In this article, I invite you to discover Bénodet, a seaside resort in Brittany, along what is known as the Breton Riviera, specifically located in southern Finistère (this department is actually the one with the most coastline in France). The town is also part of the Sensation Bretagne network, which brings together 30 coastal towns and seaside resorts in Brittany. Bénodet is a small town of 3,600 residents, vibrant all year round. This tourist destination is a classified resort on the southern tip of Brittany, facing the Glénan archipelago and located at the mouth of the Odet river.
We discovered Bénodet with my favorite photographer in June 2023 as part of a blogtrip with a few blogger friends we know well, which gave this 3-day weekend in Brittany a joyful summer camp atmosphere.
Practical Information
- Getting there by train: train to Quimper via TGV from Paris Gare de Montparnasse (almost 4 hours), then Bénodet is a 20-minute drive from Quimper
- The tip: if you don’t want to rent a car, there are bus connections (Flixbus) Quimper-Bénodet (Line 41) and in summer Bénodet-Concarneau (Line 48) at a cost of €2.50 one way
Bénodet Tourist Office
29 avenue de la Mer 29950 Bénodet
Table of Contents
What to see and do in Bénodet?
Bénodet is a small town, so it’s very easy to explore on foot. It offers a wide range of activities and has 4 beaches: Trez beach (which means sand in Breton); Coq beach (the name of this beach comes from the lighthouse of the same name); Saint-Gilles beach; and Letty beach (which opens onto the Mer Blanche, a lagoon forming a small inland sea, located between the communes of Fouesnant and Bénodet). As you stroll around, you might notice a lovely uniformity of tones in the city, with the famous “Bénodet white” that residents must respect for their houses. Below, as usual, I offer a small selection of things to do and see if you come to stay in Bénodet or the region.
Also worth seeing/doing: take a walk along the corniche loop in Bénodet to see its lighthouses, enjoy the seaside, and walk around the city; try your hand at Breton pucks (palet breton), a local traditional game that involves throwing rather heavy metal discs onto a wooden board (I don’t recommend playing this in the sand like we did, though, because the discs get lost easily…); take a tour of the Saint-Thomas church in Bénodet.
The tip: the city offers free concerts in the summer facing the sea at the Butte du Fort, in collaboration with the Casino de Bénodet.
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Visit the Biscuiterie du Moustoir, François Garrec
This biscuit factory is a family business that has existed since 1967 and carries on artisanal recipes. On site, all products are made by hand, without dyes, preservatives, or artificial flavorings. The company works as much as possible with local suppliers for its cake ingredients. The location has also offered free tours since 1999 (self-guided or guided at specific times) that allow visitors to discover the artisanal manufacturing of the biscuit factory. The tour route lets you see the production stages of various products live.
Recipes made at the factory: crêpes and the Breton galette (a thinner biscuit than the palet and a specialty of the biscuit factory); the Breton cake, another specialty (there are cakes of this type that weigh up to 6kg upon request); the four-quarters cake and the Breton prune tart; the kouign-amann (which means butter cake with a traditional bread dough base and 50% butter); wheat crêpes (the factory can make up to 400 crêpes per hour!) which can be kept for up to 15 days and can also be frozen); the filled Breton cake (raspberry or prunes that come from Agen because there are no prunes in Brittany, this tradition stems from maritime history and the fight against scurvy).
The biscuit factory obviously also has a shop where you can buy all their products on site. In fact, they only sell directly on site or online, so don’t hesitate to take advantage of it to stock up during your visit to Bénodet.
Biscuiterie François Garrec
9 rue de Kergaouen
free tours : tour on Thursday and Friday at 11 a.m. (mid-season) / in summer, tours every day from Monday to Friday 10:30 a.m. / 2:30 p.m. (no reservation necessary)
Prices of some products: bag of 8 financiers €4.25; handmade palets 200g €4.45; chocolate galettes €5.85
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relax at the Relais Thalasso
If you want to relax and do yourself some good during your stay in Bénodet, you can head to the city’s Relais Thalasso & Spa to enjoy some thalassotherapy “made in Breizh.” The establishment houses a marine spa to enjoy the benefits of seawater with various areas, and it also offers treatments and massages.
On the program:
- an aquatic area with a seawater pool heated to over 30 degrees, a jacuzzi, underwater jets, a lap lane, and a swan-neck fountain
- a sensory area with an icy river (might be my favorite activity, a path in freezing water up to mid-thigh with a pebble floor to massage the feet and activate blood circulation in the legs, perfect when you have heavy legs like me), an ice fountain, a refreshing waterfall, and a path of sensory showers
- a heat area with a hammam and sauna
- a fitness room facing the sea
- a solarium and a nap room
- marine bubbles, cocooning cabins
- treatments: we tested the “Two thalasso treatments” package (98 € for the two treatments for a total duration of 45 minutes, which includes half-day access to the marine spa) during this relaxing afternoon, a multi-sensory marine bath treatment + a seaweed wrap harvested on the coasts of Finistère
Relais Thalasso
Corniche de la Plage 29950 Bénodet
Rates: half-day offer from 2 PM to 8 PM from 30 € to 39 € depending on the day and the period / weekly packages also exist
Good deal: free access to the marine spa with a thalasso treatment booking
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Take a boat trip on the Odet
We took a small rented boat trip from the Marina to go up the Breton coastal river, the Odet. Nearly 63 km long, it springs from the Black Mountains in Saint-Goazec in Finistère and then flows into the Atlantic between Sainte-Marine and Bénodet. It was an opportunity to discover the beautiful forest landscapes along the banks of the Odet, as well as beautiful mansions hidden from prying eyes. Apparently, there are also some very beautiful hikes to do in the surroundings. As for boat rentals, you can rent a boat with or without a license to discover the Odet river.
Boat trip on the Odet
Electro Marine Industrie
duration of the trip with skipper: 1h30
Marina
Open from July 1st to August 31st
Rates: rental for 2h: 70€ + 5€ fuel / rental for 3h00: 95€ + 7€ fuel / daily rental: 140€ + 15€ fuel
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Take a walk on the GR34
If you are a fan of walks and hiking, you will also find happiness in Bénodet and the surrounding area. The Bénodet tourist office sells hiking loops (30 circuits detailed in a guide for 7 € or a guide of walks in the town for 2 €), either by the sea or in the countryside. For our part, we did a small walk in the Petit Moulin area on the GR34, the customs officers’ path. This path on the Anse de Petit Moulin, where the sea comes inland, is easily accessible because it is very flat and stretches over 2.7 kilometers. You can admire numerous species of birds and enjoy the calm of the place.
GR34
Anse du Petit Moulin
free and open access
link to the map of this walk
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Take a bike ride along the coast
If you want to discover the town, but also venture a little further, you can take the seaside bike path to get around faster, which will also allow you to see some very beautiful landscapes. For our part, we hopped on rental bikes to pedal to the southern tip of Bénodet and go see the Letty beach and the White Sea that I mentioned in the introduction.
Bike rental at Cycletty
5 Avenue De La Mer 29950 Bénodet
Rates:
Hybrid bike: hour: 3,40 € – day: 11,50 € – week: 42 €
Electric bike: 5 € / hour – day: 20€
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Go paddleboarding with UCPA Bénodet-Glénan
As Bénodet is a good spot for practicing water sports, we tested a stand-up paddle outing during this stay with UCPA Bénodet Glénan. This center, which offers sports stays in the area, also rents equipment for various activities in the vicinity: stand-up paddles, kayaks, windsurfing… I opted for a wetsuit to do this activity because the water was still a bit cool, and having already done paddleboarding before, notably at Cap d’Adge or even in Mandelieu, I know that you can easily end up in the water.
The lagoon near the UCPA is a perfect place to get an introduction to paddleboarding, because the waters are shallow and there is also very little current. It is therefore very pleasant to learn how to stand on the paddle in these conditions, because on rough water it is completely different. I even tried to do a few yoga poses on the paddle and it made me want to do a yoga/paddle session one of these days!
Paddleboarding introduction
Sports Village UCPA Bénodet-Glénan
1, route du Letty 29950 Bénodet
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A walk in Bénodet by night
If you come during the warmer season, don’t miss the magnificent colors of the sunset, and a nighttime walk is also very refreshing in hot weather. The favorite photographer certainly had a great time taking beautiful photos.
My favorite places in Bénodet
As always, you will find below my selection of great addresses in Bénodet (one accommodation and several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to try during our stay with my favorite photographer and our blogger friends. These places often offer a chance to discover local products and a few regional specialties to taste if you visit the Finistère. To stock up on local products, don’t miss the market day on Monday morning, at Place Méneyer.
The specialties: the Breton kir as an aperitif (like a classic kir but replacing the wine with cider), which you will find in almost every restaurant in Bénodet; seafood, obviously; salted butter caramel; buckwheat or wheat crepes; and cider, since South Finistère is a cider-producing region that also boasts a “Cider Route“…
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A pastry shop in Bénodet? Pâtisserie Nektar
During a picnic by the sea, we enjoyed some very good little cakes from the Nektar bakery-pastry shop, which has several locations in Finistère. Definitely worth testing if you are passing through Bénodet!
Nektar Bénodet
15 avenue de l’Odet 29950 Bénodet
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Where to eat ice cream in Bénodet? Glacier Bankiz
Here is a great address for eating ice cream, revealed to us by locals! And when you see the long line in front of the establishment during the summer season, you know they’re right. The ice creams are truly delicious and the flavors are tempting, especially the “Plougastel strawberry” which I highly recommend.
Glacier Bankiz artisan ice cream maker
7 Corniche de la Plage, 29950 Bénodet
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Where to have coffee in a nice setting in Bénodet? Concept 8
This decor/cafe boutique, opened in 2020, offers decor products with a mix of vintage and contemporary items. It’s also the right place to drink a coffee or eat a little treat on the establishment’s colorful terrace overlooking the market square.
To taste: have a tea time or coffee time with a smoothie, tea/coffee, and macarons.
Concept 8
Rue du Meneyer, 29950 Bénodet
Open Monday and Thursday to Saturday
The tip: happy hour on Friday evenings during the summer
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Where to brunch in Bénodet? Les Voiles
This restaurant, taken over in November 2022, offers a brunch served at the table on Sundays. Everything here is homemade with a maximum of local products and the menu changes with every season. The venue also acts as a tapas bar with cocktails in the evening and sometimes offers live music on-site. The dining room is very cozy and perfect for brunching, but the establishment also has a small terrace in front of the restaurant.
The brunch is composed of: a fruit juice of your choice, a hot drink of your choice, an avocado toast with salmon, scrambled eggs, cheese, charcuterie, a pancake, a waffle, two cookies, salted butter caramel, yogurt with granola, and a fruit salad.
Restaurant Les Voiles
37, rue du Poulquer 29950 Bénodet
open all year round
Brunch every Sunday by reservation at €30 per person
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Where to have a romantic dinner in Bénodet? Restaurant l’Alhambra
This seaside restaurant is located in part of an old villa built in the 1920s by Dr. Boyer, with the help of workers from the pacha of Marrakech, El Glaoui, whose doctor he had been. The villa, which bears the name Ker Magdalen, the first name of the doctor’s wife, features unique architecture in the shape of a minaret. It offers a magnificent setting, with a terrace overlooking the Plage du Coq. It is therefore the ideal spot for a romantic dinner with a very beautiful view of the sunset.
We tasted: Breton kir as an aperitif and a very beautiful wine selection; a nice plate of oysters and langoustines (local, and extremely fresh); Caesar salad with crispy chicken and soft-boiled egg (€14); lamb shank confit with thyme and new potatoes (€27); John Dory fillet with vegetable vierge sauce, mashed potatoes (€31); the desserts were also very good with a soup of exotic fruits (€9) and a two-chocolate tart (€9.50).
Restaurant l’Alhambra
1, corniche de l’Estuaire 29950 Bénodet
Price: children’s menu at €15 / starters between €14 and €22 / main courses between €16 and €31 / desserts between €9 and €10
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Where to eat seafood in Bénodet? Restaurant le Transat
If you are a seafood lover like me, I recommend you go and treat yourself at the restaurant Le Transat. We sat on the terrace facing the Odet to enjoy the last rays of sun during this iodized dinner.
To taste: shellfish platter (€30 for one person) with 5 oysters, 150g of langoustines, 6 shrimp, periwinkles, and whelks; plate of 9 hollow oysters from the Cariou house €18; mussels and fries €14.50; wine by the glass between €4.50 and €7.20.
Restaurant Le Transat
Quai du Commandant l’Herminier 29950 Bénodet
Price: menu at €33 and menu at €43 / kids’ menu at €11
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Where to eat across from the Trez beach? La Pause
This restaurant located on Avenue de la Plage, across from the Trez beach, can be a good option in the middle of a lazy day. It offers a dish of the day and an attractive and decent daily menu with good value for money. During our visit, we ate a Teriyaki tuna tataki and a John Dory fillet with leek fondue and rice.
La Pause
4 avenue de la Plage, 29950 Bénodet
Price: dish of the day 15.90 € / daily set menu with appetizer + main course or main course + dessert for 17.50 € / daily set menu appetizer + main course + dessert for 23 €
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Where to eat a crêpe right by the water in Bénodet? La Paillote Iodée
This little beach hut has been around since 2020 and is located on the 4th beach of Bénodet, Le Letty. It is obviously only open during the summer season, from April to the end of September. It’s a bit of a hidden spot, making it the perfect place to grab a drink and enjoy a little crêpe facing the sea, with your toes in the sand. A true dream spot, and we absolutely fell in love with this idyllic location!
La Paillote Iodée
Route du Letty 29950 Bénodet
open from 04/14 to 09/30
Price: local Breton beers 3.80 € for 25cl; glass of cider 3.20 €; crêpes between 3 € and 4.50 €
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Where to stay in Bénodet? Hôtel Le Bateau Libre
This small 12-room hotel, very recently renovated, is a lovely place to stay in Bénodet. You’ll find lots of furniture sourced by the owners and a very pleasant, laid-back, and friendly atmosphere. The establishment also offers a very nice little terrace for sunny days, where you can sit down for a drink or grab a bite to eat.
We stayed with our favorite photographer in room no. 15, which was very soothing and restful with its minimalist, white decor. Even though the rooms at the front of the establishment are a bit noisier because there’s a little traffic at night, I find that the hotel’s soundproofing is very good because you hear almost nothing once the windows are closed. And the bedding is quality too (which is always important to note). In the morning, we were treated to a country-style breakfast with very good, well-selected products, served at the establishment’s communal table.
Hôtel Le Bateau Libre
17 rue de l’Église 29950 Bénodet
Room rates starting from 64 € in low season for a single room
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Thanks to the Bénodet Tourist Office and Laurent from the AirPur agency for organizing this great stay (non-paid invitation). If you want to know more about the destination, don’t hesitate to check out the articles from my fellow travelers, le blog de Lili, Parisian Touch and Globe-Trotting.
I hope that with all this I will have made you want to visit Bénodet and South Finistère, and if you too have your own favorite spots and tips for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use
