# Carnac and the Gulf of Morbihan

In Carnac thousands of standing stones are lined up in the fields, raised more than six thousand years ago. Half an hour away, the Gulf of Morbihan is an enclosed sea with dozens of islands reached by boat in minutes.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/brittany/carnac-and-morbihan-gulf · Revisado: 2026-11-11

## What are the alignments?

Rows of granite menhirs, raised in the Neolithic, stretching for kilometres between Carnac and La Trinité-sur-Mer in three fields: Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan. It is one of the largest megalithic sites in the world. The Maison des Mégalithes, opposite Ménec, is the starting point.

## Can you see them on your own?

It depends on the month. From October to March you can walk freely into the fields. From April to September, the interior can only be visited with a guide (book at the Maison des Mégalithes or online) and the rest of the year you see the menhirs from the path that surrounds them, which is always free.

## How do you get there?

From Nantes, the airport with the most flights from Spain, it is about an hour and a half by car on the free N165. The nearest railway station is Auray. From the border it is about 710 km, with tolls as far as Nantes.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Customs Officers' Path (GR 34), Brittany Coast
- Cerca: Belle-Île-en-Mer (a 30.7 km), Brocéliande Forest (a 80.2 km)

## Qué hacer
- **The Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan Alignments** (2 h · All ages · Path free · guided visit €13): What it is
Three fields of standing stones in rows, north of Carnac: Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan. Together they add up to some 3,000 stones raised around 4500 BC, in the Neolithic, and form one of the largest megalithic complexes in the world. Since July 2025 they have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the property "Megaliths of Carnac and of the Shores of Morbihan".
Each field has its own character. Ménec is the most orderly: about 950 m long and 100 wide, with 1,050 menhirs in 11 rows; the tallest approach 4 m. Kermario is the longest, about 1,100 m with 982 stones, and also the most visited and the most damaged. Kerlescan, the smallest, has about 300 menhirs in 13 rows that are not parallel, preceded by a rectangular stone enclosure on a rise.
Since 1991 the fields have been fenced so that the heath can recover and the ground stops eroding. That is why the visit changes depending on the month.
On your own or with a guide
The megalith path, which runs along the outside of the fields beyond the fence, is free and open all year. From it you see the rows up close, though you do not walk among them.
To go inside there are two options:

From October to the end of March, some of the fields are opened for independent walking. Ask at the Maison des Mégalithes which ones are open that day.
With the guided visit run by the Centre des monuments nationaux, which lasts around an hour and is recommended from age 6. It costs €13 per adult and €6 for ages 7 to 17; under-7s go in free. In high season there are more sessions and visits in other languages. Times are on the official website or at the ticket office, and you book online.

To go on your own, the monument has a free web app in Spanish, with no download, with an audio route, a timeline and a glossary.
The walking route
Always start at the Maison des Mégalithes, opposite Ménec. Depending on how much time you have:

Loop of Ménec: 700 m, wheelchair accessible. Half an hour.
From Ménec to Kermario: 1.5 km one way, 45 minutes to an hour.
From Ménec to Kerlescan: 3.5 km one way, about two hours passing through the three fields.

It is flat. You return the same way, so for Ménec to Kerlescan and back allow about four hours with stops. If you do not want to retrace your steps, walk out and cycle back, or the other way round: there is a cycle lane along Ménec.
Getting there and parking
By car, from Auray follow the D768 towards Carnac and Quiberon to the Purgatoire roundabout, and there take the D119 towards Carnac; then follow the "Alignements du Ménec" signs. The road beside the menhirs is one-way and shared with pedestrians and bikes: drive slowly.
The Maison's car park is only for people with a ticket for a visit or a workshop. If you are going independently or it is full, leave the car in the Kerabus car park, about 900 m away, which also has spaces for motorhomes.
Without a car, take the train to Auray and continue by BreizhGo bus to Carnac; in high season there are shuttles. By bike, the site has the Accueil Vélo label, bike racks, a repair kit and a water point.
With children, with a dog and in the heat
With small children the loop of Ménec works; the long stretch to Kerlescan is tiring. A pushchair is not recommended: the ground is uneven. Wear closed shoes.
Dogs can go on a lead on the path and in the fields open in winter, but not on guided visits.
In summer there is hardly any shade. Bring water and a hat: in heatwaves the monument may change, move or cancel visits. Smoking is forbidden throughout the site, outdoors too.
Afterwards, the Grande Plage is a few minutes by car, and the Crêperie Chez Marie is in the village. To sleep near the fields, there is the Camping du Moulin de Kermaux.
- **Île aux Moines from Port-Blanc** (4 h · All ages · Boat €6.80 per adult · under-4s free): What it is
The Île aux Moines is the largest island in the Gulf of Morbihan: about 6 km long and 3.5 wide, cross-shaped, with a village in the centre, where the four arms meet. About 630 people live on it. It is one of the two islands in the gulf with their own town council and is reached in five minutes by boat from Port-Blanc, in Baden.
What you do is walk or cycle along narrow paths and roads, with hardly any cars: only vehicles authorised by the town council run. There are whitewashed stone houses, pine woods, small coves and views of the gulf from every point.
The crossing
The regular boat is run by Izenah Croisières and operates every day of the year, with no booking. It leaves Port-Blanc at five and thirty-five minutes past the hour, and leaves the island on the hour and at half past. It costs €6.80 per adult and €4.40 for ages 4 to 10; under-4s travel free. Dogs on a lead are allowed on its boats. If you want to take your bike, ask at the ticket office: the website does not make it clear for the crossing.
At the Port-Blanc landing stage there are car parks nearby, some paid and others free further away. In summer they fill up: arrive early.
If you would rather see the rest of the gulf before getting off, Izenah's gulf cruise stops at the island at midday and you return later on the boat.
What to see

The village, a few minutes uphill from the harbour, with the church of Saint-Michel, from 1802, which keeps sailors' ex-votos, and the chapel of Notre-Dame-d'Espérance, on the rue de la Mairie.
The Kergonan cromlech: a horseshoe-shaped enclosure of standing stones, among the largest in Europe. Its largest stone is called le Moine, the monk.
The Penhap dolmen, the best preserved on the island, on the south arm, about 5 km from the village.
The beaches: the Grande Plage, Port Miquel and Le Gored, where the remains of an old stone fish weir survive.
The points: Trec'h, Brouel and Toulindac have calvaries and viewpoints over the gulf; next to Toulindac is the bois d'Amour.

Getting around
On foot, the village and Kergonan can be seen in a morning. To reach the Penhap dolmen and return, allow about 10 km there and back from the village. By bike you can see the whole island in half a day.
For bike hire, Izenah lists several points on the island on its website: the Véloc'Ouest shops (P'tit Louis Locations, Port Locations and Bourg Location), which have electric bikes and online booking, and L'Île à Vélo, on the route du Port. Check prices and availability directly with them.
How long and when
Half a day is enough for the village, Kergonan and a beach; a whole day if you want to go down to Penhap or have lunch on the island. The boat runs all year, so it also works in winter, with the island almost to yourself. In July and August the morning boats are full and the island has a holiday atmosphere.
With children or with a dog
With children it is a good excursion: a short crossing, traffic-free paths and calm beaches. A pushchair is fine on the little roads, worse on the coastal paths. With a dog, keep it on a lead on the boat.
Back on the mainland, the Carnac alignments lie to the west, past Auray.
- **Maison des Mégalithes** (30 min · Free entry · guided visit €13): What it is
The Maison des Mégalithes is the visitor centre of the Carnac megalithic site, run by the Centre des monuments nationaux. It is at Le Ménec, opposite the first field of menhirs, and is the starting point for all visits: this is where you buy tickets for the guided visit, ask which fields are open and begin the path that leads to Kermario and Kerlescan.
Inside there is a ticket desk with a welcome area, an exhibition space, a video room and a bookshop-gift shop. The exhibition and the video room give you the context you cannot see from the path: who raised the stones around 4500 BC, how they are arranged and why the fields have been fenced since 1991. Since July 2025 the complex has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hours

From 1 April to 30 June: from 9:30 to 18:00.
July and August: from 9:30 to 19:00.
September: from 9:30 to 18:00.
From 1 October to 31 March: from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.

Closed on 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. In 2026, the shop is closed from 23 to 25 November for stocktaking, but the ticket office, the exhibition and the video room stay open.
Price and visits
Entry to the Maison is free. What you pay for is the guided visit of the alignments, of around an hour:

Adult: €13.
Ages 7 to 17, and some groups with proof: €6.
Under-7s: free.

Visit times change with the season and are available on the official website or at the ticket office. You can book online on the national monuments ticket site. With the Pass des mégalithes, which groups five sites in the area, you get a reduced price from the second monument.
If you go on your own, the monument's web app works in Spanish from your phone and accompanies the route along the path. Everything about visiting the fields is in the entry for the Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan alignments.
How long
Half an hour for the exhibition and the video. If you add the guided visit, allow an hour and a half; with the walk to Kerlescan and back, half a day.
Getting there and parking
From Auray, follow the D768 towards Carnac and Quiberon to the Purgatoire roundabout, take the D119 towards Carnac and then the "Alignements du Ménec" signs. The last stretch is one-way and shared with pedestrians and cyclists.
The Maison's car park is reserved for people with a ticket for a visit or a workshop. If it is full, or you are only going to the path, use the Kerabus car park, about 900 m away, with spaces for motorhomes.
Without a car: train to Auray and BreizhGo bus to Carnac; in high season there are shuttles. By bike you arrive along the lane that skirts Ménec; there are bike racks, a repair kit and a water point.
Facilities and rules
There is a drinks machine and, in summer, an ice cream seller on the esplanade. There is no left-luggage. Small dogs may enter the Maison in a bag or rucksack; on the path they go on a lead and they are not allowed on guided visits. Smoking is forbidden throughout the site, outdoors too.
For the rest of the day, the Grande Plage is at Carnac-Plage and Le Diana is opposite it.
- **Cruise on the Gulf of Morbihan** (4 h · From €25 per adult): What it is
The Gulf of Morbihan is an inland sea of some 115 to 130 km², joined to the Atlantic by a strait of about a kilometre between Port-Navalo and Locmariaquer. Mor bihan means "little sea" in Breton. Inside there are dozens of islands and islets, between thirty and sixty depending on how you count them, and only two with their own village and town council: the Île aux Moines and the Île d'Arz. Since 2014 it has been a regional nature park.
The cruise is the comfortable way to see it: a pleasure boat with commentary that sails between the islands and drops you on one of them to eat and walk; you return on a later boat. Through the window pass islets with solitary houses, oyster beds, moored sailing boats and, at the mouth of the gulf, currents reaching almost nine knots.
Who runs it
Two companies run the gulf tour with a stop:

Izenah Croisières departs from the Port-Blanc landing stage, in Baden. Its cruise 1 goes round the gulf and stops at the Île aux Moines: it leaves at 10:15 and reaches the island at 12:15, about two hours of commentated sailing. It runs from 1 April to 30 September, every day. It costs €25 per adult and €13 for ages 4 to 12; under-4s do not pay. It has versions with a stop on the Île d'Arz or on both islands.
Navix has departures for the gulf from Vannes, Port-Navalo, Locmariaquer, Auray-Saint-Goustan, Le Bono and La Trinité-sur-Mer, with three variants: a stop at the Île d'Arz, at the Île aux Moines or at both. The base adult price departing from Vannes is €26.80 with one island and €31.20 with both. Check the duration, times and child fare for each port on its website.

Both sell online. In July and August it is wise to book; outside summer it is usually enough to turn up with some time to spare.
What the day is like
With Izenah, after landing on the Île aux Moines you have the afternoon free: the island is about 6 km long, with a village in the centre, small beaches and a Neolithic cromlech. You return to Port-Blanc on the regular shuttle, which leaves every half hour; the last boat is at 20:00, or at 22:00 in July and August. Everything you can do there is in the entry for the Île aux Moines.
Allow half a day at least: two hours on the boat and at least two on the island. If you stay for lunch, it is a whole day.
Getting to the departure point
From Carnac, Port-Blanc (Baden) and Vannes are to the east, past Auray. At Port-Blanc there are car parks near the landing stage, some paid and others free a little further away; in summer they fill up, because they are also the ones for the island shuttle, so arrive with time to spare. If you go with Navix, confirm the departure point for your port when booking.
What to bring and with whom
A windcheater even if it is sunny: on deck it blows. Sunglasses and some water. Izenah allows dogs on a lead. It works well with children: the stop breaks up the trip and under-4s do not pay.
If you would rather go straight to the island without a cruise, the regular crossing from Port-Blanc takes about five minutes and cannot be booked.
For the rest of the trip, the Carnac area has the alignments and the Grande Plage.
- **Carnac's Grande Plage** (3 h · Children · Independent visit · free): What it is
The Grande Plage is the main beach of Carnac-Plage, the coastal district of the town, a few minutes south of the menhirs. It has about 2 km of fine white sand facing south, over the Bay of Quiberon. The Quiberon peninsula closes it off to the west and shelters it from the big Atlantic swell, so the water usually arrives calm: it is the beach to go to with children after seeing the alignments.
It is the largest of Carnac's five beaches. Behind it runs the boulevard de la Plage, with hotels, bars and shops, and the centre of Carnac-Plage is a few minutes away by bike.
Getting there and parking
The address is boulevard de la Plage, in Carnac. From the Maison des Mégalithes you head south, towards the sea, in just a few minutes by car. There is parking next to the beach, which fills up early in July and August; if you can, go by bike or on foot from where you are staying.
Without a car, the beach is reached by public transport: the buses that arrive in Carnac from Auray station stop in the village and in the beach area.
Facilities
The beach has a lifeguard post, toilets, drinking water, a bar and a children's club on the sand. It holds the Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag) for water quality and management, and the Tourisme et Handicap label for motor, hearing and mental disability, with an assistance service and adapted equipment for bathing for people with reduced mobility.
Swimming and safety
Swimming is supervised in the summer season. Every year the town council publishes the period and hours of the lifeguard post; in previous seasons it has been in the afternoon, so do not assume there is supervision in the morning. Always swim in front of the post and respect the flags.
Although the bay is calm, the tide matters: at low tide the shoreline moves away and at high tide the strip of dry sand narrows. Check the tide table before putting up the parasol.
When to go
From June to September for swimming; the water of southern Brittany's Atlantic is cool even in August. In July and August the beach fills up from mid-morning, and the best times are first thing and at the end of the afternoon, with the sun going down over Quiberon. Outside summer it is a good long walk on the sand, with the beach almost empty.
With children
It is the area's family beach: fine sand, gentle slope, sheltered water, lifeguards and a children's club. Bring shade, because there are no trees on the sand.
To sleep right on the beach, Le Diana Hôtel & Spa is on the same boulevard. For galettes, the Crêperie Chez Marie.

## Dónde comer
- **Crêperie Chez Marie** (Restaurant, Carnac, €). Qué pedir: a buckwheat galette, a wheat crêpe and a bolée of cider.

## As a family: Stones, a boat and a calm beach

Carnac works very well with children of different ages: the menhirs can be seen from the path, the island is five minutes away by boat and the beach has no big waves.

### What works best
The alignments, best by bike or on foot along the path

The Île aux Moines, five minutes by boat

The Maison des Mégalithes to understand what they are

### Sleeping
Camping du Moulin de Kermaux, next to the menhirs

Hotels at Carnac-Plage

### Eating
Crêperie Chez Marie in the centre

A picnic on Carnac beach

### Bear in mind
From April to September, the inside of the fields is by guided visit only

In August, the boat to the Île aux Moines has a queue

Bring a hat: there is no shade among the menhirs

### Qué hacer as a family
- The Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan Alignments
- Île aux Moines from Port-Blanc
- Maison des Mégalithes
- Cruise on the Gulf of Morbihan

## With a dog: Standing Stones and Gulf Boats, for the Dog Too

In Carnac the dog can walk on a lead along the path that skirts the alignments, and in winter enter the open fields. On the gulf, Izenah Croisières boats admit it on a lead, including on the launch to the Île aux Moines. Two places to stay accept it: a campsite next to the standing stones and a hotel facing the sea.

### Walks
Carnac alignments: on a lead along the outer path, open all year

Île aux Moines, with a launch from Baden: on a lead on the boat

Cruise round the gulf with Izenah Croisières; with Navix, ask when booking

### Where to sleep
Camping du Moulin de Kermaux: a single dog, not of categories 1 and 2

Le Diana Hôtel & Spa: with a €19 supplement; it cannot be left alone in the room

### Keep in mind
Dogs are not admitted on the guided tours of the alignments

At the Maison des Mégalithes only small dogs enter, in a bag or rucksack

In summer there is hardly any shade beside the standing stones: bring water

### Qué hacer with a dog
- The Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan Alignments
- Île aux Moines from Port-Blanc
- Maison des Mégalithes
- Cruise on the Gulf of Morbihan

### Dónde dormir with a dog
- Camping du Moulin de Kermaux: One dog only, not category 1 or 2
- Le Diana Hôtel & Spa: With a €19 supplement; it cannot be left alone in the room

## Consejos

### Tour the three fields by bike or on foot
It is about two hours on foot from Ménec to Kerlescan. Park once and walk.

### Go to the gulf with the tide in your favour
The currents in the gulf are strong; the scheduled boats adjust their timetable, but in a kayak or your own boat the tide rules.

### In winter, set off early
With low light and the morning mist the menhirs are more impressive.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does it cost to see the menhirs?
The path around the fields is free all year. The guided visit to the interior, from April to September, is paid.

### How many days do I need?
One for Carnac and the Île aux Moines. Two or three if you want the beach, the gulf by boat and Vannes.

### How do you get to the Île aux Moines?
By boat from Port-Blanc, in Baden: a five-minute crossing, every half hour and all year round.

### Does Carnac have a beach?
Yes. Carnac-Plage faces Quiberon Bay, with sand and calm water for children.