Set in the Arrée Mountains, the village of Huelgoat is a picturesque village bordered by a 37-acre lake and the 2,500-acre state managed Amorique Natural Regional Park with loads of great forest walks accessed from the centre of the village.
Huelgoat is a scenic hour and a half drive inland from Saint-Pabu. Kemey and I went there on my birthday – an ideal present for any outdoors lover and an opportunity to see another wild side of Brittany’s Finistère.
The day was the only one of our trip not spent on the coast. A wise choice though, we had a fantastic time trekking the winding trails from the historic Moulin du Chaos along a babbling brook surrounded by and at spots buried beneath giant boulders – in all sorts of surreal shapes – and then up into the hills to Camp d’Artus, where a treasure left by King Arthur purportedly still remains.
Walking was easy and the trails well maintained – though the hike up to Camp d’Artus had a fairly steep sloped. Klutzy me, I found it a good idea to keep an especially watchful eye on the trail to avoid tripping over the uneven steps, large roots and rocky protrusions in the path and inside the many small caves and cubbies dotted throughout.
The village itself is quaint with cute little shops, cafes, and restaurants, with most strategically placed for customers to take in views of the forest or lake. It had a sleepy feel to it during our late March visit, but I got the impression that it’s a rather popular destination come summertime.
Stay tuned for a final roundup post about my visit to Saint-Pabu. A bientôt!
