Three walkers in Anse du Petit MoulinOn the border between Bénodet and Fouesnant, this vast area between land and sea is a wetland of majorecological interest. Comprising lagoons, dunes and meadows, it is a haven for migratory birds and plant species specific to saline environments. The site is classified as one of Finistère’s Sensitive Natural Areas (ENS).
Chemin De Kerguell Marais De La Mer Blanche Petit Moulin 
Aerial view of the Mousterlin DunesLocated on the edge of the Letty lagoon, these dunes form a rare and fragile coastal landscape. They are home to a flora characteristic of sandy environments and help to protect the coastline. Access is regulated to limiterosion and damage caused by trampling.
Accessible by boat from Bénodet, theGlénan archipelago is a natural jewel classified as a Natura 2000 zone. This tropical-lookinggroup of islands and islets is home to unique marine and terrestrial biodiversity. It is home to the famous Glénan narcissus, a protected endemic flower. The archipelago is also a hotbed of environmental awareness, with strict rules designed to limit the impact of tourism.
Île Saint-Nicolas Glénan archipelagoThese accessible and protected natural areas are open to the public subject to certain access conditions. Light facilities (signposted paths, information panels) make it easier to discover the sites while respecting their ecological balance. It is essential to stay on the paths, not to pick plants, to preserve the fauna and to keep dogs on a lead.
Nature activities, organised by the Département or local associations, provide a better understanding of the ecological richness of the sites, while encouraging the adoption of good environmental practices.
To protect the colony of Common Terns, the town of Bénodet has redeveloped a pontoon in theAnse de Penfoul, in partnership with theLigue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO ). The project arose from the realisation that the original pontoons were an unsuitable nesting site for the terns, where the eggs could roll away in the wind and the heat could be fatal for the chicks.
Inaugurated just before the Covid-19 pandemic, the new structure was an immediate success. The number of pairs has risen from a maximum of 21 in 2018 to 58 in 2023. The number of fledglings has also risen from a low of 8 in 2019 to an “unhoped-for” 83 in 2023.
This initiative confirms that thedevelopment of artificial sites is an effective solution for the reproduction of terns, which find refuge there from human disturbance. Around a third of the terns in Brittany nest on this type of installation.
In 2019, an awareness-raising event in the harbour attracted more than a hundred people, reinforcing the interest in this project. The pontoon also welcomed a Roseate Tern in 2021, encouraging theinstallation of specific nesting boxes for this species.
Common Tern in flight over a body of water
Aerial view of the marina pontoons and the tern nesting box at Anse de Penfoul