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Brittany
2013
Press
pack
Brittany Tourism
1, rue Raoul Ponchon 35069 Rennes Cedex, France
Tel. +33 (0)2 99 28 44 30 - Fax +33 (0)2 99 28 44 40
Press contact
Maud Gicquel
Tel.+33 (0)2 99 28 44 39
m-gicquel@tourismebretagne.com
www.facebook.com/brittanyfans
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Contents
lWhat’s on in Brittany ...4-5
lFamily fun in Brittany ...6-7
lCycle routes for bike lovers ...8-9
lIn and out of the islands ...10-11
lFood and drink in Brittany ...12-13
lGo for it in Brittany ...14
lGolf in Brittany ...15
lCity Breaks ...16-17
lHow to get to Brittany ...18
lMap ...19
Coast, country and character...
Need to know
www.brittanytourism.com
www.familyfun-brittanytourism.com
www.goforit-brittanytourism.com
www.whatson-brittanytourism.com
www.wellness-brittanytourism.com
www.golf-brittanytourism.com
Welcome to Brittany!
Brittany is a breath of fresh air – and fresh sea air at that. Brittany lies just across the Channel on France’s northwestern peninsula, a ferry ride or a short flight away. With 1700 miles of coastline, you will have your pick of hidden coves, wide sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs. Fishermen bring home the catch of the day in their traditional stripy tops, lighthouses stand sentinel at strategic spots and sailing is second nature.
Brittany’s countryside is dotted with perfectly preserved medieval towns and villages as well as blue-shuttered cottages and traditional farmhouses. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of enchanted forests and picturesque waterways or the fascinating architecture and culture of Brittany’s towns.
Brittany has a vibrant culture all of its own. A strong regional identity, its own language and Celtic heritage all combine to give you France but with a Breton twist! Food, drink and fun is all given the Breton stamp.
Be Breizh!
The unique Breton spirit is put down to being Breizh, the Breton word for Brittany. To be Breizh is to get to know the real Brittany and to discover its wonders; it’s an invitation to feel invigorated and transformed by Brittany’s energy. What are you waiting for? Go on, Be Breizh!
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Brittany 2012: what’s on
You could probably find a festival for every day of the year
but here is just a selection of some of Brittany’s finest dates for the diary.
This multi-genre, multi-stage festival sets the scene for all kinds of music, and attracts numerous big names who perform for over 200,000 fans. The friendly, crazy atmosphere in the festival-goer packed fields is just amazing.
In recent years the bill has featured the likes of Mika, Muse, Bruce Springsteen, Phoenix, Bob Dylan, Sting, Selah Sue, etc., and 2013 is looking just as good, with German band Rammstein already booked.
Dedicated to the sheer richness and diversity of Breton culture, the Festival de Cornouaille is a cultural cornucopia, and even though it is now nearly ninety years old, this festival is still as youthful as ever. Concerts, all kinds of entertainment, competitions to determine the best bagadoù, or bagpipe players,
bell-ringers and dancers...and the Great Sunday Parade where everyone dresses in traditional costume. That’s the Festival de Cornouaille.
Today, the festival has become a horn of plenty into which the likes of Joan Baez, Césaria Évora and Simple Minds pour their music. Simply mind blowing!
Every summer for nearly 20 years, there’s been a rave-olution in Brest. Astropolis brings together the ultimate in techno, for a festival that parties along at lightning speed. And since 2012, techno fever has also been filling the city during a winter edition, held in January.
Les Vieilles Charrues
(‘Old Ploughs’)
Festival de Cornouaille
Astropolis
August, St Malo
Every August, pop is in the air around Saint-Malo. The Route du Rock is back, entirely dedicated to American and British rock bands and attracting around 15,000 festival-goers to the pirate city.
Since 1993, and the concert by a group of illustrious unknowns from Oxford, AKA Radiohead, the Route du Rock has gone from strength to strength and has become somewhat of a benchmark when it comes to British and American pop and rock.
La Route du Rock
To find out more
www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/2013
To find out more
www.festival-cornouaille.com
To find out more
www.laroutedurock.com
To find out more
www.astropolis.org
18 to 21 July, Carhaix
23 to 28 July, Quimper
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Brittany has a rich Celtic heritage so it should come as no surprise that the Bretons themselves are a social bunch.
Good music, great company and eating and drinking are the cornerstones and there are a wealth of one-off festivals, concerts and venues to be discovered.
The music scene in Brittany is recognised throughout France – yet it is still something of a secret in the UK. Festivals with huge headlining acts are a fraction of the price of their cross-Channel counterparts and the atmosphere is electric.
We’ve put everything together on one website to make seeking a slice of the Breton craic that bit easier. Use it to find out about local quirky cafes and bars, one-off cafe-concerts or the best places to go to sample local produce.
What’s on in Brittany
To find out more
www.whatson-brittanytourism.com
What is the Breton craic
and how to find it!
A leading light of the modern music scene, every winter for the last 30 years, the Transmusicales in Rennes, has given us a taste of the musical trends of tomorrow. Groups come here in the hope of making their last ‘anonymous’ performance before receiving unanimous acclaim from the critics.
Today, we’ve lost count of the number of legendary groups that have played in front of audiences that have since become their unconditional fans. Portishead, Ben Harper, and Nirvana in the nineties or, more recently, Kate Nash, The Do or the Ting Tings. A truly unique festival, Les Tombées de la Nuit (Nightfall) brings street art and performance into the spotlight and offers artists and inhabitants a chance to come face to face in some rather unexpected places. Every year, in early summer, surprise and wonderment take over in the streets of Rennes.
Les Transmusicales
Les Tombées de la nuit
To find out more
www.lestrans.com
To find out more
www.lestombeesdelanuit.com
December, Rennes
July, Rennes
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To help you tailor-make your own summer holidays, Brittany Tourism has put together a one-stop website: www.familyfun-brittanytourism.com Bringing together family-friendly places to stay and things to do, it’s jam-packed full of ideas to keep everyone entertained.
Plan the perfect family break with the online Travel Planner – make your selection as you explore the site and print off your Travel Planner before you go. To make things even easier, you can search by age range for things to do for the whole family from babies to teens.
A website just for families
As family destinations go, Brittany ticks all the boxes: easy to get to, an endless supply of things to do and lots family-friendly accommodation to choose from.
The stuff family holidays are made of…
Family holidays in Brittany are all about spending time together and having fun – enjoying the great outdoors, getting to know the locals and creating memories that will last long after you return home.
Keeping kids entertained is easy: Brittany has it covered from aquariums to zoos. If you’re not building sandcastles or swimming in the sea, you might be visiting a local farm, flying through the trees on zip wires or gently cycling en famille along the canal towpath. The kids might want to try their hand at water sports – surfing or supping perhaps? If they are happier inland, there is a wealth of folklore and fairy tale to transport them to another world – perhaps that of King Arthur deep in the enchanted Brocéliande forest or maybe that of Astérix and Obélix...
When it comes to choosing where to stay, there is family friendly accommodation to suit every budget. Brittany has almost 1000 campsites and you can choose from
camping on the coast with water sports for all or relaxing in the countryside with an on-site pool and non-stop activities for the kids. Or for something a bit different, why not try a village de vacances? These purpose-built resorts are great for families as there are activities programmed for all ages and you have the independence of being in your own apartment. As they are popular with French families, your children can benefit from an impromptu language lesson or two while they are there. Or you could check into one of Brittany’s family-run hotels and let others do the cooking and cleaning for a week or two...
Eating out in a crêperie is inexpensive and a sure-fire hit with kids as they are sure to find something they like among the endless lists of fillings and local festivals embrace all ages so make sure you find out what’s on while you’re there.
Family fun in Brittany
To find out more
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To find out more
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
Go snorkelling with grey seals in northern Brittany! Experience the unspoilt world that lies beneath the waves…
Wide open spaces and as much sea air as you can handle!
Designed for anyone aged seven or over, this snorkelling trip gives you a chance to meet grey seals in their natural habitat, on an exceptional, eco-friendly sea safari!
On board our diving-boat, a converted launch, skipper Dominique tells her crew-for-a-day about the dozen or so grey seals that live in the food-rich waters of the bay. As we draw close to the little islands, the boat approaches the rocks slowly. Then it’s time for us to don our fins and complete this very special journey without disturbing the tranquil waters.
Suitably dressed in neoprene and fins, we all slip into
the sea and snorkel gently towards the mammals, gliding through incredibly clear waters until suddenly we see their little heads pop up from below the waves. When they dive back down there’s no point in trying to follow them: grey seals are champion swimmers and can hold their breath much longer than we can. But that doesn’t mean we can’t watch them as they wheel about under the surface!
90 minutes of pure joy that you’ll never forget! This Brittany experience can be yours,
from 50€ per person.
Could this even be better than rockpooling? Gathering shellfish on the Crozon peninsula is a great family activity - and you get to eat your spoils at the end! Hours are happily whiled away discovering all things weird and wonderful under the watchful expert eyes of Joël and Martine. Under rocks, in the sand or under water, you will discover a whole new, edible world beside the seaside.
Try this Brittany experience,
from 50€ per person.
Get back to nature with the family in Brittany
Gathering shellfish with
the family on the Crozon
peninsula
To find out more
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This route connects Brittany with Normandy and the south of England, combining the joy of cycling with that of exploring seaside and countryside landscapes. It takes you to Saint-Malo, Mont-Saint-Michel and the very tip of the Cotentin peninsula before setting sail for the English coast, where you can cycle from Poole to Weymouth, covering 150 km of the Jurassic Coast before returning to Brittany via the island of Jersey.
Not only is it France’s longest cycle route, Vélodyssée is also the N°1 route in Europe, taking you from Roscoff to Hendaye, and even going on into England or Spain if you want! 80% of the route consists of Voies Vertes (Green Ways), and in Brittany it follows a long stretch of the Nantes-Brest Canal, offering all sorts of unexpected encounters and interesting canal-side discoveries. Here
in the heart of nature you will come across numerous locks, as well as towns like Pontivy and Josselin where you can drink in the local heritage that includes castles, churches, and the narrow streets in the old part of town. As far as Nantes the route is easy, safe and waymarked, with standard cycle-route signage.
With the Petit Tour de
Manche, England and
Brittany are just a
pedal-push away!
The Velodyssee ®
Cycle routes for bike lovers
Find out more about these routes at
www.cycle-west.com/fr
andwww.lavelodyssee.com
CANAL DE NAN TES À BREST LA MANCHE ENGLISH CHANNEL Okehampton DEVON DORSET CORNWALL NORMANDIE JERSEY BRETAGNE PARIS – MONT-SAINT-MICHEL LOIRE A VELO LIAISON MANCHE OCÉANGRANVILLE Rennes TORBAY BARNEVILLE-CARTERET Portbail Carentan Bayeux Vire Le Mont-Saint-Michel OUISTREHAM Caen LE HAVRE Mur de Bretagne Etretat Deauville DIEPPE Morlaix Carhaix Brest Quimper Pontivy Redon Nantes Perros Guirec Paimpol Saint Brieuc Fréhel Dinan Fougères St Ives DARTMOOR Exeter London Ilfracombe CAMEL TRAIL Bude Launceston St-Lô Mortain Lisieux EDEN PROJECT Land’s End Barnstaple Sidmouth Wadebridge Padstow Dartmouth Dorchester Bristol Wells Tiverton NEWHAVEN
CORFE CASTLE PORTSMOUTH
Alençon Josselin Lorient Vannes MONTS D’ARRÉE D-DAY BEACHES PARIS EV4 UKRAINE ROSCOFF CHERBOURG POOLE PLYMOUTH WEYMOUTH SAINT-MALO JURASSIC COAST EV1 NORWAY EV6 ROMANIA EV1 POR TUGAL
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Find out more at
www.letour.fr/le-tour/2013/fr
Find out more at
www.brittanytourism.com/things-to-do/get-active/voies-vertes-or-green-ways
If you don’t quite feel up to tackling the Tour de France, you can always enjoy visiting northern Brittany’s Côte de Granit Rose (Pink Granite Coast) in comfort – on an electrically assisted bike! For just 5 euros an hour you can cycle through Trébeurden and Perros-Guirec to your heart’s content, before getting your feet back on the ground in Ploumanac’h and taking a stroll along the Sentier des Douaniers coastal path (the Custom Officer’s Footpath), where you will see the legendary pink rock formations with their curious names – ‘Napoleon’s Hat’, ‘the Witch’, and even ‘the Bottle’!
Around Brittany on an electric bike
Find out more on
www.bretagne-cotedegranitrose.com/Que-voir-Que-faire/Velek-tro
To celebrate its one hundredth anniversary, the Tour de France will be travelling through Brittany again, this time
visiting Fougères and St Malo. To help you explore Brittany by bike, on foot or on
horseback, Brittany has a network of 8 major cycleways and Green Ways extending over 1,000 km, for nature-loving holidaymakers to enjoy. On towpaths, disused railway lines and country lanes you can explore the
region almost effortlessly! Follow the rivers and canals, or admire the Gulf of Morbihan, or cross the Monts d’Arrée and the Montagnes Noires; there’s certainly no shortage of ideas for family expeditions.
Watch This Space: the 100th Tour de France is on its
way!
Cycling ‘en famille’
June 29th – July 21st, 2013
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Take a trip on the Krog E Barz and, under Jérôme’s watchful eye, you might even get a chance to take the helm! With its green-edged white hull and three majestic sails, you won’t be able to miss the Krog E Barz waiting for you in the harbour at Port Navalo, in southern Brittany. A small group of us climb aboard the traditional vessel for a trip to the Isle of Houat, accompanied by Olivier, the ship’s captain, and its owner Jérôme.
The adventure begins the minute we leave the harbour. Olivier and Jérôme ask us sailors-for-a-day to help sail
the ship, and Jérôme tells us how to hoist the jib and mainsail. Once we’re safely out at sea, he makes some coffee, and then takes advantage of this quiet interlude to teach his guests how to read a nautical chart.
Towards the end of the morning Houat comes into view, with its church and little white houses, seemingly perched right on the edge of the cliff. We have four hours to explore the island and its beaches, before heading for home on a return journey that promises more sailing practice - plus a good helping of sunbathing on deck!
Sail to Houat island on board
a traditional sailing ship
In and out of the islands
Ever dreamed of sailing across the Gulf of Morbihan on board a traditional sailing ship, listening to the wind in the rigging and the waves beating against the hull?
Find out more about this and other Brittany water-based experiences at
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
Brittany Experiences are a hand-picked selection of extra special things to do in Brittany. Each one is organised by a local so you get to see Brittany through their eyes and it might last a day, a morning or an afternoon. Brittany Experiences can be booked through www.brittanytourism.com and prices vary from 5€ to 104€ per person – a brilliant and inexpensive way to make your holiday unforgettable...
Brittany Experiences:
get to know the real Brittany
Set sail on a heritage sailing ship with Jérôme
To find out more
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Setting sail for the Isle of Batz…This delightful island is best explored on foot, walking its fabulous coastal paths. The Isle of Batz makes its living from fishing, market gardening and tourism, and visitors love its mild climate and magnificent tropical gardens.
Stopover on Belle-Ile-en-Mer…This is the largest of Brittany’s many islands, and truly deserves its name, which means Beautiful-Island-in-the-Sea. From quiet beaches to spectacular cliffs, colourful little ports to lush green countryside, this island offers a rich mosaic of landscapes, to whose charms even the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt was not immune!
Well-being in a delightful 18th century manor-house… It feels so good to relax on the designer loungers beside the heated pool with its deep blue waters, or to grab a bit of ‘me’ time by booking a treatment or a massage in one the hotel’s treatment rooms. An elegant location, where charm and refinement reign supreme.
Welcome to La Désirade – an unspoilt, welcoming location, where soft colours, velvety-smooth wood panelling and elegant decor create a warm, infinitely soothing atmosphere. This delightful character hotel offers a welcome opportunity to unwind in its relaxing wellness centre complete with open-air jacuzzi, steam-room, sauna with country views, gym, etc. It is completely surrounded by nature, whose wild, unspoilt beauty cannot fail to take you back to simple basics.
The Isle of Batz
Belle-Ile-en-Mer
Recharge your batteries
on the islands of Brittany
To find out more
www.hotel-brittany.com
To find out more
www.hotel-la-desirade.com
Brittany, with its iodised sea air and invigorating climate, is the destination of choice for wellness. The region is the birthplace of thalassotherapy, or seawater therapy, and is home to several well-respected spas. For a health-giving, feel-good holiday, combine a short break in a thalasso with Brittany’s healthy diet of freshly caught seafood and add in a selection of beauty treatments for the finishing touch. Bliss...
Brittany Tourism’s wellness website contains essential information for planning a wellbeing break in Brittany from a list of places to go to useful vocabulary and treatment ideas.
Wellness in Brittany
To find out more
www.wellness-brittanytourism.com
Brittany Spa Hotel, Roscoff
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You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to eating and drinking in Brittany. Crêpes and galettes are served oozing with every imaginable sweet or savoury filling while sky-high seafood platters combine oysters from Cancale, mussels from the Baie de Mont Saint-Michel, scallops from St-Brieuc and lobster off the Finistère coast. Look out for the sweet, buttery delight that is kouign amann or shortbread-like biscuits called galettes. Salted butter caramel is another Brittany special – get it homemade on a crepe, in a jar ready to spread on whatever you have to hand or wrapped up as a sweetie. The andouille de Gueméné is another Breton speciality – a strong flavoured chitterling sausage that can be served
in all sorts of guises. Another Breton tradition is the galette-saucisse: a Breton sausage wrapped in a piping hot savoury pancake – yum!
To wash it all down, Brittany does a fine line in local breweries that produce Belgian-style beers from microbreweries dotted around the region. Alternatively, artisan farmhouse cider is readily served in crêperies as the ideal accompaniment to your crêpe or in local bars as a light, refreshing tipple.
For such a foodie region, it should come as no surprise that there is a wealth of quirky, but more importantly, tasty foodie festivals. Take your pick from the selection below.
From crêpes to crustaceans,
savour the foodie delights of Brittany
Food and drink in Brittany
Brittany: the home of pancakes, seafood and cider. Not to mention butter, biscuits and beer. Oh, and andouille sausage. And extra-special strawberries from Plougastel...
Plan your trip to coincide with one of Brittany’s weird and wonderful foodie festivals!
l What better place to celebrate the humble
pancake than Brittany? The Fête de la Crêpe takes place in Gourin every year and this year runs from 27-28 July 2013.
l Oysters aren’t just for special occasions in Brittany
and there are two main oyster festivals: one in St-Cast-le-Guildo in June and one in Locmariaquer in August.
l Surely the best place to sample the local
speciality tripe sausage, andouille, is at the Fête
de l’Andouille, the sausage festival in
Guémené-sur-Scorff in August 2013.
l Did you know that Brittany is also famous for
its strawberries? Well, those from Plougastel anyway. See for yourself during the Fête de la
Fraise in August 2013 in Plougastel itself.
l The Fête de la Coquille St-Jacques, or the scallop
festival, takes place every year in one of Brittany’s three main scallop-fishing ports. This year it is at Loguivy de la Mer from 27-28 April 2013.
A date for the diary
To find out more
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Shopping list 100% ‘Made in Breizh’
Go for a drink
in a local café
Great ideas for gourmets
From textiles to biscuits and beverages, while you’re in Brittany why not buy Breton? Renowned brands like Armor Lux have been around for decades (www. armorlux.com) whilst others are just beginning to make a name for themselves, such as the little Breton headdress-wearing ‘Bigoudène’ created by A l’aise Breizh
(www.alaisebreizh.com) for example. And whether you have a sweet tooth or prefer something more savoury, there are delicious flavours to be found at the Pont-Aven biscuit factory (www.biscuiteriedepontaven.fr) and Belle-Ile’s canning factory (www.labelliloise.fr), etc.
Olivier Roellinger is a top Michelin-starred French chef with a passion for spices that he loves to share, not just in his cooking but also in his spice shops in Cancale
and St Malo. Roellinger uses all sorts of spices, peppers, pimentos and vanillas to tell us stories of the adventures and dreams that have so inspired his cooking.
Wherever you are, you’ll find plenty of places to party in the evening. If you want a really ‘local’ experience, get along to one of the 28 Cafés de pays®, where you can enjoy a lively evening, in keeping with the local custom, over a drink.
As the Bretons say: ‘Yec’hed mat!’ – that’s ‘Cheers’ to you and me!
From textiles to biscuits and beverages, while you’re in Brittany why not buy Breton?
When it comes to prizes for hospitality, Brittany wins the top gongs!
Looking for something out of the ordinary?
Try Olivier Roellinger’s special spices.
Find out more at
www.epices-roellinger.com
Find out more at
www.armorlux.com
,www.alaisebreizh.com,
www.biscuiteriedepontaven.fr
&www.labelliloise.fr)
Find out more at
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Go for it in Brittany
Let Brittany inspire you to have an active break
and feel great about yourself.
Brittany’s beaches are the perfect playground for water sports: have a surfing lesson, try supping (or stand-up paddle to the uninitiated!) or perhaps go on a daytrip in sea kayaks.
If you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, explore Brittany’s beautiful countryside by mountain bike; trails criss-cross forests and farmland to offer blood-pumping rides for all levels. Or perhaps you might want to put your mental and physical agility to the test and try climbing or
simply get back to nature by taking to Brittany’s endless bridleways on horseback.
For a bird’s-eye view, experience utter serenity with a paraglider or the ultimate in exhilaration with a parachute jump...
Brittany’s website dedicated to getting you out in the great outdoors offers plenty of inspiration for shaking up your holiday.
Go for it and let the adventure begin at
www.goforit-brittanytourism.com
With its miles of coastline and open countryside, Brittany is a great place for getting active – or maybe even to turn your hand to something new. Whether it is on water, feet firmly on the ground or up in the air, why not go for it in Brittany and get active?
A wing, an engine and that’s all ! A paramotor is the easiest way to fly. It can take off and land anywhere. Economical, light weight, easy to fold away, taking up little space, it can be moved around easily to prepare for immediate take-off.
At a height of 330 metres, the Ménez-Hom towers over the Bays of Brest and Douarnenez. Always windswept, this is the best spot imaginable for gliding sharply upwards over Brittany’s beaches and inland terrain. Don’t miss a speck of it while you’re up there - the picture-postcard view is breathtakingly beautiful.
Paragliding in Brittany
To find out more
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Golf in Brittany
For a guide to Brittany’s best golf courses and how to make the most of the Breton 19th hole, visit
www.golf-brittanytourism.com
Spectacular links make for an unforgettable golfing experience and the Breton take on the 19th hole along with the warm Breton welcome set Brittany’s golf apart. Easily accessible by ferry, simply put your clubs in the car and arrive fresh and ready for a round of golf followed by fine Breton dining in the clubhouse. Take your pick from courses that will challenge your handicap or provide a
gentle introduction if you’re taking your first ever swing on the golf course.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite after a day’s golf, indulge in Brittany’s fresh-from-the-sea shellfish or a hearty regional speciality, relax and enjoy your golfing holiday...
Rise to the challenge
To find out more
www.golf-brittanytourism.com
5-8 September 2013
Golf de Pléneuf-Val-André, Côtes-d’Armor
Get all the thrill of the fairway when Pléneuf Val André plays host to the ALLIANZ Open de Bretagne from 5-8 September 2013 as part of the European Challenge Tour.
Allianz Open de Bretagne
Brittany’s golf courses are something of an undiscovered secret and the region’s uncrowded greens offer great golf and great value.
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City Breaks in Brittany
Rennes, Brittany’s capital, is a super short break
destination.
Brittany’s capital, Rennes, is a fascinating mix of eclectic architecture, grand squares and glorious gardens. It’s easy to find yourself a budget city-centre base and then the city’s your oyster.
There are so many good restaurants in Rennes but given that the Breton national dish is the humble crêpe, why not see it in a different light in the Crêperie Saint-Georges? Here, all the pancakes are named after famous Georges – whether it’s Michael, Clooney or Brassens!
As a university town, it’s no surprise that Rennes’ artistic and cultural calendar is fantastic. Look out for Les Tombées de la Nuit, or ‘nightfall’, festival in July; a melting pot of creative expression with street performance, shows and recitals throughout the city. In winter, Les Transmusicales comes to town and tomorrow’s big-name artists line up to test the waters in Rennes. It’s THE music festival for those in the know...
Rennes’ Saturday morning market is a treat for the senses. As one of France’s biggest fresh produce market, the Place des Lices is alive with chatter and folk as local farmers and market gardeners come to see their produce. Heavenly.
Rennes has all the ingredients for a short break – and a foodie one at that! A city break in the Breton capital is a great way to see a different side to Brittany.
Fly to Rennes for a short break in France. Brittany’s capital city has plenty to entertain and amuse: great restaurants, excellent shopping and fascinating culture. A brilliant destination for foodies, Rennes’ Saturday morning market is one of France’s finest.
A capital capital
Crêpes with a twist
Culture vultures
French market
Food and culture
We all know how much the people of Brittany like to share their love for their region, and now visitors looking for a new take on the traditional guided tour can get to know Brest or Rennes in the company of local inhabitants keen to show them their city as they see it. It’s an approach based on hospitality and an
exchange of views, and the ‘greeters’ come from all sorts of places and walks of life, but the one thing they share is their passion for a town that is either their place of birth or a place they couldn’t help falling in love with.
A new kind of guided tour
Meet the ‘Greeters’!
To find out more
Greeters in Brest, at
www.brest-metropole-tourisme.fr/fr/greeters
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Head to Quimper, the cultural capital of Brittany
for a short break in northern France.
Brittany’s strong regional identity can be seen wherever you go from dual-language road signs (in Breton and French) to traditional dress. Celebrate all things Breton during the Festival de Cornouaille held every July in Quimper. Unforgettable.
To experience some of Brittany’s wild and dramatic coastline for yourself, head west to the Pointe du Raz (pronounced ‘ra’) peninsula. Here, at mainland France’s second most westerly point, lighthouses punctuate the view out into the Atlantic. Take in the fishing port of Douarnenez on your way back and the exceptionally pretty village of Locronan.
East from Quimper, you have Benodet’s renowned beaches and the charming fishing port of Concarneau with its walled town. Further east again, you are in Gauguin country. The painter set up his school in picturesque Pont-Aven – which is also famous for its delicious buttery biscuits!
During your weekend break in Quimper, you can’t help but adopt the relaxed way of life and appreciate the injection of vibrant Breton culture. A great destination for taking some time out and remembering what life is all about.
The lively town of Quimper is steeped in Breton history and is known as Brittany’s cultural capital. Quimper is also a gateway to the surrounding coast and Gauguin country.
100% Breton
Glorious landscapes
A painter’s paradise
Get back on track
l Direct flights from London, Southampton, Nothingham East Midlands, Exeter, Leeds-Bradford, Cork, & Dublin to
Quimper, Brest, Dinard and/or Rennes with Ryanair, CityJet, BA Cityflyer and FlyBe.
l From London to Rennes, Brest, Quimper and other cities (via Paris or Lille) by Eurostar and TGV.
l Cross-Channel ferry from Portsmouth, Plymouth, Poole, Weymouth, Cork and Rosslare to St-Malo and Roscoff
with Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries and Irish Ferries.
Getting to Brittany
Easy access by plane or ferry from the UK and Ireland
Direct routes from the UK to Brittany
Direct routes from Ireland to Brittany
From To Airline To find out more
Cork Rennes Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com
Dublin Nantes Ryanair www.ryanair.com
Dublin Rennes Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com
Shannon Nantes Ryanair www.ryanair.com
Shannon Rennes Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com
By plane
From To Ferry operator To find out more
Plymouth Roscoff Brittany Ferries www.brittanyferries.com
Poole St-Malo Condor Ferries www.condorferries.co.uk
Portsmouth St-Malo Brittany Ferries www.brittanyferries.com
Weymouth St-Malo Condor Ferries www.condorferries.co.uk
By ferry
From To Ferry operator To find out more
Cork Roscoff Brittany Ferries www.brittanyferries.com
Rosslare Roscoff Irish Ferries www.irishferries.com
By ferry
From To Airline To find out more
Birmingham Brest Flybe www.flybe.com
East Midlands Dinard Ryanair www.ryanair.com
Exeter Rennes Flybe www.flybe.com
Guernsey Dinard Aurigny www.aurigny.com
Leeds Bradford Dinard Ryanair www.ryanair.com
London City Nantes, Brest Cityjet www.cityjet.com
London City Quimper British Airways www.ba.com
London Gatwick Nantes Easyjet www.easyjet.com
London Stansted Dinard Ryanair www.ryanair.com
Manchester Brest, Nantes, Rennes Flybe www.flybe.com
Southampton Brest, Rennes Flybe www.flybe.com
By plane
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N12 - E5 0 N 12 - E5 0 N165 - E6 0 N165 - E6 0 N165 - E6 0 N165 - E6 0 N165 - E6 0 N165 - E60 N13 7 - E03 N137 - E03 N1 71 N1 66 N 24 N 24 N2 4 N16 5 - E60 N 12 - E50 N12 - E5 0 N 17 6 E 40 1 A8 E0 3 A84 - E03 A84 - E03 A83 - E03 N249 - E6 2 A1 1 - E6 0 A8 7 A8 7 N 17 6 - E 40 1 N12 - E5 0 N 157 - E50
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LaCl aie L'Oust Le Lié L' O de t L' O de t L'A uln e ' Le Blavet Le Sc or ff LeTrie ux LeLé guer LaSe ic he LaVi lain e LaRa nce LeCo uesn on L'Ille L‘E rd re Cana l de l aMarti nière La Loi re Laï ka Le G oyenRivière de Pont-L’Abbé
Lac de Grand-Lie u G orges de T oul G ouli c Lac de Gue rléda n CÔTE DES MÉG ALIT HES La B an ch e Tre zie n Aber Benoî t Aber Wrac' h Aber Ildu t Pointe Saint-Mat hie u Pr esqu'îl e de Crozo n Pointe du Va n Baie d'Au diern e Pointe du Ra z Ré ser ve Nat. de s S ept Il es Le G ra nd C ha rp en tie r L'A ig ui llo n Ke rlé dé
Menhir du Champ Dolent
Vallée du Couesnon V allé e de l'Erdr e Poi nte de la To rch e R oc d e To ua llër on M én é B ré Pointe de Pr ime l Ria d'Ete l Fort La Latte Belle-île-en-mer Ile d'H ou at Hoëd ic Île de N oirm outie r
Iles d'Ouessant et de Molène
Ile de Sein Ile de Bréhat Iles C ha use y Arc hipe l des Sept-Ile s
Archipel des Glénan
Ile de Groix Ba ie du Mon t Sa int-Mi ch el C ap d’Er qu y Ca p Fr éhe l La Poi nte du Groui n Côt eS auv ag e Pres qu’îl ede Rhuy s CÔ TE DE G RA N IT RO SE CÔ TE D ES LÉ G EN D ES ME R D' IR OI SE CÔTE D'A MO UR CÔ TE D 'É M ER A U D E CÔTE DE GOËL O C ÔT E DE CORN OU AIL LE Ile sa ngl o-n orm and es Poole/Porsmouth ( Grande -Bretagne) Cor k( Irla nde ) mo Ply uth (Gr and e-B ret agn e) Golfe du Morbihan Rivière de Pénerf Marais de Séné Tourbière de Clairefontaine Réserve Naturelle de la baie de Saint-Brieuc Vallée du Léguer Malestroit Mûr-de-Bretagne Carhaix-Plouguer Saint-Méen-le-Grand Gourin Scaër Rosporden MORL A IX Saint-Hernin Roscoff Pleyben Châteaulin Châteauneuf-du-Faou Concarneau
Parc naturel régional d'Armorique
Monts d’Arrée Pointe du Raz rés er ve Nat ure lle d e Cap Siz un Pont-l'Abbé Bénodet Locronan Douarnenez Perros-Guirec Lannion Rohan Josselin Arzon Questembert Quiberon Dinard Saint-Briac Dinan Combourg FOUGÈRE S VITR É LAVA L CHOL E T La Guerche-de-Bretagne Châteaugiron Cancale Dol-de-Bretagne Larmor-Plage Locmiquelic Port-Louis Plœmeur Port-Tudy Le Palais Sauzon Etel Erdeven Auray Plouharnel Carnac La Trinité-sur-mer Locmariaquer Port-Navalo Port-Crouesty Port-Haliguen La Roche-Bernard Nort-sur-Erdre Saint-Brévin Pontorson Guérande Blain Ancenis Loudéac BR ES T S A INT -BRI EU C PONTIV Y VAN N E S L OR IEN T REDO N RE NN E S SA IN T-M AL O N A NT E S SAINT-N A ZAIR E Q UI M PE R Quimperlé Pont-Aven Châteaubriant Cléder Bodilis Guimilliau Lampaul-Guimillau Saint-Thégonnec La Martyre Ploudiry Pencran La Roche-Maurice Commana Sizun Plounéour-Menez Plouescat Pont-Scorff Château-Gontier Vire Berven Lanmeur Guitté Muzillac Saint-Domineuc Pleugueneuc Rostrenen Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem Gouarec Saint-Aignan Tréhorenteuc Pipriac Saint-Malo-de-Phily Guipry Messac Saint-Samson-sur-Rance Plouër-sur-Rance
La Richardais La Vicomté-sur-Rance Bécherel
Saint-Germain-sur-Ille Champeaux Betton Saint-Grégoire Saint-Pol-de-Léon Ile-de-Batz Carantec Huelgoat Plouay Lampaul Paimpol Damgan Bains-sur-Oust
Grand site naturel de la Vallée de l’Oust
La Maison des Fées
Landes de Cojoux
Corbinières
Le Pont Réan
Réserve de Koh Kastell
Saint-Just La Gacilly Carentoir Saint-Lunaire Erquy Pléneuf-Val-André Saint-Quay-Portrieux La Chapelle-de-Brain Ploërmel Laniscat Saint-Gelven Baud Guichen Bourg-des-Comptes Essé Bain-de-Bretagne Léhon Saint-Juvat Saint-Alban Saint-Méloir-des-Bois Tréfumel Guenroc Antrain Coglès Mellé Pénestin Baie de Vilaine Arzal Camoël Herbignac Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef Préfailles Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile Pornic Les Moutiers-en-Retz Paimpont Concoret Missiriac Campénéac Mont-Saint-Michel Digue Sainte-Anne La Baule Le Croisic Piriac-sur-mer Oudon Saint-Mars-la-Jaille Saint-Sulpice-des-Landes Abbaye de Melleray Guingamp Lamballe Le Guerno Noyal-Muzillac Marzan Nivillac Saint-Dolay Théhillac Peillac Rochefort-en-Terre Hédé Les-Iffs Médréac Montauban-de-Bretagne Bruz Erbrée La Roche-aux-Fées Dompierre-du-Chemin Ernée Chailland Gorron Saint-Christophe-de-Valains Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault Foleux-Béganne Pluméliau Trébry Tonquédec Plouaret Noyal-sous-Bazouges Saint-Léger-des-Prés Langon Lizio Sérent Saint-Brice-en-Coglès Feins Cuguen Saint-Gilles Iffendic Plénée-Jugon Moncontour Plédéliac Plévenon La Turballe Saint-Etienne-de-Montluc Saint-Molf Mesquer Mesquer-Quimiac Saint-Gildas-des-Bois Legé Saint-Lyphard Paimboeuf La Bernerie-en-Retz Bourgneuf-en-Retz La Plaine-sur-Mer Saint-Philibert-de-Grand-Lieu Aigrefeuille-sur-Maine Batz-sur-Mer Le Pouliguen Le Fo ur Pornichet Machecoul Challans Clisson Sucé-sur-Erdre Saint-André-des-Eaux La Chapelle-Basse-Mer Pontchâteau La Chapelle-des-Marais Missillac Sarzeau Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys Guéméné-Penfao Baden Larmor-Baden Guern Melrand Le Bono Pluvigner Grand-Champ Languidic Locminé Bignan Cruguel Guéhenno Elven Sainte-Anne-d'Auray Guer Monteneuf La Trinité-Porhoët Cléguérec Silfiac Saint-Jean-Brevelay Mauron Mohon Bréhan Névez Loctudy Plogoff Briec-de-l'Odet Combrit-Ste-Marine Elliant Ergué-Gabéric Mahalon Bannalec Moëlan-sur-Mer Plozévet Riec-sur-Belon Trégunc La Forêt-Fouesnant Pont-Croix Audierne Clohars-Carnoët Doëlan Penmarc'h Plomeur Saint-Guénolé Pouldreuzic Plonéour-Lanvern Guémené-sur-Scorff Séglien Ploërdut Kernascléden Hennebont Inzinzac-Lochrist Guidel Plouhinec Merlevenez Gâvres Fouesnant Le Guilvinec Lesconil Lesneven Le Folgoët Guisseny Landivisiau Argol Kerlouan Lannilis Ploéven Plonevez-du-Faou Cleden-Poher Lampaul Plouarzel Plomodiern Ploudalmézeau Lanildut Plouguerneau Spézet Saint-Nic-Pentrez Saint-Renan Locmaria-Plouzané Telgruc-sur-Mer Landévennec Rumengol Lopérec Camaret Plouarzel Plougonvelin Plonévez-Porzay Le Faou Landerneau Plougastel-Daoulas Le Faouët Langonnet Priziac Réguiny Brasparts Crozon Morgat Lost Marc’h Le Conquet Trégastel Ploumanac'h La Roche-Derrien Hengoat Ploubezre Guerlesquin Plougonven Brignogan plages Plougasnou Roc Trévézel Saint-Jean-du-Doigt Plounéour Trez Pleumeur-Bodou Belle-Isle-en-Terre Loc-Envel Callac Plourac’h Penvénan Saint-Michel-en-Grève Trédrez-Locquémeau Lanvellec Trévou-Tréguignec Tréguier Plestin-les-Grèves Pleudaniel Lézardrieux Loguivy-de-la-Mer Ploubazlanec Plougrescant Pontrieux Plourivo Ploëzal Runan Plouha Lanrivain Saint-Servais Bulat-Pestivien Bourbriac Châteaulaudren Lanvollon Quintin Allineuc Etables-sur-Mer Saint-Cast-le-Guildo Morieux Yffiniac Langast Matignon Plancoët Saint-Jacut-de-la-Mer Jugon-les-Lacs Fréhel Binic Lancieux Plurien Saint-Coulomb Tinténiac Montfort-sur-Meu Merdrignac Bazouges-la-Pérouse Martigné-Ferchaud Pouancé Segré Vallet Nozay Varades Saint-Florent-le-Vieil Derval Sion-les-Mines Grand-Fougeray Trébeurden Le Loroux-Bottereau Lanveoc Locquirec Lanmeur Ile-Tudy L'Ile-aux-Moines Arradon Dolmen de kerbourg église Saint-Tugen Le Menez Hom Notre-Dame-de-Tronoën
Tumulus de Barnenez Landes du Cragou
Réserve Naturelle Le Venec
Réserve Naturelle de Vergam-Scrignac
Plouézec Pen-M en Les C hat s Étan gs d u Lo ch Les Po ulain s Les Birvid eau x Port M ar ia Port Hali gue n Goulpha r Ke rdoni s La T ei gnou se Pen La n Les G rand s C ar dinau x Ké ré on Le s Pie rr es N oir es Le Pe tit M ino u Ta s de poi s Rés erve Nat ur ell e d'I rois e Pt e de s E spagnol s Portzi c La J umen t Le Nividi c Créa c’h Ke rmo rva n Ar M en Té ve nn ec Ec kmüh l Ré se rv e biolo giq ue d e T runv el-Tréoga t Les Mouton s Étangs de Tr évignon-Tré gun c Rés erve Natu rell e Saint-Nicolas-des-Gl éna n Gr and sit e nat ure l le ma ssi f d unai re de Gâvre s à Pe nthi èvr e Ré ser ve Natu re lle Fr ançoi s L e B ai l Kergrist-Moëlou Locarn Saint-Thélo G orges d u C oron g Le Tronchet Tressé Saint-Père-Marc-en-Poulet Saint-Suliac Saint-Broladre Château de Goulaine
Réserve de la mandine Bouguenais
Marais de Goulaine Marais du Couéron Marais de Grée La nd es de L oc ar n For êt d e B ro cé liand e Land es de Lanv aux M on ta gn es N oi re s 384 m 253 m Pa rc d e Br iè re Fo rêt du G âvr e
Réserve Naturellede Grand-Lieu
Les H éau x Le Pao n Sillon d e Talb er t Ro séd o Le Grand-L éjo n Lost-Pi c Bodi c Ile Harbo ur Falai se s de Plo uh a L'Il e a ux moine s Les Tr ia goz Be g-Lég ue r Ile de Cézembre La Vie rg e
Réserve de l’Ile des landes
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LaSé lu ne Mortain Sourdeval Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët Coutances Granville Villedieu-les-Poêles Avranches Tiffauges b c a d e f g h i b c a d f h i 1 2 3 4 5 6 j j 1 2 3 4 5 6 g e L’Elorn Ca na l de N ante s à B rest L’ Auln e Ca na l d e N ante s à B rest Le Bla vet Cana l de N antes à Bres t Ca na l de Nan tes à Bre st La Vilaine La V ila in e Can al d ’Ille et R ance Londr es Br est Quimp er20
Image Rights
Cover: Pierre Torset P3: Top Diaphane
P4: Top Guillaume Le Roy; Middle Festival Astropolis; Bottom Nicolas Joubard P5: Top & Middle Diaphane; Bottom Myriam Jegat
P6: Top Diaphane
P7: Top Nicolas Job; Bottom Pierre Torset P8: Bottom Simon Bourcier
P9: Top Simon Bourcier; Bottom Pierre Torset P10: Top & Bottom Ronan Gladu
P11: Top Brittany SPA Hotel; Middle La Desirade P12: Top Diaphane; Bottom Olivier Marie P13: Top & Bottom Diaphane
P14: Top Michel Renac; Bottom Pierre Torset P15: Top Pascal Raso; Bottom Maud Gicquel/CRTB P16: Top Yannick Le Gal
P17: Bottom Yannick Le Gal
P18: Top Bernard Begne/Région Bretagne Back page: Diaphane
Brittany Tourism
1, rue Raoul Ponchon 35069 Rennes Cedex, France
