Does anyone have any thoughts on a driving route from Pleudihen sur Rance (near Bayeux) to Concarneau? I'm wondering if we should drive up along the coast and then head south or head inland. They both seem to take the same amount of time. We are not in a great hurry and would like some interesting scenery and restaurant options for lunch along the way.
Thanks!!
Hmm, My google maps shows Pleudihen sur Rance by Dinan, nowhere near Bayeux.
We were just there for 2M.
Concarneau is a charming town with a fortified inner town. Lots of restaurants, bars, etc. It's not far from Carnac.
I would drive some along the coast. The Bretagne countryside is pretty, but very bucolic - cows, etc. Quimper is a medium size town which is worth a stop. Pont-Aven, Pont l'Abbe, Locranon, Duornenez, all good stops.
Restaurants - there are many, and we never found a bad one. Best to specify a town, and maybe we might have a thought.
Can you check your spelling of the start location? A huge number of towns in Bretagne start with "Ple" "Plo" "Pol" and minor spelling variations can result in a town 120K away.
Hello. If you're looking for a very scenic route, take the North Coast, then at Morlaix, head towards Quimper. You'll cross the Monts d'Arrée, a region somewhat reminiscent of Dartmoor or the Botmin moors in England. https://www.toutcommenceenfinistere.com/grand-itineraire/grp-monts-darree/
https://www.coeurdebretagne.bzh/incontournables/les-monts-d-arree
Oh Sam, you are right! I got confused with my French cities. We are also staying at a place near Bayeux and I had just finished working out the details on that part of the trip. No wonder things were not making sense. Thanks for pointing out my error.
Paul,
We are definitely staying in Pleudihen Sur Rance, at a B&B called Alfred & Agathe. You are right about the names being similar resulting in some confusion. I tried AI to map out a driving route and did not find the results trustworthy.
I'm pleased to learn you spent some time in Concarneau and liked it. I was trying to pick out an interesting base in that part of the Brittany coast and hoping my leap of faith would pan out. We are only spending three nights there so if there is anything that particularly stood out for you, please let me know.
Thanks all for your responses. It helps me focus.
Around Concarneau, the most visited places are Quimper, Pont-Aven, Beg Meil, and Bot Conan (for the beaches and walks). Near Concarneau, the promenade along the Anse Saint-Laurent is also very pretty. There are also several picturesque little ports in what's called the "Côte des Avens" (coast of tide rivers): Belon, Rosbraz, and Kerfany-les-Pins. And to the west, go as far as Pointe de la Torche. When it's windy, the waves there are very spectacular. Also worth visiting are Sainte-Marine and Île-Tudy. And the Glénan Islands, if there are boats from Concarneau or Bénodet, which isn't always the case out of season, but only on sunny days. But if you're only staying three days, you'll have to choose!
Google maps puts Pleudihen Sur Rance near St Malo. You can either go thru the middle of Bretagne or around the ends.
1) The middle runs thru the Foret de Broceliande. There is the "Grail Church" which is small but very impressive, if you like Arthur stuff. We went, I was highly impressed. Down near Lorient, there is Carnac, with the standing stones. There is the Vallee of Saints which has many statues in a field. However, the center of Bretagne is often not too interesting, as it is very bucolic - like Wisconsin.
2) Morlaix is another possible direction. It is near a group of unique Bretagne churches, the "enclose parishes". These have outdoor sculptures of the life of Jesus called "calvaires". Look up "7 monumental calvaires of Bretagne" for more info.
3) There are multiple interesting sites along the Emerald coast. Here's a link
Oh! The King Arthur Forest sounds good. I'll opt for idyllic over twisting one lane roads.
Thanks all for your suggestions. I'll move on and dither about something else.
There will be time while we are in Pleudihen to explore the Emerald Coast and then we'll head south to the forest and on to Concarneau. I had thought about going to Cap Frehel as a detour on the way to Concarneau but it adds 2 hours to the trip. Better to sightsee from Pleudihen and then have time to explore as we get closer to Concarneau.
note to Paul of the Frozen North. I am very excited to go through the Broceliande forest. I am reading the latest iter
Sorry using a laptop. I'm now reading the latest iteration of the Arthurian legend. I also asked Google what King Arthur sights/sites there might be in Brittany and found out that there are many in this forest including: Merlin's tomb; and the lake where the crystal palace where the infant Lancelot was brought, Looking forward to this adventure. Thanks for suggesting it.
M.E.
Be aware that the interior route intersections can be very confusing with six or more choices of roads to take. Today with a GPS it should be easier, but even my friends born and raised in Brittany used to have lively debates at intersections.
Also check out the nearby Arthur statue in the next town.
According to the TI, the center of the Arthur stuff is the Fountain. We wanted to go but it is a 3K walk on a muddy path. If it's not wet, do that.
Elizabeth's point about "rond-points" is correct. Google maps is set up by complete morons.
In the US, at an intersection, you see a road sign - Frederick Road - so google says "Go left at Frederick Road". The sign is obvious and clear.
In France NO ROADS ARE NAMED WITH BIG SIGNS. They have at most numbers. So Google Maps will say "Take Rue du St Louis at the next roundabout". Well, nowhere NOWHERE is there a sign for "Rue du St Louis". There may be "D56". There is a sign for "Audierne" and so forth. But named streets? They do not exist on French road signs.
Wow, thanks for the heads up about the roundabouts and directions. Don't get me started about Google. I have been led soooo astray with it. If you miss a turn I wish it would say recalculating or something instead of just automatically leading you on a differnt path. Sometimes its been fund but sometimes we've gotten into real trouble a d saved only by the kindness of strangers.
M.E.
Yeah, Wife and I were endlessly amazed at the uselessness of the "named road" approach. Now, what was helpful was the little diagram of the circle with the various roads and the correct one highlighted. My wife would say "get off at 9 oclock". Which was helpful.
