pointe saint mathieu

Q724QXdavidc

At the very Western end of France is Pointe Saint Mathieu, with its lighthouse, ruins of an old cathedral and monastry. It is simply marvellous, especially during storms with a lot of wind but no clouds.

Newquaytraveller

We visited on a warm and clear day and you could see for miles.The place has a unique atmosphere and the combination of the old monastery ,standing so close to the more modern lighthouse ,gives you the impression that salvation in one form or another is on hand.Take your time visit the old Abbey Chapel, now they Parish Church, and walk along the guided tour path that takes you to the Maritime Memmorial. The views and atmosphe really grab you

swloo_sg

It was a sunny and cool morning Sunday morning. The lighthouse is facing to the English Channel and the sea state that morning was very calm. The place is very scenic and a good place for photography.There is an abbey there, which gives a big contrast of modern and medieval building design. There is a hotel just outside the lighthouse, which walking distance. It will be wonderful to stay there for a night.

Sponi

One of the greatest places to visit in Brittany! A lighthouse built around the ruins of an Abby built in the XI century. Geat view to the sea and surroundings

789ChrisW789

Brilliant place for a walk and a some photography - nice lighthouse too. I found the whole area more compact than I expected, and considering it's March, there were more people there, too.Still, it is one of Brittany's spectacular coastal sites, and I'm sure I'll be back!

DavidW756

A geographically interesting place to visit. Pleasant cliff walks and an impressive ruined abbey adjacent to the lighthouse. The toilets, though extensively signposted, were disgusting.

OriginalJerseyGirl

First - the parking is free, and access to most of the site is free. 3 euros to go up the lighthouse. But mainly - it's a stunning spot.We had a blazing row and still loved it :)

FiftyNiner

The location, is at the end of the world, on a rocky point, with the craggy coast all around and with the L'Iroise sea outside.L'Iroise is one of the world's busiest sea routes, but also hard to navigate. For that reason, there's a large number of lighthouses all around.At night, one can stand at the point and watch all the blinking lighthouses and try to count them.There is gorse, sea pink and other flowers growing all around, and gannets, gulls and other sea birds flying past.A tiny hamlet, with romantic abbey ruins, 2 lighthouses and a semaphor.In the vacation season, the large lighthouse can be visited, and there is also a small museum open during that period. The coast is very dramatic here, and one can make nice walks.The place has something for everyone, nature, culture and some romance.

jeremy0

The light house and historical site is a must visit when you come to Brest. The lighthouse is situated on a cliff which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. There are ample parking spots and it has well kept facilties for the occasional tourists.

67np

Excellent evening stroll for couples. I was very impressed with the sight even at night. It was nice to see and hear the waves in the dark.

boxfish70

Impressive point at the wild atlantic coast at the end of the world. Even in poor, rainy weather it es great to watch the waves clashing on the cliffs. The ensemble of fort, abbay and lighthouse is special indeed.

Roadrat102

The lighthouse here is open for visitors if you dont mind the 163 steps it is well worth the climb, included in the admission fee is a museum explaining the history of the area in particular the monastery.

PhoebeGreeen

If you've had enough of Brest, go and see the surroundings. You will be amazed by the beauty of the nature. The St. Mathieu lighthouse is a good place to admire nature, the Celtic sea, the ruins of a monastery, a monument dedicated for the french soldiers who died in WW I. It's only 22km away from Brest. The lighthouse can be visited- I was there on European Patrimonium's Days, so entrance was free. There is a guide waiting for you at the top of the lighthouse, ready to give you all the information needed- historic infos, technical ones, like the type of lens of the lighthouse, the range of the visibility (55km), what do you see from the lighthouse and so on. Next to the lighthouse it's a military radar tower.The visit took around 20minutes and the view is very pretty. Just have a sweater with you weather can change quickly and you don't want the wind to ruin your mood. And if it's weekend and you're lucky, you might even spot a just-married couple who comes for a shooting session.

Voyager101Canada

This is a lovely place where at night monks used to light a fire at the top of the church tower in order to guide ships.A real lighthouse replaced their endeavors in 1835. The abbey now lays in ruins, but has kept its charm. The view over the ocean is beautiful. Many cliffs can be seen with lots of wildlife. Although it is a bit far away from Brest, it's worth a visit!

johnb741

the luxury accomadation, especially the hotel restaurant