L'île à Bois has been a family property for sixty-five years. As a child, I spent all my summers here with my siblings and cousins. From the age of eight, my mind was fixed on one idea: that I was going to live here one day. It took me a few years, but I have now been living there for ten years, hosting family reunions or groups of friends and bringing joy to both young and old!
Île à Bois is an island of around fifteen hectares located at the mouth of the Trieux river in the Côtes d'Armor department. The large house, on the east side, is a 1950s Breton style building with white walls and a slate roof. It is a comfortable family home with a large living room-library from which three French windows overlook the sea. From the comfort of the sofas around the fireplace, guests can watch the changing of the tide and the lights on the Trieux estuary and the Bréhat archipelago. With such strong tidal ranges in the Côtes d'Armor, the seascapes are incredibly changeable and it is impossible to tire of contemplating them. The succession of generations and the various renovations have preserved the house's soul of a family home.
The Île à Bois's strategic position for defending access to the deep-water port of Lézardrieux is exceptional. From the second half of the 17th century, an artillery battery and a guardhouse were built here to repel incursions of British ships that ruled the seas at the time. Before that time, it appears to have been a spot that was frequented by pirates. During the Occupation, the German general staff made Île à Bois an important part of the Atlantic Wall. In addition to fortifications (which are now covered in vegetation) the German army built a dike that connected the island to the mainland. Even at high tide, the island can now be reached on dry land and by car. L'île à Bois has been ranked among "the world's 101 best islands" by the specialist Vladi Private Islands for its remarkable location and beauty. The island offers a breathtaking view of the fishing village of Loguivy-de-la-Mer, the Bréhat archipelago and, further in the distance, the island of Maudez and the Sillon de Talbert. These exceptional landscapes have attracted painters for many years. The magical light inspired renowned artists such as Paul Signac, Maximilien Luce, Paul Sérusier, Henri Rivière, Charles Lapicque, and even Matisse who is said to have stayed in the nearby village of Kermouster.
Escape from the world to a desert island! Île à Bois is a natural paradise. Crisscrossed by paths, it offers many walking routes through oaks, chestnuts, maritime pines and plum trees with the sea at its feet. The vegetation is typically Breton with gorse, ferns, heather, and broom. There is an abundance of wildlife: deer, foxes, badgers, martens, squirrels. Many birds nest on the island: tawny owls, hawks, kestrels, herons, wood pigeons, and smaller passerines such as warblers, robins, accenters, troglodytes and chickadees. As for seabirds, it depends on the season: brent geese, terns, cormorants, northern gannets, divers, shelducks, grebes, mergansers, penguins, oyster-magpies, sandpipers, egrets, sandpipers, and curlews. From the island, you can swim in several coves as well as go fishing on foot at low tide. Depending on the season, you can find scallops, abalone, grey shrimp, cockles, clams, crabs, lobsters. You can also detach many oysters from the rocks and enjoy them on site or at home, or take to the sea for a trip in a kayak.
Take a walk near the island in the charming flowered hamlet of Kermouster, visit the 12th century chapel dedicated to Saint Modez, take the GR34 or smugglers' trail from Port-Béni to Port-la-Chaîne with spectacular views of the coastline. Discover the heritage of Tréguier, a small medieval town near the mouth of the Jaudy. Stroll through the streets and among local artisans, discover the jewels of Azou, rue Stanco, and visit the beautiful granite cathedral and cloister. Hop on board the Passeur du Trieux: a young couple have launched a business with a small trawler they converted into a "vaporetto" which allows visitors to discover the wonders of the Trieux. In Lézardrieux, make a stop at café/wine cellar/bar/tobacconist Le Cariocca where Tony will advise on the perfect wine to accompany your seafood platters, then visit Bruno Kerbiguet, a butcher on the main square, for the grilled pork. Still in Lézardieux, buy a line-caught sea bass at the market on Friday morning or take a break at one of the creperies - Lez ar Dreo or Moulin à Mer. Order a seafood platter at the Vivier du Moulin à Mer or lobsters from fisherman Gérard Richard at the Armor-Pleubian. Enjoy dinner at Maudez, at the Auberge du Trieux, or at the restaurant of chef Mathieu Kergourlay: the Domaine de Bois Gelin.
The ground floor consists of a large library lounge with a fireplace, a small TV lounge with a large video library, a dining room for about twenty guests and a fully equipped kitchen. Upstairs, there are six double bedrooms, four of which have a sea view. Three of them have their own bathroom, the other three each have a shower room with washbasin-bidet. A fourth bathroom completes the ensemble. In the attic there is a dormitory with six beds and a mezzanine with two beds above one of the double bedrooms.
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