We are traveling in France this August and will have a car rental for a portion in Brittany. We will stay just outside Mont St. Michel, visit the Abbey etc. then have the following day open before ending up in Rennes so we can drop off the car the next morning and take the train back to Paris. What to do/ where to go on that open day? Dinan has been suggested. Anyone with experience traveling in that area who could offer suggestions? Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks
Posted by
487 posts
Fougeres and Vitre immediately come to mind. Both are stunning and on the way from MSM to Rennes.
Posted by
big blue marble
427 posts
Of those mentioned thus far, I would rank them as Dinan, Vitré, and Fougères, in that order. Nothing wrong with any of the three, just my opinion at the amount of things to see and do.
You also could stop at the American cemetery in Saint James, a short drive east of Pontorson. It's peaceful and far less visited than the larger one at Colleville-sur-Mer, but still an important place to visit.
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
2106 posts
Second brad's suggestion to visit Fougères and Vitré. You can drive along the coast east for the nice views of Le Mont-Saint-Michel, via Courtils to the A84 freeway to Rennes. Adding Dinan the same day will be too much to my opinion.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1237 posts
It is only an hour between those two places. In addition to the towns mentioned, there is also the humbling Brittany American Cemetery in St. James (technically in Normandy). It contains just over half the interred as the more famous American Normandy Cemetery, but has about a tenth the visitors. Very sobering.