Brittany (or Bretagne in French) is a region in the far west of France, known for its rugged coastline, prehistoric stone alignments, and rainy weather. In fact, a local saying is: “the weather is good in Brittany several times a day.” When you realize this refers to the breaks between rain showers, you start to have an idea of the climate in Brittany. Weather aside though, Brittany was one of my favorite places in France. There’s a wild beauty to the land, especially along the coast where the cliffs drop into the sea. The people there are very proud of where they’re from – you can’t go far without seeing the Brittany flag popping up on people’s houses, cars, or shop windows. It was nice to see such a focus on local history and culture.
I started my exploration of Brittany in Carnac, a small village to the south known primarily for the Carnac Stones: fields of stone alignments dating back as far as 4500 BCE. These stone alignments are in several places along this southern part of Brittany, stretching between villages. The ones near Carnac take up acres of land – monolithic stones arranged in neat rows. It was impressive to see.
In the village of Carnac, I sampled one of the specialty dishes of the region – galettes! They are crepes made from buckwheat flour and are traditionally savory rather than sweet flavors. While traditional fillings include things like ham and cheese, the restaurants have gotten quite creative with the combinations. My favorite was a cheese, sundried tomato, garlic, and fried egg galette. It was deliciously crispy and buttery! Galettes are traditionally enjoyed with a cup of cider. Brittany is famous for the cider it produces from the apples that grow there. It comes in many variations – hard or soft, brut, sweet, or simply pressed apple juice. The chilled cider makes the perfect combination with the warm galettes.
Southwest of Carnac is the Quiberon Peninsula. It is almost an island, connected by just a narrow strip to the mainland. There are several cute fishing villages and ports on the peninsula. There is a lovely trail that follows the coastline, climbing the hills over the sea. It is possible to follow the trail around the entire peninsula, although this is quite a long walk so I chose to hike only a portion of it.
After the Quiberon Peninsula, I headed to Crozon on the far western coast. I was surprised at how blue the water here was – it is a shocking shade of dark blue in the deep ocean and bright aqua in the shallow areas along the coast. Large bluffs rise out of the sea, with dramatic cliffs and rock formations along the coast. There is a trail that climbs the bluffs over the water here, providing sweeping views of the landscape. It is a great place to spend several hours walking and picnicking.
Brittany is a beautiful region, full of its own culture and amazing landscapes. I would love to return at some point and spend some time camping there – it has the feel of a place you can really connect to the land and to nature. While there are certainly tourists in Brittany, there are far fewer than in some other regions of France, such as the Côte d’Azure, making it a great destination for getting away from the crowds.
To tour Brittany, you have a few options. The first is to drive if you have a vehicle or are renting one. Otherwise, you can take the train or the public bus. There are also tourist buses you can book that will take you to some of the main sites in the region.
The major city in Brittany is Rennes. If you’re traveling by train or bus, chances are you’ll pass through the city. There are train and bus lines that run to Carnac and Crozon from Rennes, Nantes, and Paris. The easiest way to find schedules and buy tickets is to download the Ouigo app. Ouigo is the company that runs most of the French trains and many of the buses. It will help you plan a route and purchase tickets through the app.
- Check out the Crozon stone alignment. It is very impressive to see the huge stones that were arranged so deliberately so many thousands of years ago.
- Take a walk by the sea on the Quiberon Peninsula or the coast near Crozon. The trails along the Côte Sauvage provide beautiful views of the sea and Brittany landscape.
- Be sure to taste galettes and cider! Both are local specialties and are absolutely delicious.
- Bring a raincoat and layers with you – the weather is notoriously volatile in this region.
