Val-André is a pretty little seaside resort in Brittany, born in the 1880s at the instigation of the then mayor Arthur de La Goublaye and an engineer, Charles Cotard.
The place was already frequented in 1857 by the upper-class and the aristocracy of Lamballe and Saint-Brieuc who had the first villas built there, but it was Charles Cotard, who by buying, reselling or renting plots of land, became the true promoter of Val-André.
What was then only a vast wild expanse of sand and pebbles was transformed into a beach of blond sand topped by a two-kilometre promenade. The hotel “À Ma Campagne”, which was dominating the promenade, welcomed many tourists… and Charles Cotard who had his habits there.
The plan of the subdivisions established and the main streets drawn, the lots were put up for sale. Charles Cotard decided to provide the future station with the infrastructure necessary for the success of the project. The engineer had worked under the orders of Ferdinand de Lesseps on the construction of the Suez Canal, he knew how to proceed.
From 1890, it was Count Louis-Charles d’Aubert’s turn to give new impetus to the development of the young seaside resort by selling the land he owned by the sea. The railway line serving the town of Pléneuf consecrated the development of the seaside resort in 1922. The promenade was embellished with a rotunda in 1930 and paved in 1933 and the first casino, erected on the site of the hotel “À Ma Campagne”, was replaced by an Art Deco building in 1938.
The Guard’s house
The structuring element of the seaside resort of Val-André is obviously the long sand beach, closed to the North by the Château-Tanguy cape and to the South-West by La Guette cape. The Château-Tanguy cape, which is also called the Piegu cape, is home to beautiful villas, while the La Guette cape offers beautiful walks on the cliffs with its trails and direct access to the small port of Dahouët, where one can find since 1928 the famous Val-André lollipops, which are available in a multitude of flavors.
Well sheltered from the winds, the port of Dahouët dates from the 12th century but it was especially in the 16th century that it experienced a strong activity with cod fishing in Newfoundland and Iceland. The oratory of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, which houses a statue of the Virgin, watches over the sailors who approach or leave the bent pass which gives access to the port.
The Verdelet is a small islet accessible at low tide, it is also an ornithological reserve. In the Middle Ages, the Verdelet was a place of worship, with a church dedicated to Saint-Michel, which disappeared a long time ago. During the Revolution, the Verdelet became communal land. We know that its shells were sought by the poor who came from afar and that sheep, put out to pasture, had a few accidents: thirty threw themselves into the void in 1834 and 109 drowned trying to cross at high tide in 1849.
The Val-André shore is rich in shells. Legend has it that priestesses in whom sailors had great faith were living on the shore. These sailors, before leaving for perilous journeys, approached their boats as close as possible to the shore where the priestesses seemed to be waiting for them. When the boat had anchored, a young sailor, still a teenager, swam towards them. On his return on board, the more shells he brought back tied to his neck, the greater the chances of success for the upcoming crossing.
The Verdelet islet
When it comes to architecture, rusticity blends with late 19th/early 20th century refinement. The only constant is that almost every villa has a name.
Today called Pléneuf-Val-André, the town brings together Pléneuf – on the heights and Val-André – on the coast. It is perhaps the diversity offered by the town that makes its interest: the port of Piégu contrasts with that of Dahouët, the cliffs contrast with the beach, the calm village of Pléneuf contrasts with the animation of the promenade. It is very pleasant.
July 4, 2025
