Ouessant

Ouessant lies about twenty kilometres off the Breton tip in water where Atlantic swell, strong tides and reefs meet, historically among the deadliest shipping approaches in Europe; the old saying held that whoever sees Ouessant sees his own blood. Five lighthouses guard it, including Creac'h, among the most powerful in the world, and La Jument on a reef offshore, famous from a 1989 photograph of a keeper in the doorway with a wave breaking over the tower. The island is treeless, wind-scoured and grazed by a small local sheep breed, and a museum of lighthouses and beacons occupies the Creac'h engine house.

What you actually see

• Creac'h lighthouse - among the most powerful lights in the world, with a museum.
• La Jument - the offshore tower of the famous wave photograph.
• The treeless island - wind-cropped heath grazed by the Ouessant sheep.
• The cliff coast - broken rock and reefs on the western side.

When to go

April to September; ferries are cancelled in rough weather at any time of year and the crossing can be hard. Bicycles are the usual transport on the island. Winter is severe.

Honest expectations

Crossings are rough and frequently cancelled, and being stranded is a real possibility. There are no trees and little shelter from wind. Accommodation is limited and books ahead.

Nearby

Molene lies between the island and the mainland; Brest is east.