The Pink Granite Coast, so-called because of the colour of its rocks, is one of the most beautiful stretches of Brittany’s coastline. The area is renowned for its unusual rock formations, the best of which can be found on the coastal path between Perros-Guirec and the port of Ploumanac’h.

West of Mûr-de-Bretagne is the Lac de Guerlédan, Brittany’s largest lake. Not only is this the perfect place for sunning yourself or messing about on the water but the area also offers extensive trails for walking and cycling. The Quénécan forest and Abbaye de Bon Repos are not to be missed.

This exquisite village in west Finistère occupies a long-sacred spot named after a revered Irishman who settled here in the Dark Ages, but the place’s spiritual roots go back much further. From the late Middle Ages, sail-making brought prosperity, and an exceptionally handsome architectural legacy.

Wild and windy Pointe du Raz, France’s equivalent of Land’s End, is one of Brittany’s most popular natural sites. With its breathtaking clifftop walks (you’ll need a head for heights!), perilous waters, intriguing island and charming fishing ports, this area offers an authentic slice of Breton life.

Mention Cancale to a Frenchman or a foodie and the instant response will be ‘oysters’; the magnificent molluscs have been cultivated in this attractive fishing village for hundreds of years. There are also breathtaking views over the Baie de St Michel and scenic walks around the coast.

The vibrant university city of Rennes, Brittany’s administrative capital, is worth a day or two of anyone’s time. Take a wander around the medieval streets of the picture-perfect old town and admire the impressive parliament building before relaxing in the Thabor gardens.

The Monts d’Arrée hills are like Finistère’s spine, a little contorted to be sure, like most things in Brittany. Climb their back and the views from up top are tremendous, as only bracken and heather grow on the spiky vertebrae. As to the Montagne St-Michel, a fully Breton St Michael’s mount, it stands apart.

Walking through the cobbled streets of St Malo’s old town feels like you’ve stepped back in time. This popular tourist destination and busy ferry port offers visitors an authentic glimpse into Brittany’s important seafaring past. There be pirates…

Dinan is without doubt one of the most attractive and best preserved small towns in Brittany. With its 1.8 mile (3km)-long ramparts, half-timbered houses, attractive port and cobbled streets filled with art galleries and craft shops, it’s worth a day of anyone’s time.

About 18 miles (30km) west of Rennes, the forest of Paimpont is all that remains of the vast forest that covered ancient inland Brittany aka Argoat. Legend has it that the 25 square miles (40km² ) of woodland is also the location of mythical Brocéliande, the forest of King Arthur.

Giant dollops of stone give an otherworldly look to the peninsulas around Kerlouan on the north Finistère coast between Roscoff and Brest. While virtually every back garden around here can boast an astonishing, natural rock feature, the remarkably restored and rocky village of Ménéham is the highlight.

Dominating the Bay of Douarnenez, the long-backed Menez-Hom hill was sacred to prehistoric people and inspired Breton legends. Take in the sensational views from the top, over 1,000ft above sea level, and you’ll understand why it was considered so special. The Menez-Hom proves an exhilarating place.

A defiant little headland, La Torche sticks out from the southern end of the wild Bay of Audierne, in southwest Finistère. Despite the Atlantic’s batterings, digs have revealed signs of communities here going far back into prehistoric times. Now, surfers love tackling the waves here.

Although it is now the administrative centre of the Pays-de-la-Loire, Nantes was the capital of Brittany for hundreds of years. Start at the impressive Château des Ducs de Bretagne before wandering through the medieval old town then take a ride on a mechanical elephant around the Île de Nantes.

Once one of the busiest ports in Brittany, picture-perfect St-Goustan is now one of the most popular sites in Morbihan. Enjoy lunch in a waterside restaurant while admiring the half-timbered houses before joining a boat trip around the gulf or crossing the stone bridge to explore Auray.

Bracing walks, soaring cliffs, attractive beaches, stunning views over the Emerald Coast and the Channel Islands, a seabird reserve, an historic lighthouse and a fortified castle straight out of a story book – the wild and windswept area around the Cap Fréhel peninsula has got plenty to interest.



Tucked into its estuary near famously arty Pont-Aven and Le Pouldu, Doëlan has remained the archetypal little Finistère fishing port. Normally, when separated by water, communities either side carry different names –here it’s simply Doëlan Rive Gauche or Rive Droite – Left or Right Bank, as in Paris!

Brittany’s rural church closes are renowned in France for their charming looks. With their quaint and curious embellishments, they have the power to pull you in, even if you’re not religious. Competition between neighbouring parishes could be intense, most remarkably around Finistère’s Monts d’Arrée.

The world-famous island abbey may stand just across the border in Normandy, but much of the phenomenal World Heritage Site Baie du Mont St-Michel forms part of Brittany. Try out fascinating different ways to appreciate the Breton half of the bay, including some very surprising culinary routes.

At Brittany’s most northerly point on the mainland, the crazy-looking Plougrescant peninsula epitomizes the Côtes-d’Armor coast with its contrasting facets, variously enchanting, confusing, or even fearsome. As for Plougrescant’s chapel, it looks like it’s stepped out of the pages of a fairytale.

Carnac is known throughout the world for its unique rows of ancient standing stones. The town is split into two areas: Carnac-Ville, where you’ll find the Museum of Prehistory, and Carnac-Plage, a family seaside resort with a state-of-the-art thalassotherapy centre. Oyster farming is big business.

The striking, purple-stone Cap d’Erquy headland marks the eastern end of the huge, magnificent Bay of St-Brieuc. Tucked into the cliffside below it you’ll find the very charming port of Erquy, reputed for its scallops, while the relaxing beaches of the resort stretch out along the bay beyond.