The White Sea: the name conjures up images of Russia, south of the Barents Sea. But there is another White Sea closer, in the south of Finistère, between the towns of Bénodet and Fouesnant, in the heart of the Breton Riviera. This 4-kilometre-long coastal lagoon is located west of the Mousterlin point; it lets the sea in at each tide through a grau, allowing us to observe the back-and-forth movements of the Atlantic Ocean.
At low tide, many birds fly, sweeping the light sand coastal spit, in search of molluscs, crustaceans or algae. At high tide, the sandy bottoms give way to a small inland sea. Bass, mullet or flatfish then navigate peacefully in this ephemeral expanse of water which oscillates between the gray white of foggy skies and the turquoise blue of sunny days. This constantly renewed seascape creates real scenes between land and sea, dunes and woods. In the distant horizon, in good weather, the beautiful Glénan archipelago stands out.
This Breton postcard, which can be explored on foot in a few hours, crosses the famous GR 34, the customs officers’ path. The area is very popular with photographers like Benjamin Colombel, who, having lived there for four years, does not seem tired of this daily spectacle. “It is a subject of infinite work, because the landscape constantly changes depending on the light, the weather or the season, relates the thirty-year-old. My best memory is a paddle outing in the cold and silence of a winter morning, where I felt in perfect symbiosis with the elements, carried by the rhythm of the fish. That day, I even forgot to take pictures! It is still a preserved place, also ideal for teaching my children about nature, especially in September, when it is still light and good after school.
Out of season, calm reigns over the White Sea. But in summer, at the height of the tourist season in the seaside resort of Bénodet, many holidaymakers come to enjoy this atypical panorama from the sheltered Letty beach. On the edge of the lagoon, the UCPA sailing school and the Letty campsite are full. A little further east, still on the dune line, the beautiful and long fine sandy beach of Kerler gently slopes. A local originality, part of it is a naturist area marked out by signs.
At high tide, the feeling of being on the coastal spit as if on an island, without having to take a boat, is tempting but not without danger. In this inland sea, the currents are strong on the way up, especially towards the point of Groasguen, and misadventures often happen to the unwary trying to reach the continent. To cope with tourist numbers in this preserved natural habitat, regular prevention actions are carried out by the municipalities in the area.
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