, for 650m, in the valley of the Horn. Pass the bridge over the river and take the tarmacked access road for 100m. Take a fairly busy little one-way road on the right. 500m further, cross the 788 (very busy !) and head for the paved road facing you (an old railway).
2h30 10.0 – Enter the town of Saint-Pol-de-Léon by Général-De-Gaulle avenue, which you soon leave taking a left. Go past Lidl supermarket ; cross the rue de Brest ; and continue along the road called rue de La Tour-d”Auvergne, for 500m, as far as the level crossing. Cross it and straight ahead arrive at the town centre, passing by the Chapel of Kreisker to get to...
2h50 11.4 -... the cathedral, 750m further.
From Saint-Pol-de-Léon to Morlaix
00.0 - Leave Saint-Pol-de-Léon from the south porch of the cathedral, going down the rue du général Leclerc towards the chapel of Kreisker ; turn left at the chapel and take rue Verderel. Continue straight along by the wall of the cemetery as far as the chapel of Saint-Pierre.
Go down l'allée Verte (green avenue), for 1km, along the ramparts of the domain of the château of Kernévez as far as the sea. Turn right and follow the coastal path, which, having gone alongside the château wall crosses the dike of the Petit Nice, then forks left. After 1km, on a track (steps going down) abandon the GR® 34 to go right towards the hamlet of Kerigou. Go past the front of the chapel, head down towards the sea and tkae a right onto the coast road. At the end of the Kerigou shoreline, take two rights towards Trégondern and Toul Efflam. At 350m, at the crossroads, turn left and go through the areas known as Prat an Déro, Pont Ar Priol and, after 550m, Kerouliou (lavoir - washhouse). Take a left towards Landounic (signposted). Leave a little wood to your left. Follow the dirt road through a field and when you are nearly at the top turn left with the GR®, to get to a tarmac road (area known as Keriven). There take a left and follow for 1.1km as far as Dossen. Go down left towards the sea, go through the hamlet of Saint-Nep. Take a left onto a dirt road, then along a field border as far as a tarmac road.. Go down left towards the hamlet of Saint-Yves (lovely view of the bridge of Corde which has now replaced a rope-pulled ferry). Go right along by the sea ; go back up the track which leads to the D58 (very busy). Take on the left the passageway (security barriers) then nearly immediately turn left again into a little tarmac road which leads to...
1h55 7.6 –... the Pont (Bridge) de la Corde, which you cross. On the other side of the bridge, to the left, take rue de Pen ar Men (signposted) ; go along it for 400m then, after a crossroads, continue straight for 550m as far as the D173 (reasonably busy) which you cross in the direction of Guernévez after 500m. Turn left at this point and go along the road to the crossroads of the cross of Kermen 800m away.
Cross and continue ahead opposite. At the far end of a landfill 1.2km onward, head right into a dirt road towards the hamlet of Coat Plohou. Take on the left the tarmac road, which quickly becomes a dirt road and heads down to Pontic, 1km from the landfill.
After the hamlet, follow the road on the left for a little less than 1km to the sea (lovely view of the Morlaix river, and château of Taureau). Pass by a bus shelter and go up right towards Frout (signposted). At the entrance of a private property, 35m further, head for, on the right, the trail heading upward through the woods towards...
3h35 14.6 –... Phare (lighthouse) de la Lande at 450m ; continue straight ahead to an intersection. Go left and very shortly right into a woodland track. (If it’s rainy this track is almost impassable – in this case continue by road to Locquénolé.) Cross a tarmac road and head on opposite. After 600m at the edge of the woods, go left onto a tarmac road. At the following intersection go right then, after 400m, go left along the allée du Grand Large between a housing development and a football field near an electricity substation. After 150m, head along the grassy area and, behind a rock, head right along a walking trail ''sentier des reliques''. At the far end of the track, 400m away, turn right twice, rue de Ti Losquet, towards the cemetery. Go past this and head left after 350m, between two hedges, along a grassy path (not easy to see) then take a right after a few metres and turn left into rue du Prat Santec. At the far end of this road, in a turning circle, head to the left down a pathway then turn right to find a steps which goes down onto the rue du Butou. Cross this road and slightly to the left take a steps which leads directly, via the rue de Ty Coz to ...
4h20 17.8 –... Locquénolé Church. Go up the steps in front of the mairie [mayor’s office]. Take on the right rue de Lescréac'h, then left onto rue Leclerc which becomes rue de Rubalan further on. Continue straight ahead and after 600m, go through two pillars into the woods of Lannigou. Continue straight ahead for about 100m. Following, on the left, a steep descent then on the right a tough climb, follow again to the right, a second climb. At the end of it, turn left and continue by a level avenue (250m) leaving on your right a little forest path then another on the left, as far as a little clearing. Head down the left-most path and follow it for 300m till you get to a sign pointing towards « Balcon sur la baie de Morlaix ; Locquénolé et ses sites ». Follow in that direction for 100m, then 100m before you reach the river Morlaix take a right onto the first track which goes uphill and continue straight ahead (don’t follow the GR® which goes off to the right). Further on turn left then right to go down towards the D769. 20m before reaching it, don’t take the track o the right which leads to a parking area, but take the path which goes straight ahead. Go left along the D769 for 150m to where it joins with the D73, which you then follow for 1.6km in the direction of Morlaix as far as the Saint-François nursing home (busy road).
100m after this building, head right into the woods, between two pillars, near a junction of a road which goes up to the right. Go up the tarmacked track then the dirt road (old railway track) as far as a path on the left, which you take, and which brings you towards the banks of a river. On its right, a maintained path takes you towards the town of
6h15 25.1 - ... Morlaix, where you go straight ahead to the Mairie (mayor’s office)
