The GR34, better known as the customs officers’ path, follows the entire Breton coastline. Within Pornic alone it runs for about 14 kilometres, alternating coves, rocky points, pine woods and old stilted fishing huts, those wooden platforms on the foreshore that are a symbol of the Côte de Jade.
It starts a few minutes from the studio, near the Jardin de Retz, passes beneath the castle terrace and then heads south.
Route 1: an hour, straight after coffee
Old harbour to the Gourmalon headland. About 2 km, 45 min return. Easy.
You follow the harbour, climb beneath the castle, and come out at the first beach. The Gourmalon headland gives an open view over the harbour mouth and, on a clear day, as far as Noirmoutier.
The perfect walk before dinner, or to settle a Sunday lunch. Trainers are fine.
Route 2: half a morning
Old harbour to Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer. About 6 km, 1 hour 30 one way. Easy, some steps.
This is the one we recommend most. You take in the Château beach, La Birochère and the Joselière cove, the prettiest stretch, before arriving at the small harbour of Sainte-Marie.
The trick: walk one way and come back another. Lunch in Sainte-Marie, then return inland on the shorter route, or by bus if the timetable suits.
Route 3: the full day
Old harbour to La Birochère, looping back inland. 12 to 14 km, 4 to 5 hours. Easy but long.
For proper walking. The path alternates clifftop sections, descents onto empty coves and stretches through woodland. Take water: there is little in the way of shops once you pass Sainte-Marie.
It is also the best way to understand the local geography: suddenly it is obvious why the beaches differ so much from one another.
What to know before setting off
- Closed shoes. The path is easy, but the rock is slippery after rain and some descents are steep.
- The westerly wind. On the headlands it blows noticeably harder than in town. Bring a windproof layer, even in July.
- The tide. A few sections along the lower beach are only passable on a falling tide. The official path always stays passable higher up: do not cut across the foreshore if you are unsure.
- The fishing huts. These are private property and still in use. Photograph them, do not climb on them.
The best moment
Without hesitation: early morning in summer, when the light is low and there is nobody about, or late afternoon out of season, when the sun drops straight onto the water to the west.
In November, under a low sky with a rough sea, it is a different spectacle: less photogenic, more memorable. Many of our winter guests come for exactly that.
Afterwards
It is a five-minute walk back to the studio from the harbour. A shower, a coffee (that is what the espresso machine is for) and the day is complete.
Want more? See the beaches of Pornic or what lies around.