Bonjour mes amis,
Mrs Z and I are going there for the first time in October, renting in Vannes plus Quimper. We are dredging the ocean to find recommendations from those voyageurs who have ever been to Brittany (in the fall). Et donc,

1) Ever been to Pont l'Abee? Is its weekly market worth a detour?
2) Been to Camaret sur mer? Someone claimed that it and Concarneau are the 2 best places to find seafood restaurants in Finistere. Was that your experience too?

3) Concarneau---your general impressions?
4) Douarnenez---as above.
5) anyone ever walked the coastal path from Cap Coz to Beg Miel (near Fouesant)?
6) logistical question: does the Pont Aven Tuesday market run all-year round?

7) have you ever taken a Crozon cruise in the fall out of Morgat or Douarnenez?
8) finally regarding Point du Raz: has anyone ever visited there in the fall using public transit? how did that work?

Merci tous.
I am done. the langoustine

Answering some of your questions, where I have any personal experience to share from our 2019 trip to Brittany (planning thread here Visiting Brittany). Trust you will have a car.

2) Been to Camaret-sur-Mer. Wonderful town, and interesting sites nearby Cap de la chevre (near Morgat) and Pointe de Dinan. No idea about seafood, as I'm vegetarian!
3) Concarneau - well worth a stop to visit the Ville Close and walk the ramparts. Don't miss Quimper nearby.
4) Douarnenez- didnt find the time, but was recommended. Don't miss Locronan nearby.
6) Pont Aven (beautiful town) Tuesday market runs all-year, see this https://www.deconcarneauapontaven.co...iding/markets/

We stayed across the bay from Cameret last year. It was our third time in Brittany revisiting some places and finding new. First two times with the camper, when we did a grand tour inland and around the coast for three weeks, second exploring more inland Brittany, and last year with the car.
Not far from Cameret are some standing stones, the alignment of Lagatjar, and also an Atlantic Battle memorial with an alignment of anchors.
In Cameret the walk out to the Tour de Vaubon, past the boat graveyard is pleasant, and you have to try the biscuits and cake from the Biscuiterie. Can't comment on seafood, never touch the stuff.
There is a small market, can't remember which day, Tuesday maybe.

La Pointe St Mathieu is also worth a visit, lighthouses, ancient abbey and so on. It is a bit away from Cameret though.

In Douarnenez you can visit the working fishing harbour, and there is a small but interesting boat museum in a former cannery, near Ile Tristan, amongst other stuff.

We went to Pointe du Raz the first time we went, and found it OK but very busy. We preferred Point de Pen-Hir and Cap de la Chevre for instance. Pointe du Corsen, smaller, less dramatic is the westernmost point in France.
As I said we always had our own transport so I can't comment on public transport.

Didn't go on a cruise, planned to but never quite made it. Next time

Merci to you both. Both of our landlords have also weighed in ahead of time.
Best to you both.
I am done. the prep

I filed a long-ago trip report on our few days in Finistère. Mainly "nos" to your specific questions, save Concarneau and the Point du Raz, neither of which were high points of our visit to the region. Pont-Aven was the high point, along with Belon and its oysters. Here's the (ancient) trip report if interested. Trip Report Trip Report - Fringe Movements - Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (fodors.com)

We happened (unplanned) to be in Pont-Aven during La Fete de la Belle Angele, which celebrates the arrival of the sardines. There's a big historic boat parade, lots of dancing and singing, some bagpipes and bombardes, ladies in lace and gents in striped shirts, crepes, beer and cider... quite the scene. The epicenter of the activities was right in front of our hotel, where the (yes, year-round) market takes place. Pont-Aven is a littlie touristy (about a 4 on the Concarneau scale of 10) but oh, is it gorgeous.

Belon, home of Belon oysters, was even more magical. If you can, look up Tony Bourdain's No Reservations S6 E2 where he eats, drinks, and smokes his way across Britttany, ending at Chez Jacky in Belon where he finally gets his tower of seafood.

The photo links in my TR were all broken, so here are a couple of Pont-Aven and Belon if interested.


Riverside walk


Crepe makers, Pont-Aven festival


Singing shanties


Dancing in the street


Time to rehydrate


Belon oyster beds


Eating the scenery


Tony's target

Thank you for all this great info Gardyloo. I recalled your fotos from Coquelicot's 'Photos of France'. My fave shot was your red-haired 'rehydrating' gal. I also recall that Bourdain episode. Btw, our research recently dug up the fact that 'Bourdain' apparently has a meaning in either French or Breton. I forget the entire explanation, but it means a 'black' this or a black that. Forget what the subject was, maybe a fruit or vegetable, or a geographical feature?
Incidentally, we too have CDs by Stivell and Dan Ar Bras.
Mrs Z will love Pont-Aven coz her hobby is painting. It is therefore a must for us.
Was surprised to learn that for such a hyped tourist draw, Pte du Raz has but one bus per week (#53) from Quimper during the fall, and only on Saturdays. Had assumed that probably there'd be some guided tour-with-a-van company but apparently not. No biggie, just surprised.
The main souvenir that I'll be looking for will be a Roscoff-based couple's honey. They apparently have a type made from sand dune blossoms. According to some foddies that's worth the search. Available at some farmers markets in the north, but fingers crossed that it'll also be seen in our (southern) route.
I am done. the Breton

Trust me you will miss nothing by not visiting de Raz. Spend your time honey hunting instead.

Merci pour tous input Heti. We noted your above observations. Tryna find a couple of the most accessible-by-public-transit geographical attractions in Morbihan and Finistere.
I am done. the sardine

My impression of Concarneau is that it is too vacation oriented. The fortified town is sterile in its cleanliness and the harbor contains only pleasure boats.


I much preferred harbors like this one:


or this one:


If recalled correctly, Dourdenez is more interesting in that it has a maritime museum.

Cheers Michael. Thank you too for your input above.
I am done. le miel des sables

Of possible interest:

The Red and the White: Report from a French Village by Edgar Morin about life in a Breton village

Horse of Pride: Life in a Breton Village by Pierre-Jakez Hélias

Both probably better in French.

Thanks once again Michael---very nice of you to offer these titles up. I recall your mentioning them on another post and should've written them down back then.
Have ordered the second one through our library. Typically, our downtown Reference Library would have a rarity such as that first book, but this time no such luck.
I am done. the reeder

I mentioned the museum in Douarnenez up thread.
Where are you going to be based for this trip? You probably said, but I'm on my phone can't be bothered to go back to the top of the thread!

Heti, we will be based first in Quimper then in Vannes, each for 2 weeks. We just this minute were reviewing various potential daytrips for non-drivers. I suggested to my wife that we look into the Cap Coz-Beg Miel hike out of Fouesant, for to access some faux-Polynesian/Mediterrannean-style scenery (cue aquamarine waters) but she's concerned that there'd be no WCs. I am trying to convince that bien sur, there will be public toilets.

I am done. the flaneur planner

The french title of the first book is

Commune en France: La métamorphose de Plozévet (Pluriel) - Softcover

Morin, Edgar

Michael's great book-recommend above can be supplemented with a couple more:
1) I'll Never be French- by Mark Greenside: Cali-based goes to Finistere in '92 and unexpectedly buys an old fixer-upper in a quaint village; sounds cliché a la Mayles but us written very well and we loved it; Greenside manages to inform readers about the culture while writing with admirable economy.
2) Possession--by A. Byatt: won the Booker apparently; haven't read it but it seems to be a dark romance-whodunit with some time-shifting between the modern and the Victorian ages.
I am done. le bon mot

See attached

Stu Dudley

Thank you Stu, but I already had your revised Normandy/Brittany file. You two put in a ton of work to produce these various excellent files!
I am done. the lacy coiffe hat thing