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TRIP REPORT: Beautiful Brittany and Pre-Olympics Paris April 2024

We recently returned from spending 2 weeks in the Brittany region and Paris in April, 2024.  This was our first time to Brittany but we have been to Paris a few times. Our itinerary:

3 nights in Rennes (day trip to Saint Malo)
3 nights in Dinan
3 nights in Vannes
4 nights in Paris

We flew out of the SeaTac Airport on a direct flight on Delta Airlines to Paris CDG. 
It was a 9 1/2 hr direct flight and we arrived in the mid-afternoon. Took a taxi from CDG airport and was surprised there was no one in the taxi line. This doesn’t normally happen so we were lucky.  The flat fee from CDG airport was $56 eu  to the  Right Bank hotels and $65 eu to the Left Bank hotels.    We spent the first night at our hotel (next to Place des Vosges) in the Le Marais district.

Next day, we took a taxi to the Montparnasse train station to head for Rennes (Capitol of the Brittany region).  What I didn't know is that when you ask your hotel to call a taxi it’s an additional $7eu fee to your fare  as it's considered "advance booking”.

We loved the Brittany region as it uses French and Celtic languages and seems to be off the beaten track. The history and architecture is amazing here. 

One sunny and warm day, we took a day trip from Rennes to Saint Malo, which was an 1 hour away by train. A lovely French woman (who lives now in US) explained why the train we were on, left without us including her. It appears we needed to be in the first class car in the front of the train not in the back.  Somehow this train detaches itself and heads in different direction on the platform. The back of the train was going to a different location at a later time so we got off with others and we caught the next train to Saint Malo.  We did see the notation that there was 2 trains leaving the platform on the departure board but we didn’t realize that the train we saw would detached itself and go different directions. Now we know. The amazing discovery while in Brittany was that it stays light till about 9:30pm in April.  The weather was warm enough that some were swimming in the sea.

The next place was Dinan which was a quaint little town. The old town sits on top of a steep hill that leads you down to  the Rance river. There are some hotels and restaurants along the river but I found staying in the old town to be more convenient to places.  There is a lovely walk along the river to the next town to Lehon.

Our favorite old town was in Vannes. It has the most preserved walled fort from 13th-17th centuries.  Our B&B was only 5 minutes from the walkway to the fortified bridge into the old town. It looks over the gardens and cobbled lanes through the half-timbered buildings that Brittany is known for.  Lovely large Farmers Market here which I loved.

When I decided to go to France again last year I didn't realize that the Summer Olympics would be in Paris. They had already set up for fencing the main sites and construction was going on preparing for it. They are expecting 15 million visitors this summer. We did make it to most of the main sites for the Olympics as it will be fun to watch the Olympics this summer. The one intriguing event is the swimming which they plan to take place in the Seine River. They have banned swimming since 1924 in the Seine River so if the city pulls this off then we will be overwhelmed with joy. I'm sure the swimmers will be, too!
Due to the weather not being as nice as in Brittany, we took taxis in Paris to the furthest tourist sites each day. We have not done this on past trips but the fare wasn't that expensive. From our hotel to Trocadero Plaza: 21.50eu, Sacre Cour $15 eu and Arch de' Triophe $21.50. It shaved 1 - 1 1/2 hours from walking from each day of walking an average of 7 hours each day.

My first trip report on this forum and I didn't realize there is a limit on your trip report length. I will end here that we had another fantastic trip to France.

Posted by
7850 posts

Thank you for sharing your trip report! I really enjoyed hearing about Brittany!

If you would like to share more (and I would gladly read it!), you can continue your trip report by just replying to this post. : )

Posted by
5545 posts

For political reasons that want to be in the same time zone as cities farther east. Sounds like western France is too.

No, it's simply down to lattitude.

Posted by
301 posts

Actually Tom from MN is quite correct that sunsets in Brittany are particularly late for political reasons involving time zones. France, and also Spain for that matter, are one hour later than Greenwich Mean Time although most of those countries are west of Greenwich, or about the same longitude for part of France. Sunset is later the further west you are no matter how you set the clock. The French time zone was actually set that way during the German occupation in World War II and they never changed it back to GMT. Franco did the same in Spain. So French and Spanish sunsets are later than British ones on the clock, usually, although that is offset a bit by Britain being further north. Of course if sunset is later on the clock than geographically it should be, then so is sunrise. You only get the hours of daylight that the calendar and latitude provide regardless of the clock setting.

Posted by
10649 posts

Correct for Indiana, too, which made a decision to stay with NY City time although the State touches Chicago. Nonetheless, Indiana’s latest sunsets are two hours earlier than France’ in summer. That is latitude.

Posted by
1954 posts

Nonetheless, Indiana’s latest sunsets are two hours earlier than
France’ in summer. That is latitude.

Or not enough politics ;)

Congrats OP on picking the beautiful awesome Brittany towns you did. Most Americans seem to miss out on the places you stayed.

Posted by
1036 posts

Due to the weather not being as nice as in Brittany, we took taxis in Paris to the furthest tourist sites each day. We have not done this on past trips but the fare wasn't that expensive.

Good for you, this is exactly what we do if Metro doesn't serve our needs.

Nice trip report.

Posted by
10649 posts

Indiana sunset time vs France was measured by how late my kids could play outside in summer. In Indiana, it was 8-8:30. At their grandparents in France, it was 10-10:30. Interesting about the auto industry.

OP, glad you had such a lovely time in Brittany. You were lucky, a real fluke; it’s usually pretty rainy there, more than Paris. LOL. Most French storms come rolling in from the west. Very nice trip report.

Posted by
5295 posts

Thanks for sharing your trip report, it sounds like you had a wonderful time!

Please do share more details!

I’d like to know about your accommodations and favorite meals you enjoyed.

Regarding this comment:

We did see the notation that there was 2 trains leaving the platform on the departure board but we didn’t realize that the train we saw would detached itself and go different directions. Now we know.

Can you please explain this further?
How would one know which train was the correct one (to Saint Malo), and not the one that becomes detached?

Thanks again!

Posted by
21 posts

Thanks all for your responses. I appreciate learning more about the reason why the sunsets are later here.

To answer the last poster question about how we would know which car was for us to take to Saint Malo is that we should have gone to the ticket office and ask someone. Even another French native was surprised no one from the station came down to the platform to alert us.

This experience did bring back memories when traveling to the South of France many years ago. We had taken a day trip to Cannes and after spending the day, we got on a train that we thought was heading back to Saint Raphael where we were staying. After traveling a bit, we came to a stop and was left waiting for some time. My husband went to look for the conductor and learned there was NO conductor and the train had de-attached our car and left us sitting in a empty train yard! Unbelievable but it happened. We had to walk along the main road to find the next train stop. Climb over a tall cement wall, my husband had to hoist me up and over, to run to the next train stop as we could see the train coming. Now, this happened 30 years ago. A train can disengage the hook up between cars.

Brittany is known for their crepes (all kinds), mussels, oysters and hard cider. We tried them all during our visit and they were delicious. I'm partial to Whidbey Island Penn Cove mussels which are much larger than the mussels found here.

The one restaurant that we really enjoyed was in Vannes, the Restaurant Le Cardinal, is directly across the beautiful St Pierre Cathedral. Perfect place for happy hour, great charcuterie board and we learned they have jazz every Thursday 7-9pm so we had amazing dinner the next night. We sat upstairs in their library decorated room and could enjoy the music. Really nice food and evening. Also, in Vannes, they have a huge Farmers Market that occurs every Wed & Sat from 9-1pm. It was one of the best markets I have been to.

In Paris, we had a wonderful dinner at Le Grand Cobert which was made famous from being in the movie "Somethings Gotta Give" with Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson. One of my favorite movies. We had good food and service as well as fun people watching in this beautiful restaurant. I made reservations more than a month advance as this place is popular.

The hotels we stayed at were:
Rennes - Le Saint Antoine Resort and Spa (5 minute walk from the Rennes train station)
It is next door to 3 good restaurants. Old town is about 10-15 min walk. There is an elevator.

Dinan - La Maison Pavie (15th century building). This was our favorite lodging during our trip. We stayed in the Angkor room (large room) on top floor. Maybe 20 minute walk from Train Station- B&B is across from the stunning Basilique Saint-Sauveur Cathedral. Nice little park behind the cathedral. No Elevator.

Vannes- Maison de la Garenne & Spa. This home was built in 1898. Hotels are not in the old town but this place was the closest lodging we found. Only a 5 min. walk down the stairs, cross the street to entrance to fortress/old town. No elevator.

Paris - Les Tournelles (Le Marais area- next to Places des Vosges). Small room but many hotels in Paris are like this. Small elevator.

Watching the summer Olympics will be really fun as the city plans to really show off all their landmarks. They plan to have the world's finest athletes come down on the Seine River in over 150 boats. It will be really special.

Thank you all for your interest.