Visit the pretty town of Pont-Aven!

The season is drawing to a close, but we've put together a short tour of Pont-Aven for you to enjoy on your next holiday!

Pont-Aven, known as the city of the painters, is a very pleasant little town to walk around and is just a few kilometres from our campsite.

An inspiring city

Nestling in the Aven estuary, Pont-Aven is famous for having inspired many painters, including Gauguin, with its exceptional light and poetic landscapes. The river Aven has a lot to do with this: it bounces off rounded rocks and flows through wooden wheels, the remains of mills, creating bucolic and inspiring vistas.

In the 1860s, Pont-Aven became a refuge for painters in search of new inspiration. The founding group of the Pont-Aven School, which revolutionised the world of painting with its new ideas and laid the foundations of modern art, was soon led by Gauguin. In Pont-Aven, the painters were particularly fond of the Bois d'Amour, a corner of nature on the banks of the Aven whose changing luminosity inspired the artists.

Walk in the footsteps of Gauguin, Sérusier or Maufra: just leave the town centre (rue du Général de Gaulle) and follow the Aven for around 2.5 km to discover the Bois d'Amour. You can also get there from the Promenade Xavier-Grall.

To find out more about the painters of Pont-Aven, visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which has 850 works on display and several temporary exhibitions throughout the year.

Pastoral walks

The Promenade Xavier-Grall takes you on a stroll along the banks of the Aven, past footbridges and stone bridges. Wash-houses, sluices, reaches and spectacular rocks such as "Gargantua's hoof" enhance the walk.

After the Bois d'Amour, discover the charm of the Trémalo chapel hidden behind the trees. Its polychrome crucifix inspired Gauguin to paint The Yellow Christ, and its unusual roof is a must-see!

And don't miss the 15th-century tide mill and Château du Hénant.

Shopping...

Take advantage of the many art galleries in pont-Aven town centre and sample the famous galettes in the many biscuit shops!

Pont-Aven offers many places to stroll and is proud of its historic past linked to the painters and Gauguin in particular. Don't miss out on a visit to this pretty, picturesque town during your next stay at Camping les Prés Verts au 4 Sardines!