Is it possible to walk from cruise port in Lorient, France to the town center? What suggestions for sightseeing or taking an excursion would you have? Thank you!
Posted by
Paris
6905 posts
I would not explore Lorient. The town was flattened in WWII and haphazardly rebuilt.
If you like sailing, the Cité de la Voile is interesting, and I believe it is right where you would dock.
But Lorient is otherwise a port where I would opt for cruise excursions. Concarneau, Pont l'Abbé, Vannes are all more interesting than Lorient.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you for your reply about Lorient. Do you know how far away Vannes is? And, are there transportation options available in port? The cruise ship excursions are sold out. Thank!
Posted by
Washington DC
27142 posts
You can explore rail schedules and fares here: https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/
That route is served by both regional trains (28-43 minutes, no assigned seats, fixed fares) and in-Oui trains (23-28 minutes, assigned seats, variable fares). With time of the essence, I'd take the first train I could catch. At the moment I'm not seeing a significant difference in fares, but I suppose that could change if you're traveling during peak season when the coast of Brittany gets a lot of tourists (most of them French and British). You might like to get the SNCF Connect app so you can buy tickets online the morning you're in port, just in case a lot of folks from your ship head to the Lorient train station at the same time you do.
I went to Vannes in 2019 and found it very picturesque. I think you'll have a great time there. Do note that Brittany tends to be overcast and rainy, so be prepared with a waterproof rain jacket and an umbrella.
Posted by
France Southwest
1821 posts
Another suggestion, the Quiberon peninsula and the entire bay of Quiberon. Less than 1 hour by train.
https://www.baiedequiberon.co.uk/
Trains and buses map from Lorient to the whole region:
https://www.breizhgo.bzh/sites/default/files/inline-files/CarteBreizhGo-56-2022.pdf
(the train is the thick line in black and gray)
Posted by
620 posts
Bonjour Joan,
Def not prioritize Lorient. Better to consider the Quiberon, as mentioned by JoLui above. We spent 5 weeks in southern Brittany this past fall. One base was Vannes, which is charming and has a superb permanent covered market. Auray also comes to mind, but it is much smaller. Pont l'Abee as already described by Balso, has a reputable weekly outdoors market.
Hope all goes well.
I am done. the sub base