⚠️ Entry rules and local regulations change without notice. Before booking, check entry requirements and local rules — visas, access, nature reserves, visitor quotas — with the official authorities.
Forty minutes by boat from Quiberon, Houat — 'the duck' in Breton — stretches its 3.3 km of granite and sand between Belle-Île and the Gulf of Morbihan. One village of white houses, a fishing harbour still very much alive, no cars, and all around it beaches that rival the Cyclades: Tréac'h er Gouréd, the great eastern beach, unrolls a kilometre of fine sand before turquoise water.
A fishing island that stayed true to itself
Houat still lives from the sea. Port Saint-Gildas, rebuilt after the 1951 storm that wrecked the old Er Beg harbour, shelters a fleet of pot boats landing lobster, spider crab and line-caught fish; the commune's motto — 'From the sea we live' — is no relic. Le Bourg, the island's only village, lines its white-and-blue lanes around the church, between hydrangea gardens and stacked pots.
Its history is that of a community apart. Founded on the hermitage of Saint Gildas in the 6th century, dependent on Rhuys abbey and then on Belle-Île, the island was in practice governed by its rector for over a century after the Revolution, before becoming an independent commune in 1891. Electricity only arrived in November 1963 — one of the last communes in France.
The landscape is a Natura 2000 site shared with neighbouring Hoëdic: low heathland, dunes protected by the Conservatoire du littoral, seabird colonies and an endemic flower, the dune lily. Three 19th-century forts, heirs to Vauban's batteries, punctuate the headlands.
May, June and September for beaches without the crowds
Compagnie Océane sails to Houat year-round, but the island comes alive from April to September: that is when the hotel-restaurant, crêperies, bike hire and campsite open. July and August offer the warmest water and extra sailings from Vannes, Port-Navalo or La Trinité with Navix — at the cost of a busy main beach at noon. June and September keep the light and give the beaches back to walkers. Book accommodation early: the island has three hotels, a few B&Bs and a natural camping area.
On foot or by bike, flip-flops preferred
Visitors leave their cars in Quiberon. From the harbour the village is a ten-minute climb; the coastal path circles the island in five hours' walking, from En Tal point to the cliffs of Beg er Vachif, via the beaches of Tréac'h er Gouréd, Tréac'h Salus and Porh Halai. Bikes are for hire at the landing stage from April to September.
A day is enough to taste Houat; a night reveals it, once the last boat has gone and the harbour belongs to the fishermen again. Bring cash — there is no cash machine on the island — and a hat: on the heath, shade is a luxury.
Essentials & your questions
| Main town | Le Bourg (Île-d'Houat) |
|---|---|
| Area | 2.9 km² |
| Language | French |
| Currency | Euro |
| Visa | EU ID card |
| Access | Compagnie Océane ferry from Quiberon (40 min, year-round) · Navix in season from Vannes, Port-Navalo, La Trinité, Le Croisic |
Do I need a visa?
No formalities: Houat is a French island (Morbihan). An ID card is enough for European visitors.
How do I get there?
By Compagnie Océane ferry from Quiberon Port-Maria, year-round, in 40 minutes — €37.80 to €41 adult return. In season, Navix runs crossings from Vannes, Port-Navalo, La Trinité-sur-Mer and Le Croisic.
What is there to see?
The great beach of Tréac'h er Gouréd, Port Saint-Gildas and its pot boats, the white-housed village, the coastal path (5 hours), the 19th-century forts and the Éclosarium, the island museum.
Photo : Pline, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons