French Holiday Ideas | 5 reasons to spend your holidays in Brittany

Brittany in northwestern France is a hugely popular region for British visitors. It has a special regional identity, a proud local heritage and a vast array of great sites to visit, from historic churches to music festivals and some of France’s loveliest beaches. Here we present the Your French Holidays guide to unmissable Brittany



Gastro heaven

We start with an obvious one for foodies – the local speciality, crêpes, can be enjoyed as a snack at lunchtime or a delicious dinnertime treat, often washed down with a cool bol of cider. The savoury alternative is a galette, often made from buckwheat. Fillings are becoming increasingly inventive as modern chefs put their spin on this local favourite.

But beyond the crêperie, it’s seafood that’s king of culinary Bretagne. Try a platter of fruits de mer in a coastal village or head to the oyster hotbeds of Cancale to indulge in a dozen beautiful bivalves!

Butter is the other legendary local product – you will find it used liberally in famous local biscuits or gateau Breton.

Myths and mysticism

Did you know that Brittany is a land of myths and legend, where storytelling of the region’s heritage is an art form to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages? For a true sense of the past coming to life, head to the Broceliande Forest about 18 miles (30km) west of Rennes.

Here the forest of Paimpont is all that remains of the vast forest that covered ancient inland Brittany otherwise known as Argoat. Legend has it this place is also the location of mythical Brocéliande, the forest of King Arthur. Local guides can take you off the beaten track and reveal the mysteries of the woods with riveting legends and yarns.



Island life

Brittany is well loved as a coastal destination but the mainland with its beaches and rugged coastline is not the only way of enjoying the beautiful edge of France. The coast is dotted with windswept islands reachable by a short boat ride.

Among the ones we recommend is Belle Ile, located 9 miles off the coast of Morbihan, Brittany’s largest island boasts a temperate climate, magnificent coastline and 60 lovely beaches. Ile de Batz is a 15-minute trip from Roscoff. Best known for its exotic garden, it’s also a great place for a leisurely stroll. Ouessant is France’s westernmost point, located 18 miles of Le Conquet. Notable sights include Vauban’s lighthouse and some indigenous sheep!

Beaches

Brittany’s 2,800 kms of coastline is blessed with some much-loved beaches that are amongst the most attractive in Europe. They often sit within family friendly seaside resorts where you and your family indulge in all manner of sporting activities in a safe environment, with supervised swimming and children’s clubs.

Among the sandy gems to look out for are The 'Grands Sables' beach at Groix, the 'Anse du Verger' at Saint Coulomb, Langoz beach at Loctudy, the 'Grève des Curés' at Trégastel, the 'Blancs Sablons' at Le Conquet, the 'Mine d'or' at Pénestin and 'Pen Bron' at La Turballe.


Places of interest

Brittany’s architectural heritage is writ large in ancient towns such as Quimper and Rennes and such places offer a great cultural angle to your Breton break, not to mention that special atmosphere of yesteryear. Thanks to the architecture.

The historic naval port of Brest is well worth a visit, and don’t forget to take in the château museum.

The busy fishing port of Concarneau boasts a walled town (ville close) packed with ambience (and visitors in the summer months!), while another walled town, Vannes, is easily one of the most attractive sights in the whole region. Explore its delightful medieval streets – it has over 250 buildings classed as historical monuments - before enjoying a relaxing lunch at the harbour.

This is but a glimpse of what Brittany has to offer. To find out more, explore the region’s excellent website for visitors www.brittanytourism.com and our own Brittany Regional Guide

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