Belle Ile, France

Belle Ile is the largest of the French Breton islands, located about 15 km south of Quiberon, France. It is famous for its citadel and its natural rock formations. Twenty km long and nine km wide, Belle Ile is bound by relatively calm waters to the north and by the crashing force of the Atlantic to the south.

The main village is Le Palais, a cosy port dominated by the citadel. There are three other smaller villages-Sauzon, Bangor and Locmaria - each located at one of the island's extremities.

Belle Ile's wild southern side has spectacular rock formations, a few small, natural ports and a number of grottes (caves). The famous, Grotte de ‘Apothicairerie (Cave of the Apothecary's Shop), is an awesome cavern into which the waves roll from two sides. It used to be regularly visted but is now officially closed. A pedestrian-only track follows the island's entire coastline. There are plenty of coastal paths which can also be traveled by bike.

Things to See & Do

* Le Palais
* Cycling around the island
* Grotte de ‘Apothicairerie
* Hiking along coastal paths

General information

Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency - Euro (€)
Language – French
Land Area – 180 km²
Population – 4,500 approx
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC + one hour
International Country Telephone Code – + 33

Port Location – The port is located in the main village of Le Palais.

Travel Links – Belle-IIe is accessible by the ferry from Quiberon.