FRANCE - BELLE ÎLE Island

Belle-Île, or Belle Isle (Breton: Ar Gerveur, Old Breton: Guedel) is a French island off the coast of Brittany in the département of Morbihan, and the largest of Brittany's islands. It is 14 kilometres (7+1⁄2 nautical miles) from the Quiberon peninsula. The coasts are a mixture between dangerously sharp cliff edges on the southwest side, the Côte Sauvage ("wild coast"), and placid beaches, the largest being les Grands Sables ("the great sands") and navigable harbours on the northeast side. The island's climate is oceanic, having less rain and milder winters than on the mainland. The two main ports are Le Palais (accessible by ferry from Quiberon, Port-Navalo and Vannes) and Sauzon (accessible by ferry from Quiberon and Lorient).