Brittany

Brittany is nestled in the northwestern tip of France, surrounded on three sides by a long and varied coastline, representing one-third of France’s total coastline. The western tips of Brittany are wild headlands jutting out into the Atlantic, and both the north and south coasts have plenty of long sandy beaches and small fishing ports. The rugged cliffs dotted with lighthouses, islands (around 800 islands lie off the mainland), and picturesque harbours make for endless exploration before relaxing on the white sandy beaches. It is a unique and traditional region with its own Breton language. Quimper is the ancient capital of Cornouaille, Brittany’s most traditional region. Originally settled during Roman times, Quimper has several old churches dating as far back as the 11th century, including the oldest Gothic structure in Brittany with beautiful stained-glass windows. 

St. Malo is the most visited place in Brittany, an old walled city with fortified ramparts surrounding it, standing at the mouth of a river, with an old chateau, now the town museum. Opposite St. Malo and across the river estuary is Dinard, once France’s number-one resorts, which is popular with families attracted to its sandy beaches and its scenic coastal walks. There are mysterious stone circles scattered all over Brittany, the most famous of which are the Carnac Stones, one of Brittany’s greatest attractions. Three fields contain around 3,000 aligned megaliths, dating back to 4,000 BC and the local Museum of Prehistory holds one of Europe’s finest collections of excavated prehistoric objects.