Groix Island France

Ile de Groix is an island and small town in France's Brittany region (northwestern France) with a population of around 3,000. Groix Island is located very close (5 km / 3 mi) from Lorient (mainland France). Several regularly scheduled (daily) crossings by ferries connect Lorient with Groix.

Island's scenery is marked by high coastal cliffs (on the northern shores) and sandy beaches (on the southern). The island is best known among tourists for having Europe's only convex-shaped beach (Les Grands Sables/The Great Sands) consisting of two areas of sand of different colors. The beach and also constantly moves following the surrounding two ocean currents (northwest and southwest). Both currents run along the island (along its north and south coasts) and dredge the beach sands at their meeting point In the period 2000-2017, the beach moved approx 0,5 km westbound.

In 1982, island's east and south coasts were designated "mineral nature reserve", having over 60 different minerals, including blue glaucophane (monoclinic), muscovite (hydrated aluminum-potassium phyllosilicate), epidote (calcium-aluminum-iron sorosilicate), garnet (silicate), albite, ripidolite.