Gulf of Morbihan

Mor bihan is Breton for little sea, and the gulf is a shallow basin of about a hundred and fifteen square kilometres connected to the Atlantic by a mouth less than a kilometre wide, through which the whole tide has to pass; the current in that channel runs fast enough to be a serious navigational matter. The old claim is that the gulf holds as many islands as days in the year, which is a saying rather than a count; around forty are substantial and two, the Ile aux Moines and the Ile d'Arz, carry villages. Neolithic monuments stand on and around the shores, including a cairn on the Ile de Gavrinis with carved slabs.

What you actually see

• The island scatter - dozens of islands across a shallow inland sea.
• The narrow mouth - the tidal channel with fast current at Port-Navalo.
• Gavrinis - a Neolithic cairn on an island with carved stone slabs.
• Ile aux Moines - the largest inhabited island, walked or cycled.

When to go

April to October; boat services run in season with fewer in winter. Gavrinis opens seasonally and needs booking. Bird numbers on the mudflats peak in winter.

Honest expectations

Boat schedules vary by season and island. Gavrinis has limited daily numbers and books out. Currents in the gulf are strong and swimming near the mouth is dangerous.

Nearby

Vannes lies north; Carnac is west.