April or September for Brittany and Loire Valley
 

I recently got a part time job and have almost scraped together enough for a European trip.

For a couple of years I have been longing to see Brittany and the Loire Valley. I have been printing and saving columns from here, looking on other sites, reading up in the guidebooks, etc.

Would September or April/early May be a better time to visit these areas? I love gardens and flower boxes, hate hot weather, but am not overly fond of bitter cold either.
Are the folk festivals that I read about all summertime events? Any good websites for details (dates and what it's about?)

I am a history buff, love small towns, countryside, photography. I will be back asking more questions later, but am hoping to get down the when soon.

Thanks for any ideas and comments.

You'll probably get much better weather in Sept than in April/early May.

Brittany is father north than any spot in the US - except Alaska.

Stu Dudley

We just returned from France. The final five days were spent in Brittany in the Channel Coast area. I liked the area very much but it was rather cold and damp on several days.I finally purchased a fleece vest to go under my windbreaker.
I think that September would be a better time to go there.

We based part of our itinerary planning on Stu Dudley's
write-up. He sends it out upon request. It was far more helpful than the guidebooks although the Michelin green guide was good for maps. While in Brittany, we stayed in the town of Dinan which is very pleasant-the stone buildings are beautiful. It is a convenient base to drive to places of interest on the coast. We recommend Hotel Arvor in Dinan-very
pleasant, good breakfast and parking upon advance request.

Pat

I've been to both areas many times. Sometimes it's cold, sometimes it's hot and sometimes it's just right. Usually, it's just right for me.

The vagaries of the weather in Western Europe are such that you can never predict.

We returned from Britanny in mid-April. It was cool and blustery, with one day of rain in Dinan, but being from New England, it was about what we would have expected at home. If you look toward the end of my blog www.jackthetravelingman-seine.blogspot.com, you will see what we experienced. St-Malo and Mont St. Michel are not to be missed

Thanks for all of your thoughts.

Are gardens still in good shape in September?

We saw nice gardens in Brittany in Sept.

Stu Dudley

I lived in Brittany 3 years and what everyone has said is right on. Weather in this area is particularly unpredictable--it's a crap shoot, but your chances for clear weather are better in September, and yes, the gardens are still in good shape.

North coast will be more blustery and cold usually than the Southern (Morbihan) coast. Layered clothing with waterproof shell will work well.