Traveling to and Exploring Brittany
Aug 22nd, 2016, 09:34 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Traveling to and Exploring Brittany
My husband's mother was born in Gourin or Quimper France so we are including Brittany in a four week trip to Europe in Sept and Oct. We will be headed there after spending some time in San Sebastian. Looking for suggestions as to options for traveling from San Sebastian to the Brittany coast. We are flexible as to how much time to spend getting there and staying there. Debating between going up the coast by rail and stopping at places along the way to Gourin and Quimper, or taking a train to Paris from San Sebastian and then heading to Gourin or Quimper from there. We will be traveling to Holland and then Provence after Brittany, so would have the option of spending some time in Paris on that leg of the trip. Would welcome your input.Thanks!
Aug 22nd, 2016, 10:30 AM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,984
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I doubt that you will find a train that goes up the coast from San Sebastian to Brittany. Your second option is the most efficient. Take the train to Paris and then the TGV to Quimper. Order the tickets now and you might get a good reduction on the price.
Aug 22nd, 2016, 11:49 AM
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for your suggestion, but I was really intrigued by the idea of going up the coast. Do you think a combination of trains and a rental car spread over 2-3 days is an option? Since time is not an issue, efficiency is not a priority - - or am I off base thinking the coast would be worth exploring?
Aug 22nd, 2016, 11:58 AM
#4
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 22,984
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If renting a car, take the train to Hendaye and rent a car there to be able to drop it off in Brittany or Paris without paying a hefty cross-border fee. When renting a car in Europe, I usually use Autoeurope or Kemwel.
La Rochelle and the Île de Ré would be an obvious choice for sight-seeing. The Cognac area for tasting cognacs. The back country to La Rochelle contains some wonderful Romanesque churches.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...845839973/show
You might want to browse through some of the other albums to get an idea of what to see:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7624827290462/
I wrote a couple of trip reports that include Brittany, another one that includes La Rochelle, a fourth one that includes the Landes area and the Basque country; if interested, click on my name to browse through my list of trip reports.
La Rochelle and the Île de Ré would be an obvious choice for sight-seeing. The Cognac area for tasting cognacs. The back country to La Rochelle contains some wonderful Romanesque churches.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...845839973/show
You might want to browse through some of the other albums to get an idea of what to see:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...7624827290462/
I wrote a couple of trip reports that include Brittany, another one that includes La Rochelle, a fourth one that includes the Landes area and the Basque country; if interested, click on my name to browse through my list of trip reports.
Aug 22nd, 2016, 12:33 PM
#5
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In Brittany, you will need a car. Besides the birthplaces of your ancestors, Brittany has a lot to offer. Public transport is limited there.
Since the train connection goes via Paris anyway (France is a centralized state, so every train connection goes via Paris), it may wise to follow Michael's idea and rent a car in Hendaye or St.Jean-de-Luz and drive up the coast to Brittany.
On the way, you may see the impressive dunes of Pyla, stately wineries around Bordeaux and more.
Since the train connection goes via Paris anyway (France is a centralized state, so every train connection goes via Paris), it may wise to follow Michael's idea and rent a car in Hendaye or St.Jean-de-Luz and drive up the coast to Brittany.
On the way, you may see the impressive dunes of Pyla, stately wineries around Bordeaux and more.
Aug 23rd, 2016, 03:15 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Since you have time, you could plan to spend at least a week in Brittany. Especially if you'd like to spend some days on the west part (Finistere, around Quimper) and some days on the east and north coast around St Malo, Dinan or the pink granite coast.
If you choose to allow for a few days to follow the Atlantic coast, there are of course many interesting places (but not efficient ...
). In addition to Bordeaux, La Rochelle, islands Re/Oleron/Yeu, you can consider a break in Clisson, Le Croisic/Guerande or even Nantes if you are interested in discovering a city. Along the Atlantic coast, train is not an easy solution, you need to change train a few times... There are some buses connecting Bordeaux to Brittany.
In Brittany, there is efficient public transport if you want to reach the most important cities/cultural places/towns (around Rennes, Quimper, Vannes, St Malo, Brest...). But if you'd like especially hikes along the coast, or off the road towns (like Gourin for example), of course a car helps very much, at least for a few days.
You can check public transport in Bretagne on http://www.breizhgo.com/en/ (trains, buses) and also on http://visite.bretagne.free.fr/index...ineraries.html for some places and to get some ideas on towns / places to see.
If you choose to allow for a few days to follow the Atlantic coast, there are of course many interesting places (but not efficient ...
). In addition to Bordeaux, La Rochelle, islands Re/Oleron/Yeu, you can consider a break in Clisson, Le Croisic/Guerande or even Nantes if you are interested in discovering a city. Along the Atlantic coast, train is not an easy solution, you need to change train a few times... There are some buses connecting Bordeaux to Brittany.In Brittany, there is efficient public transport if you want to reach the most important cities/cultural places/towns (around Rennes, Quimper, Vannes, St Malo, Brest...). But if you'd like especially hikes along the coast, or off the road towns (like Gourin for example), of course a car helps very much, at least for a few days.
You can check public transport in Bretagne on http://www.breizhgo.com/en/ (trains, buses) and also on http://visite.bretagne.free.fr/index...ineraries.html for some places and to get some ideas on towns / places to see.
Aug 23rd, 2016, 04:02 AM
#9
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 6,144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is admittedly a few years old now and not my finest work(!) but may be of some use as I stayed in the same region...
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...aster-2010.cfm
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...aster-2010.cfm
Aug 23rd, 2016, 07:48 AM
#10
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 6,047
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We have spent five or six summer vacations in various parts of Brittany, so I know the region a bit.
Brittany is a quite unique region, because it used to be an independent kingdom or duchy until it was, after a lost battle, incorporated into France. Since then, the French did a lot to destroy the Celtic culture in Brittany (like they have done in Alsace, Lorraine and the Basque Country).
In the last decades, there was, however, a kind of revival of Celtic culture. The general rule: the further west, the more Celtic. Place names are Celtic, food is Celtic (sometimes strikingly similar to that in British Celtic regions), older people still speak Celtic and younger people perform Celtic music and Celtic dances. Participating in a Celtic village fest is an unforgettable experience.
Therefore, the attractiveness of Brittany is not in the cities but on the countryside. That is why I recommended a car. With public transport, you will miss the heart of Brittany.
What are the tourist attractions in Brittany?
First, the coastlines. Both the northern coast and the southern coast are very unique. You will see sandy coves lined by ruggy rocks of pink granite. A stretch of the coast is called "Emerald Coast" because of the colour of the sea. The tide is huge and creates wonderful effects, especially in the fjord-like "abers" where oysters are harvested. The sea is quite cold to swim in, but nowhwere in Europe is the water as fresh and clean as here. A multitude of sea creatures and even fantastic algues prove this.
Second, the archeology. Everywhere in Brittany, you find tombs and megaliths. You just drive a back road and suddenly you see a menhir standing in the middle of a field. Carnac (in the south) and Barnenez (in the north) are just the most spectacular sites, but there are hundreds of them. I even used to SWIM into an ancient tomb at high tide when it was partly submerged.
Third, the medieval villages, especially the churchyards with their intricate stonework. The most beautiful one is St. Thegonnec, but there are more.
Fourth, old towns. Towns in Brittany are not shiny, they are sturdy, with strong fortifications like picturesque Concarneau or Saint-Malo.
Fifth, food and beverage. There are many food specialities which you find only in Brittany, others (like crèpes) have been exported to other parts of France: kouign amann (butter cake), galettes/Traou Mad (shortbread), Eau-de-vie-de-cidre (apple brandy), apple liqueur, Whisky from Brittany. And of course the seafood which is of the very best quality in Brittany: oysters, lobster, crabs, turbot and many more.
There are of course, more attractions. A few castles, also very sturdy ones (not as lovely as those on the Loire), the sealife museum in Brest, the marine museum in Brest etc.
Consult the Michelin Green Guide for Brittany - it is the best available resource.
Brittany is a quite unique region, because it used to be an independent kingdom or duchy until it was, after a lost battle, incorporated into France. Since then, the French did a lot to destroy the Celtic culture in Brittany (like they have done in Alsace, Lorraine and the Basque Country).
In the last decades, there was, however, a kind of revival of Celtic culture. The general rule: the further west, the more Celtic. Place names are Celtic, food is Celtic (sometimes strikingly similar to that in British Celtic regions), older people still speak Celtic and younger people perform Celtic music and Celtic dances. Participating in a Celtic village fest is an unforgettable experience.
Therefore, the attractiveness of Brittany is not in the cities but on the countryside. That is why I recommended a car. With public transport, you will miss the heart of Brittany.
What are the tourist attractions in Brittany?
First, the coastlines. Both the northern coast and the southern coast are very unique. You will see sandy coves lined by ruggy rocks of pink granite. A stretch of the coast is called "Emerald Coast" because of the colour of the sea. The tide is huge and creates wonderful effects, especially in the fjord-like "abers" where oysters are harvested. The sea is quite cold to swim in, but nowhwere in Europe is the water as fresh and clean as here. A multitude of sea creatures and even fantastic algues prove this.
Second, the archeology. Everywhere in Brittany, you find tombs and megaliths. You just drive a back road and suddenly you see a menhir standing in the middle of a field. Carnac (in the south) and Barnenez (in the north) are just the most spectacular sites, but there are hundreds of them. I even used to SWIM into an ancient tomb at high tide when it was partly submerged.
Third, the medieval villages, especially the churchyards with their intricate stonework. The most beautiful one is St. Thegonnec, but there are more.
Fourth, old towns. Towns in Brittany are not shiny, they are sturdy, with strong fortifications like picturesque Concarneau or Saint-Malo.
Fifth, food and beverage. There are many food specialities which you find only in Brittany, others (like crèpes) have been exported to other parts of France: kouign amann (butter cake), galettes/Traou Mad (shortbread), Eau-de-vie-de-cidre (apple brandy), apple liqueur, Whisky from Brittany. And of course the seafood which is of the very best quality in Brittany: oysters, lobster, crabs, turbot and many more.
There are of course, more attractions. A few castles, also very sturdy ones (not as lovely as those on the Loire), the sealife museum in Brest, the marine museum in Brest etc.
Consult the Michelin Green Guide for Brittany - it is the best available resource.
