Some help with Brittany please

[Pauline]

Last summer we spent two weeks in July in Cornwall and loved it. This summer I want to go to Brittany, which is supposed to be much like Cornwall, but French and a bit more south. And, after living here nearly 4 years, we are going to attempt to take our British drive car into France - making the trip much cheaper (but making the driver more nervous I think).

Jonathan has helped by pointing out his favorite area - the north coast between Perros-Guirec and Trebeurden, north of Lannion, called Cote de Granit Rose on my map. He also likes the area west of that near Morlaix

But one of the reasons that I want to go to Brittany is to see the ancient stones - the Carnac Alignment - and that is on the southern coast and a 2 - 3 hour drive from the north coast.

What are the best areas to stay in Brittany? To get to nice seaside, do some walking, explore interesting village.

 

[Ann]

I think you need to spend a week on each coast, Pauline, or spend a lot of time on the road. We spent 3 weeks going around the coast of Brittany in 2005, with a Breton friend and his American wife, with excursions inland to see the famous calvaires. In 2010 we spent a week here, near Morlaix, and it was less than an hour's drive to the heart of the Granite Coast. In July the Granite Coast is going to be a lot more crowded than west around Morlaix, which we found to be a great base for seeing much of the northern coast (and the gite was delightful). Then we spent a second week in the south, near Belon and Pont-Aven, about an hour west of Carnac. The southern coast is very different from the northern -- flatter, more tranquil, with a lot of large sandy beaches and inlets, often graced by small villages. The Breton culture and traditions are more alive the further west you go into Brittany -- except for the language, it definitely reminded us of Cornwall.

 

[Parigi]

I think you need to spend a week on each coast, Pauline, or spend a lot of time on the road. In 2010 we spent a week here, near Morlaix, and it was less than an hour's drive to the heart of the Granite Coast. In July the Granite Coast is going to be a lot more crowded that west around Morlaix, which we found to be a great base for seeing much of the northern coast (and the gite was delightful). Then we spent a second week in the south, near Belon and Pont-Aven, about an hour west of Carnac. The southern coast is very different from the northern -- flatter, more tranquil, with a lot of large sandy beaches and inlets, often graced by small villages. The Breton culture and traditions are more alive the further west you go into Brittany -- except for the language, it definitely reminded us of Cornwall.

I agree that the areas involved are sprawling, with a great concentration of points of interest. You can't cover both north coast (recommendation) and south coast in one week. You do need one week each.

 

[Ann]

Pauline, you might be interested in Eleanor's trip reports on Brittany, if you haven't found them already:
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1980
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1981
http://www.slowtrav.com/tr/tripreport.asp?tripid=1982

 

[Pauline]

Thanks Ann, I will read those. You really have been EVERYWHERE in Europe, haven't you?

 

[Ann]

Not EVERYWHERE, but just about everywhere we want to go -- probably a function of our ages and the amount of time we've been able to spend in Europe. We've been very lucky to be able to make 2 trips to Europe per year for the last 20 years or so and spend about 4 weeks each time. BTW, that around-the-coast-of-Brittany trip was in 1995, not 2005 -- I must be getting old!

 

[Dana]

We spent a week in a gîte in autumn in Carnac with a couple of megalithic maniacs and had such fun—the Gulf of Morbihan and its walled main town Vannes are beautiful, and although the alignments at Carnac hog the headlines, don't miss the islet of Gavrinis with its tomb covered with engravings; Le Grand Menhir and Table des Marchands, both at Locmariaquer; and the 'Giants of Kerzerho' (8km NW of Carnac). But it's just as fun hunting down the more obscure alignments and dolmens off the beaten track (be prepared to hike through muddy fields!) with plenty of buckwheat crêpes, seafood (the oysters are to die for!), cider and walking by the sea in between.

 

[Pauline]

That is exactly what we love doing - hunting for the obscure stone circles, standing stones, etc. We found some wonderful things in Cornwall (not so obscure, there was always someone else there).

 

[Marnie de Vanssay]

We love Brittany, Pauline, and try to take at least 3 days a year off from our Loire Valley château to relax and enjoy the delicious sea food. One of our favorite places is the Morbihan golf, as the weather is significantly better than the Northern coast. The little hotel, Les Venêtes, near Vannes,(beautiful historic centre) has rooms overlooking the water and a very good chef, all at decent prices. Another favorite, near Pont d'Aven, the artists' city and Concarneau, is Armen Du, fabulous cuisine.
Château wise, there is Château de Guilguiffin http://www.chateau-guilguiffin.com/fr/ and, a bit inland, http://www.wolseylodges.com/B&B/France/Brittany.htm

 

[JeriF.]

We just put a toe into Brittany a few years ago, but we really liked what we saw. We stayed in the so-called Book Town of Becherel, which was charming, and visited a lot of places in the area, Dol de Bretagne, the chateau at Combourg, Cancale, Dinard, Dinan, St. Malo, all the usual suspects. Would love to go back for a longer stay.

 

[Marnie de Vanssay]

Cancale is splendid. Rollinger, even though Olivier Rollinger has left some years ago, is still a top fish restaurant, and otherwise, for those loving oysters, just buy a dozen right on the jetty from the producers, with a little glass of Muscadet in a plastic cup, sit on the wall above the sea and picnic

 

[Pauline]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think we will go to Brittany for a week, taking our UK car, in May or June. For this trip I think we will stay on the south coast, so we can visit Carnac. If all goes well, we should be able to make easy trips to this area.

 

[Marnie de Vanssay]

Near Carnac, by Vannes, you might enjoy taking the boat 20 min to the île aux Moines, where you can walk all around the Island, virtually no cars, untouched. A lovely small day excursion. We did it on Déc. 8 th so in June, it would be even lovlier

 

[Pauline]

I am starting to plan this trip, looking at one or two weeks in early July before the British school "hols" when the prices go up dramatically (e.g. vacation rentals from €550/week to €750!

And those ferries aren't cheap (but we would save on airfare and car rental). From Portsmouth to St Malo is £500 return for the two of us and a car. Cheaper to do the shorter route to Caen. A friend here takes the chunnel instead, but you end up doing a lot more driving.

 

[Pauline]

I made a Google Map, re-read this thread, reviewed my notes from talking to Jonathan, read most of that very long ST trip report, read my guidebook and did some web searching and I am finally understanding the lay of the land in Brittany.

Jonathan recommended that we stay near the north coast, the area I see called Cote d'Armor or Cote de Granit Rose or the Granite Coast, near the towns of Merlaix (where Ann stayed), Trebeurden or Paimpol. I think we may stay there for a week in early July and then return off season to the southern area, near Carnac. This way we can see how we like driving our UK drive car in France, without having to drive too far.

Now the search for vacation rentals begins. So far I only have this cottage (from HomeAway) near Ploubezre, near the Granite Coast.

For this vacation, we want a French version of last year's perfect Cornwall trip with some swimming, some hiking, some exploring.

 

[Pauline]

Steve mentioned that it might be impossible for us to go to Brittany and not see Carnac and the surrounding pre-historic sites, and he has a very good point. I have wanted to see these for years. We probably should stay in that area on the southern coast. Besides, I have not found a good looking vacation rental on the north coast yet.

 

[Pauline]

I have looked at far too many vacation rentals in the past few days. This is the one I am considering in Pont-Aven for the first week of July. It is near where Ann stayed on her trip. The south coast of Brittany gets more sun and has warmer seawater than the north coast - I want to go swimming. We would be less than an hour's drive from Carnac - we want to see the stones and other megaliths. In the other direction we could drive out to the wild coastal areas.

The house is owned by an American (one of my countrymen), the bed is US Kingsize (have not slept in that large a bed since we left the US), it is on a pedestrian street (but it looks narrow and the house could be dark), they have good reviews, the owner hates fake fragrances (we are both sensitive to the chemicals used in scented candles and air fresheners, and many people with stone houses use them to disguise the damp smell), there is a small courtyard (but no photos of it).

Their Homeaway listing says they have wifi, but they don't (I always check to be sure). They had to remove it after big storms this winter blew it out (we got those same storms). That is the downside. But it is only a week and the nearby cafe has wifi.

My Questions: Would Pont-Aven be a good town to be in? Is this a good area?

Looking for nice vacation rentals for two in Brittany was difficult. Many are large houses designed to cram in as many people as possible. Or they are out in the countryside. If possible, I want to be in a village or town.

 

[Pauline]

I have a horrible cold (yes, again!!) or maybe it is allergies (I went to the doctor and he didn't know which it was, but he did tell me that Painswick is one of the worst areas for allergies because of all the woods and the river - but aren't there woods and rivers everywhere here?), so all this is on hold. Plus we leave in just over two weeks for France and I have to get myself organized for that. I may have missed the opportunity for Brittany in the summer - or maybe I will do something last minute.