Help with Brittany trip
 

We will be in Brittany the last week in March. Our rental cottage is in a small hamlet "Les Brousses" near Dinan. I know we want to visit Rennes, St. Malo, Mont St. Michel and Quimper, but what are other must sees for Brittany?

I liked the Roches Sculptées in Rothéneuf on the coast. These sculptured rocks that are slowly withering away were carved by a hermitpriest who spent 25 years creating these awsome things, dragons, giants, sea monsters starting in 1870s.
It has a decent lunch spot and is a good place to view the beaitiful coastline.

Do make the time to visit a few of the Calvaries, large stone sculptures depicting biblical events. They are found in parish closes; Google for more information.

We also liked Dinard, which doesn't seem to get much play for some reason. It's a seaside town with character and a beautiful promenade that skirts a cliff and has a number of interesting gardens along the way.

Pont-Aven, an Impressionist hang-out, is not far from Quimper and quite pretty. The great ruined castle of Fougère is interesting, and the medieval town of Vitré is pleasant to visit.

How about the dolmens near Carnac? Fascinating, and there are also sunken tombs to visit in the area.

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if you'd like to read the articles I wrote on Brittany for the bonjourparis.com web site.

Do try to visit at least one of the "Parish Closes" like Pleyben, Lampaul Guililau, St. Thégonec. These include not only the calvary but the ossuary and triumphal arch as well. Pleyben is our favorite because it also has the wonderful Breton cookie factory and confiserie just next to the close were they give free tastes of all they make--and of course you walk out with a whole bag full of purchases!

Nearer to you, my favorite is Ploumanach with its rose colored rock formations with the emerald green sea in the background. Stunning. Fougeres has a charm similar to Vitré, which is further away.

Remember the further west you go the more "Breton" influence, the further east you get French influence. March is kind of early in the season for the Northern Coast, so I hope you have good weather. If you don't, head south for your day trips. The Gulf of Morbihan is always warmer.

My trip report might be of help:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=34444403

The little town of Dol-de-Bretagne (not far from Dinan)is charming, and a little further south the market town of Combourg with its castle is worth a visit. Cancale for the oysters and seafood, also art galleries and studios, and the views across the bay to Mont St Michel are stunning.

If you are going south - and it's a fair old drive - then the ancient stones at Carnac are worth seeing, and the Quiberon peninsular is interesting, with the gentle sandy beaches on the Gulf of Morbihan side, then at the tip the sailing and fishing village of Quiberon, and on the return up the Atlantic side you have a totally different coast, quite a contrast! Also lots of galleries and studios in Quiberon.

Have a great trip.