The 1st road to give access the Pen Bron peninsula was built between 1707 and 1723. On this road which overlooks the Traict du Croisic, a path leads to a small cemetery. It is home to the tombstones of young children who died in the 30s and 50s from tuberculosis and polio.
In 1824, the trader François Deffès founded the 1st factory on the peninsula. In this cannery, sardines preserved in olive oil were made and packed into tin cans.
Pen Bron’s marine centre was established in 1887 thanks to Hippolyte Palu and a group of nuns. The first patients were treated there in 1888.
In February 1942, during the Second World War, the hospital was evacuated, and just three sisters held an aid post. It was occupied by eight German soldiers. It was reopened in 1947.
Nowadays, this healthcare facility specialises in functional reeducation and rehabilitation.
Pen Bron Peninsula and Dune: La Turballe is home to the longest and most beautiful stretch of dunes on the peninsula.
There are 2 types of dunes:
The shifting dune is also known as the white dune. It forms the transition between the tidal-swing zone and the land environment. There you can find specific vegetation which helps to repair the dune (marram, and euphorbia paralias…). There are also protected plants including the blue thistle, also known as the Maritime Panicaut.
The grey dune gets its name from the colour of the vegetation covering it. It’s also called a still dune due to the minimal movement of the sand, and it forms a close-cut lawn. There you can discover plants, moss and small lichens.
Pen Bron peninsula is a large stretch of protected sand dunes and a maritime pine forest.
You cannot harvest or collect plants there. To avoid trampling on the flora, you must stick to the footpaths.
The maritime pines were planted by man to fight against the silting up of the land. This barrier of forest is an ideal haven for all kinds of birds.
The backshore depression has been formed on a dune-type land with the salt marshes nearby.
Constant humidity and few natural limitations combine to provide a rich environment for both plants and animals.
At the Pen Bron peninsula, there’s the “Galipétant” boat: hop on for the Pen Bron / Le Croisic and Le Croisic / Pen Bron crossings. You can also take a few strolls in the Traict du Croisic which supplies water to the salt marshes.
