Dianne

Want to know what you all think of this itinerary as not rushed and hitting favorite spots in Brittany. We will have a car and we will be traveling for 9 days (8 nights). We leave from Nante (family there) then go on to Vennes. Thinking of staying on Belle Ile for a night/two or Carnac. On to Dinan for a few nights as a base for St. Malo St Michel,, etc. Then maybe Ploumanach (as someone recommended it) or somewhere in that area. Then to Rennes where we either drop the car and take the train to Paris OR drive to Giverny for a night and take the car back ourselves to Airport.
Thoughts. Is the Giverny part a stretch and better to spend time in Brittany? Is the drive from Vennes to Dinan too much?
Thanks all.

flygirl

Vannes is lovely - I really enjoyed my brief stay there. I'd stay there before Carnac - but definitely visit Carnac. I don't think the drive from Vannes to Dinan would be too terribly long - I drove to Bayeux from Vannes, even stopping in St Lo during the drive up, and still got to Bayeux before dinner.

I stopped in Ploumanach and did some hiking. Very nice. With 8 full nights there is no reason you can't branch out even more into Brittany - maybe into Finisterre? Quimper, Audierne?

Will you drive from Rennes to Giverny, or Ploumanach? It's certainly doable in one day, but if you are only going to spend a few hours in Giverny it's out of the way. The last time I was in Rennes I was 16 so I don't have much info to impart, alas.

Michael

If going to Ploumanach, you'll want to see the <i>calvaires</i> in the towns between Ploumanach and Quimper.

Click on my name for my trip report on Ghent, Normandy and Brittany. The last part covers Brittany.

StuDudley

You've picked some of my favorite spots in Brittany, although I'm not a fan of the Carnac area.

There are some nice calvaires like Michael mentioned, but make sure you really know what calvaires are, and if they interest you at all. We were there for 2 weeks in '06, and saw several.

Neither myself nor my wife are big Monet fans, so Giverny did not iterest us. My wife commented that she saw prettier gardens in round-abouts elsewhere in France. The general area is not that scenic - compared to Brittany.

You'll love Vannes.

Don't miss Rennes.

Stu Dudley

Dianne

Thank you all. So can you give me a hint about calvaires and what they are? I will go read Michael's post now. The only reason we thought about Giverny is that it is an easy drive to the airport the next day. The last time we were there it was raining but I am not sold on going back. Better to drop the car in Rennes or Rouen and train it to Paris I think.