My wife and I are planning a driving tour of Brittany this fall (2010). Rick's discussion of Brittany ends at Dinan but we are golng further west. We would appreciate any suggestions/recommendations on sights, hotels, restaurants, car rental agencies, etc. Merci beaucoup!!!
Posted by
Gig Harbor, Washington, USA
1849 posts
We did a loop drive of Loire Valley, Brittany, and NOrmandy in June, 2008. In Brittany we enjoyed visiting Carnac, one of the greatest neolithic sites in Europe. (Hotel Tumulus). We also enjoyed Pont Aven and Quimper, which had a good museum next to the cathedral. On the north coast we stayed at Ti a Lannec Hotel which was pricey but delightful. Don't miss Beaufort (Beaupont?) Abbey which is an atmospheric ruin covered in roses. Dinan was OK, but we liked St. Malo better. We stayed in Dinan two nights---the day we were there we drove to St. Malo first, then visited Mont St. Michel late afternoon after the tourist buses had left. Le Canterbory Restaurant was good---friendly, very French. I think we were the only tourists there.
The day we left Dinan we went to Bayeux, then Omaha Beach and the cemetery. That bit of Normandy is quite close to Brittany and easily combined with a Brittany trip.
If you want more details, send me a PM with your questions.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
694 posts
We did a loop too, from Normandy (Etretat Dieppe, canadian beach)then Mont St-Michel, in Brittany we went to St. Malo very nice place, then on to the
The pink granite coast (paimpol and perros-guirec) lovely scenery
We also went to Carnac and loved it!
If you will be driving for more then 17 days consider
A lease from Renault eurodrive, new car all insurances included.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
To really explore Brittany, you need to draw a rough line from Vannes to St Malo and stay to the west of it. Poke along the coast roads. Spend at least a week. I'd but my emphasis on a clockwise route beginning at Brest and hugging the coast.
Carnac would be an obvious high point, so would Finistere. St Malo is a must for the walls and the cold-water shellfish.
I might sneak east of the line to Rennes for a day and would be sure to swing off the northern road complex to see the dol-de-bretagne (south of town by the same name) since I suspect it's the tallest standing stone I've ever seen. I'd probably take a peek at Fougeres while I was over that way as well.
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Definitely explore more of the Northern coast line. I love the area west of St Malo towards the Granit-Rose Coast with Perros-Guirec.
One of our highlights were the small villages with "enclos paroissial" especially those in Pleyben, Saint-Thégonnec and Lampaul-Guimiliau. There are many more, just pick those that are closest on your route:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parish_close
I lived in Rennes for almost a year. It's a large city, rather modern with a few interesting spots. But I'd skip it if I only have a week or so to explore Brittany.
The Breton culture is VERY different from the French. If you have the opportunity try to take in one of the many festivals. Most of them are during the summer months but you might get lucky in fall as well. This website could give you some ideas:
http://brittany.angloinfo.com/information/2/festivals.asp
We used the Rough Guide for Brittany and Normandy which is really helpful.
Posted by
Fort Wayne, IN, USA
2349 posts
Never been to Brittany, but have an interest as my daughter is currently there. I just finished a book on living in le Finistere- "I'll Never Be French" by Marc Greenside.
Posted by
Emmaus, PA, USA
1 posts
I lived in Brittany for several months as a student...lived with a lovely family in Cesson, a small suburb of St. Brieuc. St. Brieuc isn't necessarily a tourist stop, but I was able to tour a LOT of Brittany and Normandy...the boat show at Brest (every 2 or 4 years, I forget), Dinan, St Malo, Quimper, Carnac, La Cote de Granit Rose, Paimpol. Plus I have an affinity for the foods of Brittany...buckwheat crepes, le far breton, etc. :)