SOUTHERN BRITTANY by Martin Selway
Places to Visit in Southern Brittany
Brittany is a wonderful place to explore on foot, by bike or car. Much of the charm of the place is to be found in the beautiful unspoilt countryside, little market towns, sleepy villages, friendly locals, stunning chateaux and quiet country lanes. The countryside is on a small intimate scale, and unlike so much of rural France, many villages still manage to support a bar, or a baker and often a little lunchtime restaurant. The weather is also a major factor: the Morbihan enjoys a truly mild and gentle climate, thanks to the effects of the Gulf Stream. There is less rain in Morbihan over the year than there is in Provence!
In this brief summary of the region, we hope to introduce you to just some of the many places of interest you may wish to visit.
Have lunch at the lovely little port of St. Goustan, a real smugglers cove.
Auray town centre is also interesting for its historic and religious
associations. Use the little train between the town and harbour if you don't
like steep walking. It is a busy and sizable town, with its main activities
including tourism and oyster farming. Of more general interest is the vast war
memorial, which is dedicated to the 250,000 Bretons who perished in the Great
War. Walls inscribed with their names stretch for over 650 feet.
...means the Beautiful Island. The largest of the Breton islands, it was a favourite haunt for Saxon pirates and Norman invaders until given to the abbey of Redon in 1006. Even the shutters on the houses, which under local by-laws have to be painted in pastel colours, add to the picturesque effect. The green, undulating countryside and vast beaches make it an ideal day trip from Quiberon.
Bicycles and scooters can be hired if you prefer to leave the car on the mainland. Boats arrive at Le Palais which has an impressive citadel, improved by Vauban, but which was nevertheless occupied by the English until 1761. Now in private ownership, it has been faithfully restored.
In summer the population can swell to over 35,000, but rarely feels crowded.
The scenic winding valley of the Blavet extends from Lac de Guerledan, 17kn
north of Pontivy, to meet the sea at Lorient. You can follow its route by
bicycle, canoe or on foot.
The little riverside hamlet of St Nicolas-des-Eaux has all the things you could want for a relaxing afternoon. A collection of shops, restaurants and bars, with plenty of picnic tables beside the river Blavet where you can spend many an hour watching the boats go through the locks.
Discover the picturesque Blavet Valley by boat. Starting from St Nicholas des Eaux, there are 4 boats which will take you down the Blavet on a cruise lasting 1h30, with full commentary. A buffet is available on board the boats.
Two km south of Quistinc is the 'living museum' of
Poul Fetan - a pretty
village of thatched cottages complete with a working pottery, that preserves the
traditional crafts and farming practices of 19th century rural Brittany. There
is even an Inn, where you will be able to sample food and drink of the era.
Also known as the Forêt de Paimpont, this area is traditionally linked with
King Arthur and the sword of Excalibur. Those that come in search of sights of
Arthurian legend are likely to be disappointed! But the area does have a certain
mysterious quality, so all that is required is to add imagination.
There are plenty of footpaths and trails if you wish to explore Brocéliande. You can pick up a free walking/cycling map of the forest from the tourist office at Paimpont (62km of trails). Alternatively you can buy the more complete Tour de Broceliande which has details of over 150km of trails.
In July and August there are guided tours of the lower and upper forests.
The five Carnac beaches stretch over 3 to 4 km (2.5 miles). Golden sands and plenty of space, even when it gets busy in late afternoon. Lovely lively café area and shops. Small amusement area and shows for children. Beach club in season. Check out La Men Dur on the route from La Trinite for a subdued day before visiting Carnac Plage.
There is a coastal path and the coastline alternates between capes and sandy
coves, much favoured by family holidaymakers. Surfboading is an all-season sport
here. Recommended by 'France' magazine as one of the 20 best beaches in France
(May 2006).
Perhaps most famous for its world famous prehistoric site. Here you will find
3,000 standing stones which form the most extraordinary group of menhirs in the
world. The oldest stones date from the Neolithic period and the most recent from
the Bronze Age. There is a Musee de Prehistoire where you will find information
on: menhirs - standing stones cromlechs - menhirs in a standing circle dolmens -
tombs consisting of two upright stones roofed by a third cairns - galleried
graves tumuli - burial mounds
The stones of Hennebont, a little town on the left bank of the River Blavet,
are proof of its long and rich history. Its key geographical position, with its
access to the river and the sea, made it a trading crossroads and one of the
most coveted strongholds in Brittany. Highlights include the walled city, the
Notre-Dame-du-Paradis (church), the stud farm, the Hennebont forges and the
botanical park.
The most striking feature of this charming medieval town is its mighty three
towered chateau that dominates the banks of the Oust and reflects in its waters.
Within the Castle stables is housed the Musee des Poupees (famous doll museum)
containing 600 dolls within a collection started in 1880 by the Rohan family.
There are several streets lined with 16th and 17th century housing, including
the excellent Tourist Information Office, plus a fine selection of restaurants
and pavement cafes where you can relax around the square and watch the world go
by. Key dates are: Medieval Festival on Bastille day, July the 14th, and Pardon
on the 8th of September. There is a Saturday Market.
Josselin has been designated a
Petite Cité de Caractère (small town of character) in recognition of its
historic and interesting nature.
Popular since Bernhardt, a Viking chief, realised its strategic potential as
a port, and the sheltered anchorage is now a favourite with yachtsmen. This
quaint little town clings to the rocky cliff face overlooking the Vilaine
estuary, and it, too, has been designated a Petite Cité de Caractère (small town
of character) in recognition of its historic and interesting nature.
As well as the tiny streets around Place du Bouffay, there is a museum of maritime history. La Maison de l’Abeille is an interesting and educational trip through the world of the bee, with a shop supplying honey. For the nautical, there are trips on a traditional sailing ship on the river Vilaine.
There is an excellent range of restaurants, and the old quarter is packed
with charming, flower-decked houses. A graceful suspension bridge spans the
river, replacing an earlier version accidentally destroyed when lightning struck
a German ammunition base.
La Trinite, the former port of Carnac, has become world famous as the
champions’ yachting port. This is where Eric Tabarly and his successors
experienced their moments of glory before they collected prizes around the
world.
The Trinite marina has berths for 1,000 yachts and is always full. Races,
regattas and parades of tall ships are held throughout the year.
Yet another 'Petite Cite de Caractere', Lizio is a pretty village with lovely
old stone houses.
There is so much to see and do in this beautifully restored village, and
there is also a good choice of places to eat. Nearby is the Insectarium and the
ecomusee of old French life. Several signposted foot paths offer delightful
rambles in green, hilly countryside. If you prefer the shops, there are some
excellent local products on sale. In July and August you can visit the
Cidrerie du Terroir on the
road to Ploermel, to stock up on local cider. If beer is your preferred tipple,
you can taste
Cervoise Lancelot
(Lancelot ale brewery), in the old buildings of the Villeder, route du
Roc-Saint-André, a drink invented by the Gauls. There is also the Ferme des
Sangliers, a wild boar farm, where you can visit and buy the product to take
home for a barbecue. The
Ecomusee de la
Ferme et des Vieux Metiers is a farming and craft museum. The
Poete Ferrailleur is a
sculptor/creator/artist who creates machines, toys, musical sculptures and more
from waste material. Open daily April to October and open Sundays and holidays,
November to March. Every second Sunday in August there is a local crafts fair.
This pretty oyster port guarding the neck of the Golfe du Morbihan rivals Carnac in archaeological importance. Its main sites lie in a fenced compound north of the village. They include a huge menhir on its side, broken in four sections. If it ever stood upright it would have measured over 65 feet high. Locmariaquer is a peaceful place with attractive south facing beaches and a pleasant old harbour from where you can get plenty of boat trips.
A great place to visit on a Sunday - it has a lovely market, a very good
beach at L'Amour Plage, and a wide variety of different types of
restaurants/bars. The revitalised dock land and state-of-the-art fish market at
Lorient makes for an interesting spectacle on its vast harbour. Boat trips to
Ile de Groix and Belle Ile are a popular excursion from Lorient. The fishing
port is immense (second largest in France) and worth a visit for the auction of
the morning catch. The old submarine base, originally built by the Germans, is
now deserted - the last sub left in 1997. The tourist office arranges daily
visits. Alternatively, there are visits to the Victor Pleven, a trawler once
used for cod fishing off Newfoundland.
Lorient plays host to important yacht races each year and the Festival
Interceltique takes place the first fortnight of August. Uniting Celtic peoples
from the British Isles, Spain and Brittany, the festival draws more than 4,500
artists and musicians every year for traditional music and dancing in the
streets. Cider, crêpes and cotriade (fish stew) are on sale around the fishing
harbour, complete with Astérix-style village. The festival is highly recommended,
but with over 300,000 people attending, it can get crowded.
Also known as the 'pearl of the west', which indicates something of its
attractiveness. Its old quarters are exceptionally well preserved with gabled
merchant houses of stone and timber. The church of St-Gilles is also worth a
look. It was originally built in the 12th century, and modified in the 16th
century.
The village is on the Nantes-Brest Canal and makes an ideal starting point
for strolls/cycles along the canal towpath. In summer you can hire a motor boat
from Canal Loc 56 - boats take up to five persons. Not far west is the Musee de
la Resistance Bretonne, an open air museum that tells the story of Brittany's
part in WW2.
Ploërmel takes its name from Armel, a 6th century English monk, but little
remains of its illustrious past. The St Armel church has some fine stained glass
and granite tombstones in the transept. The astronomical clock, classed as a
national monument, was built in the 19th century and has 10 panels depicting the
solar system. The Maison de Marmousets in Rue Beaumanoir is the most famous
landmark in the town and has some marvellous wood sculptures on its facade.
The
Lac au Duc
has a sandy beach and swimming pool. Sailing, water-skiing
and pedalos are available. There is also a small restaurant and café. Golf (9
holes), tennis and fishing are also available. Between the lake and the property
runs the ‘Voie verte’, a 53km cycle track open to everyone to enjoy cycling,
hiking, roller blading or just strolling.
Amazing buildings, great shops - especially the odd little ones up side
streets. An evening walk along the canal really makes you forget the rest of the
world. Monday is market day in Pontivy. The church of Basilique Notre Dame De
Joie, in the centre of the town is well worth a look around.
Pontivy is in two halves - the medieval town with its fortified 15th century
château overlooking the river and the regimented streets laid out to Napoléon's
plan. It was a military base and he renamed it Napoléonville. The old town,
around Place du Martray, has narrow streets and overhanging wooden houses and a
good Monday market. We can recommend the Restaurant Brasserie Pizzeria L'Aiglon,
opposite the chateau at 42 rue General de Gauille (Tel. 02 97 27 98 08).
The Quiberon peninsular was once an island linked to the mainland by a string
of dunes. Lovers of solitude can lose themselves walking along the Cote Sauvage
(wild coast).
The resort of Quiberon at the far end of the peninsula is one of the Morbihan's liveliest and most popular. Besides the good sandy beaches, it is also the ferry terminal for Belle-Ile and is always crowded in the summer. There is every type of water sport to satisfy the most ardent enthusiast.
Saint-Pierre-Quiberon is 3 miles north of Quiberon. This small resort has
lovely sandy beaches. Since 1966 the National Sailing School has been based
here, and it is one of the leading training centres in Europe. There is also a
sand yachting club.
The town has a rustic atmosphere, with charming footbridges spanning the
rivers that flow through it. The Church of Locmaria, a Romanesque structure,
dates from the 11th century. The Cathedral of Saint-Corentin, with its
magnificent Gothic-style façade, was constructed between the 13th and 16th
centuries. It is the oldest Gothic structure in Lower Brittany. Its two towers
are 250 feet tall; its spires were added in the 19th century. The 15th century
stained glass windows are exceptional.. The cathedral was named after Quimper’s
first bishop.
To the cathedral’s west are the pedestrianised streets of Vieux Quimper with
a wide array of crêperies, half-timbered houses and shops. Near the Episcopal
palace, which now holds the Musée départemental Breton [devoted to regional
history, archaeology, ethnology and economy] are the ruins of the town’s 15th
century walls. Nearby is the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The museum has a 19th century
façade and an entirely rebuilt interior. It houses a collection of 14th to 21st
century paintings that includes works by Boucher, Corot, Oudry and Rubens along
with canvases by such Pont-Aven school painters as Bernard, Denis, Lacombe,
Maufra and Sérusier.
The little village of Rochefort-en-Terre is utterly enchanting. The sight of
the houses huddled on top of a spur of shale overlooking a luxuriant green
landscape seems to have come straight out of a fairy story. When you visit the
village you may notice that there is not a television aerial or electricity pole
in sight. The village remains remarkably authentic and seems to come from
another age. Furthermore, its granite walls are brightened with huge banks of
multicoloured flowers in boxes and baskets.
Most of the original chateau has now disappeared. The present house consists
of 18thC buildings turned into a manor house. Four rooms are open to the public
and a small regional museum displays items from local village life. There is an
interesting antiques shop selling a huge range of local artifacts. Take a look
at some of the remarkable buildings in the upper town, consisting of 15th, 16th,
17th and 18thC houses with carved granite window frames and corner turrets. A 6
mile way-marked trail takes you from the village to the slate quarries of
Malansac, besides a stream, through an oak wood and across moors – you will be
rewarded with magnificent views of the Grees, the rocky hills around Rochefort.
A truly attractive town, Vannes hosted the 16th century summit when the Duchy
of Brittany became united with France. Since then the old town, behind its
ramparts, has remained more or less untouched. As with many medieval towns, it
is much better to park the car and walk around, although the crowds of tourists
in peak season can be off-putting. A guided tour from the tourist office is a
good idea as there is so much to see. All around the cathedral is worth
exploring with the ancient houses, Musée des Beaux Arts and the old streets with
some very chic shops. Beside the aquarium, there is the Musée des Automates,
with mechanical toys from the 19th century and the butterfly house – La
Papillonneraie.
Along with the archaeology museum and old houses there is a leisure park "Parc
du Gulf" near the gare maritime; this has several amusements, a butterfly farm
and an aquarium. It also provides water taxi access to all the gulf islands.
Your Holiday Matters - approved properties
Traditional Breton long-house near historic Josselin
La Ville au Tady stands in over 1 acre of gardens. It is a traditional Breton long-house, or longère, that has been fully renovated while retaining its charm and character. Located in a small hamlet in Southern Brittany, the local village of Guegon is just a few minutes drive or a pleasant cycle ride through scenic country lanes.
The property sleeps 6-8 people, and is just 10 minutes from historic Josselin and its renowned chateau.
CLICK HERE for further information, and full detail of prices and availability
Domaine de la Briquerie
Two
carefully converted and comfortably furnished cottages set in two acres of
gardens in southern Brittany.
Ideally located in a beautiful, tranquil, setting - the properties are perfect for walking, cycling and horse-riding, and for enjoying the River Vilaine that passes the property.
Rose Cottage sleeps to six people and Vine Cottage sleeps up to five.
CLICK HERE for further information, and full detail of prices and availability