The list can go
on… beaches;rocky coves; museums; zoos; working museums; restored
villages like Poul Fetan; chateaux; pardons; fetes…
.
The Beaches
are too numerous to mention in detail. Safe swimming will be found all
around the south coast. Try Kerhillio for seemingly endless stretches
of sandy beach and dunes. From the eastern coast of Quiberon, the bay
of Plouharnel to Carnac, Trinite and Locmariquer you will find clean beaches
and sparkling clear water. The coast is refreshingly unspoiled and uncommercialized,
the traditional Breton way of life still prevalent.
You will come across cottages offering
oysters and mussels to taste and buy; clusters of creperies; modest hotels;
potteries. You will be charmed by the changing scenery and captivated
by the Breton way of life.
Pontivy
was chosen by Napoleon as a garrison town and renamed Napoleonville for
a while. It is a charming country town on the River Blavet with many beautiful
half-timbered, corbelled and turreted houses, cobbled streets and attractive
shops in the old quarter around the 16th century church of Notre Dame
de la Joie.
The 15th century Castle of the Dukes of
Rohan with its two remaining towers is well-worth a visit. There is a
good variety of restaurants, cafes, interesting shops and good supermarkets.
Pontivy has an open-air swimming pool. Market day is Monday.
The Gulf of Morbihan
is said to have as many islands as there are days in the year! The largest
of these are Ille aux Moines and Arz. Day trips to the islands are frequent,
with opportunities to stop off and explore on foot or cycle, or to relax
on the sheltered beaches.
Carnac is
a very popular, bustling seaside resort with Breton stone houses nestling
amongst new apartments and hotels. Everyone enjoys the long stretches
of sandy beaches and carefree atmosphere of this holiday village. There
are excellent restaurants, numerous boutiques and curio shops.
Para-sailing, wind-surfing and other water
sports are naturally abundant. But Carnac has its serious side too, with
its astonishing "menhirs" or standing stones and its museum
of pre-history. Market day is Sunday.
La Trinite Sur Mer
is in the innermost part of the Bay of Quiberon, on the Crach river estuary
where there are thriving oyster beds. It's a charming and picturesque
port harbouring both pleasure yachts and the flat-bottomed oyster catchers.
There are several safe, sandy beaches with rocky promontories and the
waters are favoured by windsurfers.
The Quiberon Peninsular
was once an island but is now connected to the mainland by a narrow sandy
isthmus, guarded by the austere Fort Penthievre. It has a wild, rocky
western coast, the Cote Sauvage, with many sandy coves and rock pools
to explore, and a sheltered eastern coast with sandy bays and small fishing
ports, reminiscent of Cornwall.
Concarneau.
The heart of this town is the magnificent fortified walled city, now housing
an excellent Museum of Fishing. It is well worth visiting this leading
fishing port whilst it is in full-swing; the landing, sorting and auctioning
of the catch worth the early start, Mondays to Thursdays around 7 am.
The town is flanked by many lovely sandy beaches.
Vannes
is the heart of the "little sea", the Gulf of Morbihan, and
you can visit the islands of the gulf from here. Vannes, prefecture of
Morbihan, is a bustling town, but the old square around the cathedral
has been carefully preserved and pedestrianized, with fine gabled and
half-timbered houses now occupied by boutiques and antique shops.
The chateau with its beautiful gardens,
has a marvelous archaeological museum. Vannes aquarium is very popular,
particularly its ocean reef section complete with sharks. Market days
are Wednesday and Saturday mornings only.
Josselin.
The beautifully preserved medieval castle dominates the town as it rises
sheer from the river. It is well-worth a visit, the doll's museum being
particularly popular. The town itself is also very impressive with its
slate-roof houses, many interesting historical sites, good shops and a
variety of restaurants.
From Josselin you can follow the Legend
of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by traveling to the
ancient wood of Broceliande in the Paimpont Forest. You will find the
magic fountain where Merlin fell under the spell of the Lady of the Lake
and discover many other remnants of days gone by.
Lake Guerledan,
to the north of Mur de Bretagne is one of the most beautiful inland lakes
in Brittany; a 7 mile stretch of water in the Blavet Gorge, ideal for
swimming, fishing, sailing and water skiing (canoes, sailboards and pedalos
can be hired at Beau Rivage). Scenic places to visit around the lake include
the 19th century iron-ore smelting furnace, the enchanting ruins of Les
Salles Castle, Bon Repos and the remains of the 12th century Cistercian
Abbey.
There are numerous picnic sites and abundant
walks through the forests with delightful lake views.
The Blavet River.
From Lake Guerledan the river snakes its way lazily to the sea at Lorient,
passing through Pontivy, Inzinzac-Lochrist, Hennebont and many little
villages on its way. It is well worth exploring this enchanting waterway
either by canoe, barge, on foot or bicycle and delighting in some breathtaking
scenery. You will discover ancient chapels, fountains, bars, fermes auberges
and restaurants in which to savour traditional local cuisine.
