GR®34 Customs Trail: Hiking from Mont Saint-Michel to Saint-Nazaire

The GR®34, a breathtaking hiking trail, stretches over an impressive 2,000 km. It traces the entire Breton coast, extending from the historic Mont-Saint-Michel to the vibrant city of Saint-Nazaire. This trail unveils a tapestry of iconic maritime landscapes, from pristine sandy beaches to dramatic cliffs that offer sweeping views of the ocean, and meanders through quaint Breton villages steeped in rich history. The trail navigates through several remarkable coastal regions, including the enchanting Emerald Coast, the picturesque Pink Granite Coast, and the rugged coasts of Finistère, before culminating at the expansive beaches of Morbihan. It presents a diverse array of landscapes, adorned with wild flora predominantly composed of gorse, heather, and broom. The trail also meanders through marshes, which serve as a sanctuary to a diverse range of flora and fauna. The GR®34 boasts a rich and captivating history. Established in 1791 in Brittany as a measure to combat smuggling, it fell into disuse at the dawn of the 20th century. However, owing to the relentless efforts of hiking enthusiasts, the trail was meticulously restored and rehabilitated starting in 1968.

Distance: 2,106 km, Maximum elevation: 124 m, Minimum elevation: 0 m, Cumulative elevation gain: 16,749 m
IGN Maps: Le Mont-Saint-Michel (1215OT). Pontorson (1216E). Saint-Hilaire-Du-Harcouet (1316E). Saint-James (1316O). Fougeres (1317E). Saint-Brice-En-Cogles (1317O). Vitre (1318E). Ernee (1417O). Erquy le Val-Andre Lamballe (0916ET). St-Cast-le-Guildo Cap Frehel (1016ET). Paimpol Treguier ile de Brehat (0814OT). St-Brieuc (0916OT). Lannion Perros-Guirec Les Sept iles Cote de Granit Rose (0714OT). Morlaix Plestin-les-Greves Carantec (0615ET). Lannion Trebeurden (0715O). St-Pol-de-Leon Roscoff Brignogan-Plage ile de Batz (0515ET). Plouguerneau Les Abers (0416ET). Ile d'Ouessant le Conquet (0317OT). Brest Pointe de St-Mathieu (0417ET). Camaret Presqu'ile de Crozon (0418ET). Le Faou (0517O). Chateaulin Douarnenez (0518OT). Audierne Pointe du Raz ile de Sein (0419ET). Pont-l'Abbe Pointe de Penmarc'H (0519OT). Quimper Concarneau iles de Glenan (0519ET). Quimperle Pont-Aven (0620ET). Lorient ile de Groix (0720ET). Presqu'ile de Quiberon Auray Carnac (0821OT). Belle-ile iles d'Houat et d'Hoedic (0822OT). Vannes Golfe du Morbihan (0921OT). Questembert Damgan (1021O). La Roche-Bernard PNR de Briere (1022OT).

Geographical track of the GR34 on the map of France

Long-distance hiking trails (GR):

GR®34E: From Pont de Saint-Maurice (Finistère) to Pont Neuf (Morbihan). It is a connecting variant of the coastal path.
GR®37 (Heart of Brittany): From Mont-Saint-Michel (Manche) to Camaret-sur-Mer (Finistère). It crosses the region from east to west inland, connecting the GR®34 at both ends.
GR®38: From Douarnenez (Finistère) to Redon (Ille-et-Vilaine). It starts on the coast of the GR®34 and goes deep into central Brittany.
GR®39: From Mont-Saint-Michel (Manche) to Hoscas (Loire-Atlantique). It runs along part of the northern coast before heading down through Upper Brittany to the Guérande salt marshes.
GR®340 (Tour of Belle-Île-en-Mer): A magnificent island loop in Morbihan that extends the spirit of the GR®34 off the coast of Quiberon.
GR®380 (Tour of the Monts d'Arrée): Inland loop (Finistère and Côtes-d'Armor) easily accessible from the northern coast, offering a landscape of moors and ridges.

Regional long-distance hiking trails (GRP) and island loops:

GRP Tour du Pays Malouin (Ille-et-Vilaine): Explores the Saint-Malo hinterland and the Emerald Coast, closely linked to the northern route of the GR®34.
GRP Tour de Rance (Côtes-d'Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine): A loop heading up the Rance estuary towards Dinan, a natural extension for those hiking around Saint-Malo or Dinard.
GRP Tour du Pays Bigouden (Finistère): A loop starting from Pont-l'Abbé to discover Breton heritage while walking along part of the southern coast.
GRP Tour de l'île d'Ouessant (Finistère): A legendary island hike located at the extreme tip of Brittany, off the coast of Le Conquet.
GRP Tour de l'île de Groix (Morbihan): A wild 25-kilometer getaway accessible by boat from Lorient (a key stage of the GR®34).
GRP Tour de l'île d'Houat (Morbihan): A pristine and intimate maritime loop, off the Rhuys peninsula and Quiberon.
GRP Marches de Bretagne (Ille-et-Vilaine): A circuit located slightly further inland (between Vitré and Fougères), which connects to the vast trail network around the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel.

It is highly recommended to follow the trail markers throughout your hike and to bring the FFRandonnée topo-guide. You will also find information on MonGR.fr.

GR®, PR®, GRP®, and the corresponding trail markers (white/red, yellow, and yellow/red) are trademarks of the French Hiking Federation (FFRandonnée). They may not be reproduced without permission. The French Hiking Federation, a state-approved organization, includes local groups that create and maintain hiking routes on GR®, PR®, and GRP®. It publishes topo-guides for these hiking routes. With your donations, support the work of thousands of volunteer trail markers at FFRandonnée.

GR-Infos.com is an editorial partner of MonGR.fr.

GR®34 Customs Trail

From Mont-Saint-Michel (Manche) to Saint-Nazaire (Loire-Atlantique)

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