Well the weather will be more like UK then most of France but Brittany will meet a lot of your wish list.
Scandanavia too, if you have the budget for those countries, or Iceland.
I could add several more places - like Poland, the Netherlands (provided you get away from the tourist drag) or northern Germany, but I don't want to confuse you too much.

that should have read more like the UK weatherwise!

So you are not relocating to Ireland after all?

Eventually, yes, but in the meantime (until I can afford it!), I must explore

I'd also say Normandy and Brittany have most of what you're looking for -- medieval villages and districts in cities, castles ruined and restored, Mont St Michel, seascapes, farm country, sites associated with Arthurian legend, standing stones, some excellent food, good ciders and wine . . .

I love cider, and I've always wanted to go to Mont St. Michel. I know I would love Honfleur. And it has Mountain of Seafood (from a Bourdain episode).

I think that's where the Carnac stones are, too....

You don't mention a few things that might help with suggestions for you.

How long a trip?

What time of year?

Are you interested in renting a car?

Travel style- moving around or staying put.

I am assuming you will be traveling alone.

Well the Mont and Honfleur are sort of the tourist high spots, but Brittany and Normany has far more to offer. Brittany had a strong piracy tradition and independance from France, so it is wrth going to look at the old castles, the little fishing ports and medieval towns in the centre. You could also rent a bike and cycle from Nantes to the northern coast along canals visiting the real villages.

Other, more normal ideas are to visit Fougeres, Dinan, St Malo, Morlaix, Quimper, Vannes and St Brieuc.

Normandy, I'd start at Cherbourg and visit the odd Museum up there, then work your way down to Barfleur (see the white ship memorial), St Vaast (eat), Coutances, Villediue des Poeles (a town can be built on saucepans), then follow either the route de fromage or the route de cidre to Honfleur, Harfleur and Le Havre.

Why don't you throw caution to the winds and go to Italy? -

What happened to the trip with 9 others. Did you get sane and call it off? (Just kidding!)

Like you, I like to travel for history, photography, ruins and recreations, the people and not into shopping or nightlife.

I agree that Normandy has a lot of the things you are looking for. I had 2 weeks there 13 years ago and loved it so much that I spent the whole time there instead of going into Paris for the last few days as originally planned. (Went with no reservations, so no problem cancelling hotels etc.)

I spent the first weekend of July in Bayeux for a renaissance fair (I believe that it is held that first weekend every year.) It was lots of fun--the streets were covered with hay and sawdust and closed to motorized traffic. All the people selling and reenacting were dressed in medieval attire. Food vendors were roasting meats on spits and there was other food that one might find in the medieval fairs (although cleaner and not as near spoiled as those days). I enjoyed the tapestry at the museum depicting 1066 and Hastings), the cathedral and walking the old streets of the city.

Mont St. Michael and the DDay beaches were a moving few days.
St. Malo, Dinan and Fougeres were interesting cities. I rambled down random backroads in my car and stumbled on some wonderful sights. I stopped in tourist offices and often found places not listed in guidebooks. (I didn't have a computer then and didn't know about internet research.) One of my favorites was 15th c. manor house complete with moat outside the walls and lovely gardens within the walls.

One day I took the ferry from St. Malo to Jersey in the Channel Islands. Got a taste of it that makes want to return and spend a week or so exploring these islands.

Actually, a few of the places I have just mentioned are in Brittany and not Normandy. To sum up, I found this area of France enchanting for photography, sightseeing and general adventure. There are several trip reports here about Brittany.

I hope this spring to get to France for parts of Brittany farther west than I went before--for the standing stones at Carnac, Quimper, fishing villages along the coast, etc.

And don't forget that Brittany is part of the Celtic "fringe" so it would be fun to see similarities with your visits to Ireland, Scotland, Wales.

If you choose Brittany and Normandy, I'll be watching this thread (or a new one)for suggestions.





















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Just go anywhere you desire the most and don't worry about the language!!
In most big cities and tourist areas they speak English, sometimes I am surprised at how much.
Wherever you decide just learn a few key phrases- please, thank you, hello, goodbye etc and you will be good.
Not speaking the language was never a hinderance to me about where I would go. Things always seem to get worked out.