Pen-Bron, Protected coastal area in La Turballe, France
Pen-Bron is a protected coastal area located between the salt marshes of Guérande and the Atlantic Ocean. The landscape features white and gray dunes edged by maritime pine forests that create a natural boundary between sea and inland regions.
The area became known in the 1820s when François Deffès established the first sardine cannery. About 60 years later, Hippolyte Palu built a marine hospital on the peninsula, which served as a health facility through the mid-1900s.
Pen-Bron comes from Breton words meaning "head of the hills". Today visitors walk among the dunes and forests to observe coastal wildlife and understand how the sea and land meet in this protected corner.
A cycling path connects the pine forest to the Traict du Croisic, providing safe access through the natural area. Wear comfortable walking shoes as the sandy and uneven terrain requires steady footing for exploring the dunes on foot.
The dune system shelters roughly 45 bird species, with about ten returning each year to breed in the maritime pine forests. These nesting grounds play a quiet but vital role in maintaining bird populations along this stretch of Atlantic coast.
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