Bénodet, France -
A Magical Coastal Resort Town in Brittany
A view of the Plage du Trez - the golden sand beach at Bénodet, France. Just over 20 minutes from the heart of Quimper in Brittany.
I arrive on March 28th, 2022 fresh from my month-long stay in Ploërmel. A bus to Vannes. A train to Quimper. A bus to Bénodet. I walk into an old building full of the sights, sounds and smells that take me back to so very many places in Europe I’ve had the pleasure of being.
My stay is on the top floor. A studio again, but this time with a standard bed and frame but no couch. A dining table, two chairs and a wardrobe. A small kitchen with a portable two-burner hot plate and no oven but this time - a microwave! A bathroom with sink, toilet and clogged shower.
I was going to the store anyway and picked up some clog remover. I worked my magic and soon water was flowing again.
The window of my top-floor Airbnb stay in Bénodet, France as seen from behind the building on Rue de Meneyer.
I have a view over rooftops from this high perch. I love watching the birds. Two of them building a nest in an old chimney across the way. Bénodet slopes down toward the beach from here. In three minutes I can be strolling across the sand. In between distant rooflines I can see little stretches of both the Bay of Biscay/Atlantic Ocean and the Odet River.
Not bad for $505 per month with all utilities paid and Wi-Fi included. Not bad at all.
Peek views of the Bay of Biscay/Atlantic Ocean and the Odet River from my apartment stay in Bénodet, France.
Bénodet is a self-proclaimed 5-star resort town. A “dream destination.” From late September through early April the place has a completely different vibe - businesses that benefit mostly from tourists are either closed or open limited hours. I can only imagine what a zoo this town must be in July and August when most Europeans take their vacations. If you like crowds and a party atmosphere, I bet you’d love it. I was already seeing signs of what that must be like after just two weeks here and this was before even reaching mid-April.
I prefer the quiet of the off-season and things like having the entire beach to myself late at night when I’m down there with my delicious French wine cleverly concealed in a Breizh Cola bottle - feeling relaxed, free and a little bit the rebel on the oceanfront in the calm sea breeze. Sunsets here are magical regardless of the fact that you are actually looking south, not west, as you stand with the sand and gaze out at the Bay of Biscay.
Golden hour approaches and settles upon the view across the mouth of the Odet River as seen from the beach at Bénodet.
Strolling the area day or night is absolutely delightful. Daytime especially as you can see so much more. You can walk along the river from the center of town where it meets the Atlantic back up to the port/marina and along the cove that fills at high tide and drains to a trickle at low. Or you can walk beside the ocean on the sand, the rocks or the promenade. The best of the tide pools await if you venture out to the far point.
A view of Sainte Marine across the Odet River as seen from Bénodet, France. In season, boats provide a handy and enjoyable passage across the river between the two towns.
There is a pub, a casino, a movie theater, a wellness hotel with a seawater therapy spa and multiple dining options. In season, boats take passengers either just across the river to Sainte-Marine, up and down the Odet, to bays along the Brittany coast or to islands out in the Atlantic just over 10 miles south of shore.
L'Atalante Café is a great place to chat with locals and vacationers alike. Enjoy local beer, cider or an aperitif called Pommeau de Bretagne and match it with a plate of charcuterie.
There are two lighthouses in Bénodet. This one, the Phare de la Pyramide, I had a peek view of from my stay. Originally built in 1848, it was damaged during World War II, then returned to service in 1950. It can be found about 100 meters/300 feet northeast of the Odet river. A much shorter one, the Phare le Coq, sits on the mouth of the river. The two are aligned for sailors to line the lights up from sea and navigate safely up the river.
The Phare de la Pyramide lighthouse stands proudly and dutifully above Bénodet, France.
The town is full of friendly people who will repeat back a “bonjour” or “bonsoir” if they aren’t first to say it as you pass them on the sidewalk. Especially at night when the cool kids are out for a stroll with their Breizh Cola bottles full of Côtes du Rhône. Or maybe that’s just me.
Also common are the deep, bold, vivid blues that can be found on homes throughout the town. Mostly a nod to the maritime history and tradition of the area, but partly a product of seaside tourism development in late 19th and early 20th centuries. Resort towns adopted brighter, more Mediterranean color palettes that visitors found cheerful.
Gorgeous “maritime blue” on this home’s shutters and front door framed by pink and yellow flowers.
There is an outdoor market on Mondays where you can find all kinds of foods, goodies and wares. A supermarket and multiple fishmongers aids those like myself who are on a tighter budget while several boutique épiceries please those who can splurge a little.
An excellent half of a ”baguette de tradition” can be had for 60 centimes at a fine little bakery up the way. Enough for two meals if you’re adept at preserving such bread. Good luck not succumbing to the other delicious delights on display there. Your sweet tooth will be salivating!
Thanks to local, weekly markets and a food culture that borders on religion, “eating the rainbow” is never easier, or more enjoyable, than when in France.
By far the most interesting place to buy food is the organic produce automat. You can walk into an unattended shop and pay the machine to open a door for you which hides on full display among many things. Maybe a bunch of carrots, a bag of potatoes, a jar of honey, some leeks or a loaf of bread. I must return and buy something just to use the automat!
An organic produce automat in Bénodet, France. Super convenient and super cool but there’s no substitute for attending the weekly market.
Sadly, I must move on in two short weeks. I will endeavor to make the most of it. I could enjoy myself a very long stay here. I would gladly return to this very spot for another month. Or maybe even longer.
I feel like a king here.
Golden hour approaches to announce the coming evening on the beach at Brittany’s 5-star resort town, Bénodet.