Île de Sein, l'île des neuf prêtresses

Île-de-Sein

So low that it seems to float on the mer d'Iroise, the île de Sein is linked to one of the oldest tales of priestesses in Gaul. Around the year 43, the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela described, facing the Osismii, an island of Sena consecrated to a Gaulish deity. An oracle is held there by nine virgins, the Gallizenae, who, he says, raise seas and winds by their songs, take the form of any animal, cure diseases judged incurable and foretell the future only to sailors who come to consult them. Mela does not name the île de Sein with certainty: it is attributed to it by tradition. The most colourful details, such as sailors lured onto the reefs, come from 19th-century authors. On the spot, two tall menhirs, the Causeurs, face each other near the church of Saint-Guénolé, built from 1898 to 1901. Closer to our time, the island entered history on 18 June 1940, when its men, between 114 and 128 depending on the sources, joined Free France in England; the island received the Ordre de la Libération on 1 January 1946. The sources read differ on the population (260 inhabitants in 2019 according to Wikipedia) and on the exact altitude.

Getting there: Car-free island, reached only by boat: about an hour from Audierne, longer from Brest, Camaret or Douarnenez; crossings depend on the sea and prices were not verified. The menhirs can be seen freely near the church. The island is very low and exposed to storms. Coordinates: centre of the island from OpenStreetMap (Nominatim); the exact position of the Causeurs was not recorded.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound