Normandy and Brittay: to eat
 

HI. Planning a 10 day trip starting in CDG where we'll pick up a car and head north. Been to Burgundy Provence Strasbourg area, Loire several times but never Normandy or Brittany. Love/live to eat well. Enjoy visiting markets and countryside. Would appreciate ideas for my trip. Not really interested in D-Day beaches.Thanks.

You might be interested in the latter section of this trip report:

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

Normandy and Brittany are oyster heaven to me and also here in New England lobsters are served boiled or steamed, rarely grilled. There, they do fantastic grilled lobsters. Once here in Boston, I tried one at the Summer shack. It was dry. There, they know how to make them succulent.
In Brittany, the crepes are the best. Forget Paris.
In Normany, the calvados outshines any sold in the states, The Camembert cheese, Pont l'Eveque, Port du Salut, Livarot are the famous Norman cheeses to try, nothing like stateside.

There is a crepe place every ten feet in Brittany - so dive in an explore all the savory and sweet combinations your brain can conceive of. Be sure to try the Cidre in Brittany - a sort of alcoholic apple cider that is a specialty of the region. As for great Brittany towns, I recommend you not miss out on: Fougeres, Vitre, Dinan, St. Malo, of course Mont St. Michelle is a standard. Rennes in my opinion is highly underratted - I loved Rennes! Alive with one of the largest student populations in France. Great public gardens, nice old town, expectional little metro.

Best meal I had in France was at Auberge St. Jean...(I hope thats right) in Vitre, red canopy, not far from the castle - unbelievable meal - try the lunch formula for a reasonable price.

Enjoy your trip.

Murph

Tartes aux pommes in Normandy and Breton Far (kind of like a clafouti--pudding/cake dessert) in Brittany.

I really enjoyed the cider in Normandy, also.

On your way from CDG, stop in the town of Petit Andelys for a meal at La Chaîne d'Or, a beautiful country inn with an exceptional dining room overlooking the river Seine. Marvelous food and a great setting for stretching your legs.

Boy, my mouth is watering. Thanks for all the suggestions. Will start going to the gym now.

For great seafood in Belon, next to Pont Aven, Chez Jacky.

In Normandy, Les Vapeurs in Trouville, both places not fance, but charming and the freshest you'll ever taste.

If you haven't made hotel reservations, check out Le Bretagne in Questembert ...the rooms are lovely, the cooking sublime...and the chef-owner is a gifted artist whose paintings are exceptional!

I was planning to wing it as far as accommodations went, except for the weekends when it will be wiser to book a room. It worked for other trips but that was during April and Sept, perhaps not too wise in June? It will be my first time in Europe in June.
Will google Le Bretagne in Questembert. Thanks.

A Michelin two-rosette restaurant that we liked very much is Jean-Pierre Crouzil, in the pleasant little town of Plancoët. Crouzil also operates a small hotel with delightful rooms at moderate prices.

My best Normandy dining memory was of the marvelelous dinner we enjoyed at the Manoir du Butin, a lovely country inn just outside of Honfleur.

We had dinner one night at the St Simeon. It was very good but we had more fun dining harborside in Honfleur.
In Pont Aven, the food at the Moulin de Rosemedec...Miam!!!

In Saint-Malo, A la Duchesse Anne has great food and a very nice atmosphere.

Just inside the old city wall.

Keith

I truly appreciate the feedback.
Any idea about market days etc? any chance they will be like those in Provence? In Italy I've stayed at agritourism farms, are there similar places that are recommended in Normandy or Brittay? Would love to stay at a farm that makes the famous Normandy butter.

Almost due south of Houlgate, the village of Beuvron-en-Auge is stunningly charming. It is used in lots of movies, ads, etc. Two good restaurants there - La Boule d'Or and Le Pave d'Auge. The latter has Michelin star.

Due south of Beuvron-en-Auge, is St-Pierre s/Dives. The monday market there is the best I have seen for food, better even than Apt in Provence.

We have had two pleasant meals, on different trips, in an unassuming-looking place east of Caen: L'Auberge Les Peupliers in Giberville.

Here is arguably the best restaurant in Brittany, a Michelin 2-star, great food! - in a hotel on the sea with fantastic views from the dining room and semi-private terraces:

http://www.hoteldecarantec.com/

La Boule d'Or, in Beuvron en Auge also has a few bedrooms. The town holds a cider festival in October that is fun to attend. As I recall it's the last week-end...but if you are in the area check it out

Thanks everyone. I am looking forward to this visit.

If you're intent on fine dining, I would not advise impromptu lodging, unless the dining is limited to lunch. In most places in Normandy and Brittany you could find somewhere to stay in June, but that place might be a haul from a target restaurant. Dinner service usually starts at 8 p.m. If you linger at the table it will be near dark, or dark when you leave. Do you want to drive, say, 10 kilometers in the twilight, a most dangerous time on the road, while loggy from food? And what about wine? The driver must limit himself or herself to one glass. There's a bigtime crackdown here on drunken driving. Motorists are stopped and subjected to tests - no probable cause needed. You can be driving straight as an arrow and still be hauled over. Reserve and enjoy!

Good point, Dave. Definitely more enjoyable/safer to stay at or closeby the restaurants of choice.

I should be studying for exams but couldn't resist taking time off to plan my trip. I think we will pick up the car at CDG on Saturday June 24th & drive in the direction Rouen/Caen. Les Andelys and Beuvron-en-Auge seems to be a must. Spend time in that part of Normandy before heading south towards Dinan. Stay at Pont-Aven (one M star restaurant).Will end in Quimper airport where we will catch a flight to Orly on July 3rd and spend a night in Paris. Might be too ambitious for 10 days, any feedback appreciated.

And if you get stopped for speeding in costs 90€ (a few years ago, so maybe higher now) AND the worse thing, payable on the spot!!!

One of the most incredible meals we have had in 12 yrs. of traveling in France was at Maison de Bricourt in Cancale. The owners have a beautiful small hotel nearby on the cliffs overlooking the bay of St. Michel, but you would definitely have to reserve in advance.

Perphaps it will be wiser to end our trip in Dinard and catch a flight from there to Orly. I do hate rushing around, and my husband rarely speeds. Besides I called the Hostel Moulin de Rosemedec in Pont Aven and they are full (not surprisingly since they have only 4 bedrooms ). Will check that place out during off season.