We love it here in our rural idyll: the skies are clearer and bluer - there's no pollution; the grass and trees really are greener; and because there's no light pollution the night sky is very dark and you'll see so many stars that you'll think you could just reach up and pluck one to keep! This is a fascinating area of Brittany giving you the choice of wonderful inland valleys and hills to explore but also being within easy driving distance of the 3 very different Brittany coasts: west Brittany coast for surfing, north Brittany coast for rock pools and south Brittany coast for glorious sandy beaches. Whatever you enjoy doing you can find it in this area. Brittany’s mild weather means that often the best time to visit is in Spring and Autumn when it is less crowded; this Autumn there is a stunning display as the forests turned golden and red, and all was gloriously hued as the sunlight played across the leaves.
The Coasts and Sea
The north Brittany coast close to St Brieuc is about 35 minutes by car where there are not just lovely sandy beaches but also fascinating rock pools for children to try their hand at crabbing!
Or visit the west Brittany coast for surfing, and the south Brittany coast for glorious sandy beaches, both about an hour from our gitesofbrittany.
Gouarec, Brittany
Gouarec, which is situated on the junction of the River Blavet and the Nantes-Brest canal, has everything you need including shops, banks, restaurants, bars, and mini-golf. Gouarec was once home to the Dukes of Rohan who built a castle there but sadly this is now gone. There are still some lovely old buildings in the town which becomes a mass of floral displays during the summer.
L'Abbaye de Bon Repos, Brittany
The abbey was originally built in 1184 and has been successively ruined and rebuilt over the centuries. Its superb setting next to the River Blavet and the Nantes-Brest Canal is well worth a visit: there are weirs, salmon stairs, a former water mill, a mediaeval stone bridge over the river, a restaurant and a very interesting fossil/jewelley/objets d'art shop. Opposite there is a creperie/bar where you can sit and drink while watching the world go by. On Sunday mornings from Easter to October there is an interesting local market where traders sell organic produce and crafts - it’s not just for tourists, it's also popular with locals in Brittany.
The abbey is now being restored and to raise funds for this a grand ‘Son et Lumiere’ is presented around the second weekend in August every year when around 400 local people, horses, dogs, etc, enact the history of the abbey and the area. It is a fantastic event starting around 10.30pm and ending around 12.30am. Having seen a number of such ‘grande spectacles’ including beside the Pyramids in Egypt we can honestly say this one in Brittany is the best!
At Lac de Guerledan you can enjoy various water sports such as water ski-ing and swimming, or hire a motor boat, canoe, kayak, rowing boat, dinghy or pedalo, or enjoy a lake cruise, or take dinner one evening on a floating restaurant. There are several free public slipways if you want to bring your own boat. Hire charges are very reasonable whether by the hour or the day and booking in advance is seldom necessary
Fishing
You can fish for pike, zander, carp and trout in Lac de Guerledan and with the purchase of a cheap 10 day permit you can also fish in many local rivers, and keep what you catch, including salmon. A carp night fishing tour is a regular event and open fishing competitions take place throughout the season.
Equestrian Activities in Brittany
There are a number of ‘poney clubs’ in the area where you can hire a hack by the hour, around 15 euros, or for the day at about 75 euros, or you could have lessons and learn to ride. There is a horse museum in Corlay, Brittany, which also has a ruined castle surrounded by water and its Hippodrome (race course) at Petit Paris holds national race meets during the summer. The village of Bulat-Pestivien hosts an annual 3 day horse fair in September for which people come from miles around.
Golf in Brittany
There are a number of golf courses in Brittany and these tend to be closer to the coasts but well within comfortable driving distances of 30 - 60 minutes or so. If you just fancy trying your hand at golf but don’t have, or don’t want to bring your golf clubs, then we have a couple of basic sets available to borrow! But if it’s just for fun then you can play mini-golf in Gouarec or crazy golf in Mur de Bretagne - both quite challenging for the beginner!
Les Landes des Liscuis
Les Landes des Liscuis is a stunning moor land of a schist crest which dominates the Nantes-Brest Canal to the South and the Gorges of the Daoulas stream to the East. It has exceptionally rich flora of moss and lichens, the sea campion and the flaxen leafed St. John’s Wort. There are three covered alleys on the heath, les allees couvert, and long barrows which are historic monuments in Brittany. There is a wonderful footpath which goes through the forest and then up along the crest giving wonderful views of the gorge and the lake.
There are many interesting standing stones, menhirs and megaliths, which take on strange shapes depending on the way in which you look at them!
Pontivy
For those who enjoy history and sightseeing, there are a number of churches particularly with parish closes, castles, etc, within easy reach for you to explore in Brittany. Pontivy is situated on the River Blavet and was the seat of the Dukes of Rohan and their castle still stands and is worth visiting. It has a moat which has never had water in it! The town of Pontivy has a mediaeval centre, a traditional main street of individual shops and also the ‘new town’ of Napoleonville which was laid out according to his instructions and was intended to become the capital of Brittany.
In terms of airports, there's a wide selection both in the region and just outside it including Dinard (DNR), Loriet (LRT) and Rennes (RNS). However, the ferry ports of Cherbourg and St Malo carry a comparable number of tourists taking advantage of the many family friendly attractions of this region.
Courtesy of Les Hirondelles
Photo courtesy of Les Hirondelles
