Press pack

1
2014
Press pack
Great Britain
Press contact
Celine Badde
Tél. : +33 (0)2 99 28 44 41
contact@brittanytourism.com
www.brittanytourism.com
www.facebook.com/BrittanyFans
www.twitter.com/fansofbrittany
Brittany tourism / Comité régional du tourisme de Bretagne
1 rue Raoul Ponchon
35069 Rennes cedex, France
Tel. +33 (0)2 99 28 44 30
tourismebretagne.com
With the support of
Comité régional du tourisme de Bretagne
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Press pack Brittany 2014
Contents
04 Events 2014
06 The world of the sea surprises and discoveries
08 The fabulous Pink Granite Coast
09 Brocéliande, land of Legends
10 City Trip: Brest, descent of salt-spray
11 City Trip: Saint-Malo, get ready to go aboard!
12 Freewheeling along the cycle paths
Be Breizh!
.bzh
13 Rambling
in the Brittany countryside, traditions and
technology
14 Family fun in Brittany
16 Set a course for the islands
17 Well-being, a blend of tradition and luxury…
18 How to get to Brittany
19 Map
Breizh is the Breton language word for Brittany. And so, “Be Breizh!” is an
invitation to everyone to be transformed by Brittany. It’s a unique process;
it means that everyone who steps onto Breton soil will be reinvigorated
through the experience of being in Brittany. Come and give Brittany a try
and you’ll go home a different person! You can find all the information
you need about Brittany, including news and special offers, on the Brittany
Tourism website: www.brittanytourism.com
In 2014, Brittany was one of the first regions in France to adopt an internet
domain extension that proclaims its identity: .bzh.
This will help to promote and give visibility to Brittany’s economic, social,
cultural and tourist activities.
Find out more
See details of events and festivals in Brittany at
www.whatson-brittanytourism.com
4
Events in 2014
Les Vieilles Charrues
17 to 20 July – Carhaix
Les Tombées de la nuit
July – Rennes
Whilst the Vieilles Charrues ‘Old Ploughs’ programme changes every year, one thing that’s
been the same for more than 20 years is the festival’s unrivalled blend of eclecticism and friendliness, featuring established giants of the music
scene alongside future legends. Five stages, 80
artists already signed up, 230,000 spectators…
The friendly, crazy atmosphere in the festival-goer
packed fields is just amazing.
In recent years the bill has featured the likes of
Mika, Muse, Bruce Springsteen, Phoenix, Bob Dylan, Sting, Selah Sue, etc., and 2014 is looking just
as good, with Stromae, Elton John, Girls in Hawaii,
ShakaPonk, and Arctic Monkeys already booked!
Find out more
www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/2014
Picasso Exhibition
“The Eternal Feminine”
23 May to 18 August
Quimper Musée des Beaux-Arts
(Museum of Fine Art)
This collection of 67 etchings and drawings, produced between 1927 and 1964, offers visitors a
glimpse into the artist’s private life as they admire
the superb portraits of his partners and wives (Françoise, Jacqueline…), share his enthusiasm for literary figures (including Góngora and Balzac) or look
into his never-ending visual allusions that range
from the Italian Renaissance and the Golden Age in
Spain to Matisse.
This is a fascinating and unusual exhibition, because
of the many facets revealed through the exploration
of the theme of women in Picasso’s work; it is also
the first in France to include a selection of works lent
by Málaga’s Fundación Picasso.
Find out more
www.mbaq.fr
A truly unique festival, Les Tombées de la Nuit ‘Nightfall Festival’ brings street art and performance into
the spotlight and offers artists and festival-goers a
chance to come face to face in some rather unexpected places. Every year, in early summer, surprise and
amazement take over the streets of Rennes.
Find out more
www.lestombeesdelanuit.com
5
Festival Interceltique de Lorient
1 to 10 August
Guest of Honour for 2014: Ireland
Each summer, around 700,000 people from all
over the world invade the Celtic land of Lorient for
the Festival Interceltique.
From Galicia to Scotland, the cream of Celtic music
can be found here, to be enjoyed in a really friendly
atmosphere. Around 200 events and shows including
5,000 artists are on the bill, not to mention the grand
parade of Celtic nations or the celebrated Interceltic
Night in the Moustoir Stadium. The festival has really
gone with a swing every single August since 1971.
Find out more
The bagpipes and bombards bring the house down –
and nobody complains; quite the opposite!
www.festival-interceltique.com
Coquille St-Jacques Festival
12 & 13 April - Erquy harbour
The ports of Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Loguivy-de-lamer and Erquy are all renowned for their scallops,
and so it falls to them, every year on the last weekend in April, to organise a festival in honour of
their queen of the seas.
There are fishing-trips, concerts, street theatre and
tastings. It’s a date not to be missed, a chance to celebrate the end of the scallop-fishing season with the
fishermen who harvest them.
Three days of scallop-focused feasting... that has to
be a must! Scallops are considered to be one of the
finest shellfish and the local variety is the jewel in the
Bay of Saint-Brieuc’s crown. Harvesting them is a real
race against the clock! The open season runs from
October to May and, in order to safeguard the species,
fishing for scallops is only permitted for 45 minutes
twice a week. The Coquilles Saint-Jacques festival is
Find out more
a lively celebration to mark the end of this intense
season, before awaiting the opening of the new fishing
season… the following October!
www.erquy-tourisme.com
The 10th Route du Rhum festival
25 October to 2 November
Village du Rhum - Saint-Malo
The 10th edition of the most legendary of all transatlantic
single-handed yacht races will set off from the harbour
of Saint-Malo, with the fastest boats expected to arrive in
Point-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) about two weeks later.
For this special anniversary race, more than 80 multi-hulled
and single hulled yachts will set out this year, inspired by
sailing-boats from the first race in 1978, which will be there
for this year’s celebrations. The Rhum Race Village will be
open to the general public every day just below the ramparts, along the Vauban and Duguay Trouin docks, with free
exhibitions and other entertainment. Two crucial places to
be if you want to witness the start of the transatlantic race
are the Saint-Malo locks on November 1st and Cap Fréhel on
the day of departure.
Find out more
www.routedurhum.com
Find out more
See our Brittany Experiences at
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
The world surprises and
of the sea discoveries
Watching the
bottle-nosed dolphins
in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay
A peaceful village, a little beach lapped by a sea
of turquoise blue and, in the distance, the unmistakable outline of Mont-Saint-Michel... an ideal
setting for a great experience.
Just beside Cancale, at Port-Mer, in a wonderful setting, is where Gaël from the ‘AL Lark Association’
will welcome you aboard for a sea-trip to meet the
bottle-nosed dolphins, an experience you will never
forget.
Brittany Experience from 40 € per person.
Traditional sailing and watercolor lesson
Discover traditional sailing aboard an old sailing
ship, help to manoeuvre the boat, and take part in
an on-the-spot watercolour lesson… all on board
the S.S. Eulalie!
lors’ knots, Françoise reveals her artistic gifts along
with a few secrets to help beginners in the art of
watercolour painting.
With its black-trimmed hull, Eulalie is moored at
the Lézardrieux quayside in Côtes d’Armor, close to
Paimpol. This is where Dominique refurbished this
former sardine sloop and gave it a second career:
helping budding artists, who can handle a paintbrush much better than they can handle rigging, to
discover the Bréhat archipelago, also known as the
“Island of Flowers”.
Sailing past the La Croix lighthouse, everyone begins to dream and to draw, inspired by the beauty of
the lighthouse and the colours of the scene: it works
like magic. The combination of the art of sailing and
the art of watercolours turns the Bréhat Archipelago
into a place of inspiration. Drawing and painting on
the sea, amid the gentle lapping of the waves and
the sound of the wind in the sails: what an experience!
But aboard the Eulalie, anyone can take the helm
and become skipper for a day. After a lesson on sai-
Brittany Experience price: 70 € per person.
See the sunset from the top of the Eckmühl lighthouse
Brittany is opening the doors of its lighthouses:
near Quimper, visitors are invited to experience
a wind and light show during some magical ‘lighthouse nights’.
On the Cornouaille headland, the Eckmühl lighthouse lets you get closer to the stars. In the evening, Alexandra opens the giant lighthouse’s doors
so that you can walk up the steps to the terrace,
which is very close to the top of this 56-metrehigh tower. Here, between the sky and the sea, you
have a ringside seat for the magical spectacle that
is played out between the last rays of the setting
sun and the beams of the lighthouses and beacons.
In the evening light, the lighthouse takes on a dif-
Paddle boarding
and oyster-tasting
In the heart of the magnificent landscapes of the
Gulf of Morbihan, Pierre offers an experience that
combines the fun of surfing with the pleasures of
the table, all in one go.
The experience starts at Ivan’s house – he’s a
member of this family’s fifth generation of oystergrowers. While leaving the house, Pierre shares his
passion for and knowledge of paddle boarding with
his guests, who gradually start to find their feet
on their boards before setting off for the islands in
the south-west of the gulf of Morbihan: Huernic, Er
Runio, Ile longue, Gavrinis, Berder. This is a really
unusual and memorable trip where guests will walk
on water! To add to the experience, the new paddle boarding fans are invited to share some quality
time with their new-found friends during an oystertasting session on the terrace of an authentic oyster hut, overlooking beautiful Toulvern Bay. It’s an
experience you won’t want to miss!
Experience from 45 € per person.
ferent, peaceful atmosphere. The famous spiral
staircase looks like some strange shellfish, its 290
steps reaching majestically towards the heights.
Alexandra tells us the story of this beautiful naval
building, which was the generous gift of a marquise
who wanted a lighthouse to bear the name of her
father, the Prince of Eckmühl, and to be dedicated
to saving lives.
At the top of this stone sentinel, you can find out
about the way of life and the living quarters of the
lighthouse-keepers, and there is a panoramic view
that will take your breath away.
Brittany Experience price: 5 € per person.
8
The fabulous xxxxx
Pink Granite Coast
Between Perros-Guirec and Trébeurden there is
a shoreline of rare beauty, all thanks to an unusual geological phenomenon. Everywhere you
look, piles of pink granite rocks rise up in amazing shapes, sculpted by the wind and sea, a masterstroke of creation forming a grandiose, almost
unreal landscape.
The former fishing village of Ploumanac’h, which is
now part of the town of Perros-Guirec, is known all
over the world for its strange blocks of pink granite,
which are 300 million years old and cover more than
25 hectares, a really magnificent sight. The site,
visited by more than a million people each year,
has national heritage status and is owned by the
Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Protection Agency). You really should see it if you are holidaying in
the region. Don’t miss the intriguing shapes of some
of the rocks, such as Napoleon’s hat, the upsidedown bottle, and the mushroom.
There’s another local curiosity in the oratory dedicated to Saint Guireg, on Ploumanac’h beach. The
legend says that if an unmarried woman sticks a
needle in the statue’s nose and the needle is still
there after the spring tides, they will be married within the year!
Find out more
www.cotedegranitrose.fr
Setting a course for the Sept Iles
aboard an old sailing ship
“Anchors aweigh!” Aboard the Saint Guirec, a
magnificent traditional sailing-boat, visitors have
a chance to savour the salt-spray of adventure
and get involved in handling the boat.
To help you get your sea legs, there’s nothing better than the skipper’s warm welcome. Denis le Braz
makes beginners and weather-beaten old seadogs
feel equally at home. The plan is to sail from Perros-Guirec and set a course for the treasures of the
Sept Iles! Amongst these treasures is the island of
Rouzic, nesting site of the famous Northern gannet.
En savoir plus
There are almost 20,000 pairs occupying its cliffs,
giving the island the appearance of an iceberg when
seen from the coast. Thanks to Denis and his crew,
it is possible to get quite near to them and find out
about their habits and behaviour.
Gannets, puffins, grey seals…the Sept Iles Bird
Sanctuary is a refuge for many protected species.
This experience gives you a chance to observe them
in the course of an unforgettable sea voyage!
Brittany Experience price: 42 € per person.
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
9
Brocéliande Land of Legends
Brocéliande, or a crash-course in Arthurian legend
Everyone has heard of the legend of King Arthur,
a legend that finds its source among the lakes
and moorlands of the magnificent forest of Brocéliande. The very name of the place brings to mind
the magical world inhabited by Vivian the fairy,
the wizard Merlin or Sir Lancelot. It is a magical
place that you can explore on wonderful walks.
The Château de Comper was, in the 9th century,
the home of King Salomon and you really should
Find out more
see it when taking a walk in the forest of Brocéliande. According to legend, it was where Vivian the
fairy lived, and nowadays it is home to the Centre
de l’Imaginaire Arthurien (Centre for Arthurian Legend). The centre organises exhibitions, shows and
forest walks, all based on this theme. It is a mine of
information and should not to be missed by anyone
who wants to refresh their memory or learn more
about these wonderful tales.
www.broceliande-vacances.com
The Porte des Secrets
where you can discover all the magic of Brocéliande
This new trail, located in the outbuildings of Paimpont Abbey, is packed with poetry and provides
total immersion in the mysterious world, steeped
in legend, found in the forest of Brocéliande.
Merging myth and reality, Pierre, the forest warden,
will reveal the thousand and one facets of this mysterious place. After a tour of his workshop, where he
will invite you to sit around his work table, he will
lead you off into the forest. This entertainment trail
offers an exciting experience, using backdrops and
lighting effects, together with music composed by
the famous harpist, Cécile Corbel, who is the patron
of “Brocéliande, La Porte des Secrets”. It’s a wonderful introduction before you set off to explore the
forest!
Find out more
www.portedessecrets-broceliande.com
10
Brest, the scent
Terres Océances of salt-spray
Brest: a revivifying seaside City Trip
Forget everything you thought you knew about
Brest and come and explore the heart of this maritime city nestled in one of France’s most beautiful
natural harbours.
The best way to discover Brest is to see its new structures, such as the Iroise Bridge, as you stroll through
the commercial port and soak up the special atmosphere of the place, with its famous harbour, trying
Around Brest
Nearby are Pointe Finistère and the Crozon peninsula, offering visitors incredible panoramic
views.
In this landscape of moorland and heather, keen
walkers should head to the Cap de la Chèvre coastal path and take in the magnificent views of wild,
bewitching Brittany. Camaret, Douarnenez Bay,
Landevennec Abbey are all famous places that are
really worth a visit.
Find out more
to guess what military manoeuvres are being plotted
behind those high walls.
To really get the feel of Brest, a maritime city par
excellence, you should go and find out about the history of Brest and the French navy on a visit to the
castle and its Navy Museum. And don’t forget to take
a walk around the Moulin Blanc Marina and discover
Brittany’s largest aquarium, Océanopolis.
The Pays des Abers area is well worth seeing. It is
also known as the “Côte des Légendes” or the wreckers’ coast, and the ocean intrudes a long way into
these lands of North Finistère, creating the deep estuaries or “abers” that are found in coastal Brittany.
The coast is dotted with a host of lighthouses and
has three “abers”, the most impressive of which is
Aber Wrac’h.
www.brest-metropole-tourisme.fr, www.oceanopolis.com & www.abers-tourism.co.uk
In the footsteps of the early
navigators, on board the
Recouvrance
The Recouvrance is a replica of an 1817 ‘dispatch
boat’, a fast military sloop originally intended
for carrying urgent messages. Since its launch in
1992, it has served as an ambassador for Brest.
At the Brest Castle harbour, Yann Fournier and his
crew wait for the guests who will be sailors for a day,
taking a voyage through time in the middle of one
of the world’s largest natural harbours. Get ready
to set the sails, tighten the halyards and haul in the
sheets!
Brittany experience price: 99 € per person.
En savoir plus
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
ready
Saint-Malo Get
to go aboard!
Saint-Malo:
a City Trip in the Corsair City
Like a ship of stone moored in the Rance estuary,
the ramparts of Saint-Malo stand proudly above
its beaches and its port.
The walls and towers that rise from the fortifications
give the town its unique silhouette. The rampart
walk offers unrivalled views and is a great way to
get to know the citadel of Saint-Malo! A tour of the
walls leads you from one bastion or tower to another. On one side are the narrow streets of the town;
on the other there are magnificent views over the
Find out more
beaches, harbour and forts. From the Porte SaintVincent gate at the entrance to the citadel, you can
see the harbours and Saint-Servan. Between the
Saint-Louis and Saint-Philippe bastions, the view
opens up to take in the estuary and Dinard and the
beaches, which stretch below the ramparts as far as
the Bidouane Tower. At low tide, the sand dries as
far as the islands of Grand Bé and Petit Bé. When
you get back to the castle you can see the large Sillon beach stretching away in front of you.
www.saint-malo-tourisme.co.uk
Where can you spend the night nearby?
La Maison des Armateurs
Behind its walls of stone, this four-star hotel has
45 elegant, tastefully decorated rooms.
This is the only four-star hotel inside Saint-Malo’s
city walls and it makes its clients feel that they are
very special guests. The numbers on the bedroom
doors and the opulent armchairs look as if they
have come from the admiral’s poop-deck, whilst the
bedheads make you think of the days when France
had a ‘Royal’ navy.
The atmosphere is extremely comfortable and modern, with a superb fireplace warming up the lounge
bar. This is a really special hotel in a wonderful location, only a stone’s throw from the beaches.
Find out more
www.maisondesarmateurs.com
12
Find out more
See our routes at
www.cycling-brittanytourism.com
Freewheeling
along the cycle paths
Le Tour de Manche
“Bike Route of the Year” ?
Nominated by the organisers of the Amsterdam
“Fiets&Wandelbeurs” Exhibition, for the title
of “Bike Route of the Year 2014”, the Tour de
Manche can claim top ranking amongst the major
European long-distance cycle routes.
Linking the legendary Mont-Saint-Michel with the
cliffs of Southern England’s Jurassic Coast, the Tour
de Manche bike route offers a unique circular trail
comprising more than 1,200 kilometres of minor
roads and green ways, clearly signposted and dotted
with accommodation that makes special provision
for cycle tourists. To complete the package and link
Southern England to Normandy and Brittany, each
day ferries in six ports on both sides of the Channel
take bicycles on board. So you can add all the pleasures of a cruise to those of a cycle tour!
From the celebrated Corfe Castle to the Normandy
landings beaches, via Saint-Malo or the Pink Granite
Coast, the Tour de Manche offers both long-distance
cycling holidays and family days out. Its dedicated
Find out more
website shows the entire route divided into sections,
together with lots of practical advice about accommodation, ferries, French traffic and local visitor
attractions.
http://en.tourdemanche.com/
Le Tour de Manche sur mesure
Roscoff - Mont-Saint-Michel
The specialist cycling holiday agency Abicyclette
has just launched a “Hands on the Handlebars”
package that brings together accommodation and
restaurant facilities, cycle and GPS hire, luggage
transport and 24-hour assistance, all combined
with a route guide that gives practical and tourist
information.
All the cyclist has to do is choose a start and finish
point and the guide does the rest. So you can save
your energy for pedalling!
Find out more
www.abicyclette.net
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13
Find out more
See our suggestions for hiking routes at
www.rando-tourismebretagne.com
Rambling in the traditions
Brittany countryside and technology
Brittany’s waymarked
footpaths
Whether you go alone, as a couple, or with family and friends, you can explore Brittany’s most
beautiful countryside on a walking holiday using
the many waymarked footpaths that criss-cross
the Breton landscape.
Reaching every part of Brittany, these thousands of
kilometres of footpaths will lead you to the wideopen spaces, including abers (deep estuaries), inlets, forests, moorland and bocages.
A note for your diary in March 2014: the themed
French language website devoted to exploring Brittany will be launched. It will offer a selection of
long-distance trails and circular walks, together with
all the details you might need to plan your walking,
cycling, horse-riding, mountain-biking or even sailing expeditions.
This new tool is both practical and fun and will help
you to plan your holiday. It shows accommodation
suitable for ramblers, and downloadable GPS routes,
as well as special offers on existing Topoguide route
plans, and useful advice, and services for ramblers.
The Saints’ Shore Way
The Lannion Trégor Community and the Bay of
Morlaix/Monts d’Arrée Tourist Office have got together to publish a walking guide whose route is
modelled on the Saints’ Way in England, combining historical interest with tourism.
The guide has been written by British writer Wendy Mewes and is published by Red Dog Books. The
route aims to help walkers to explore the 133 kilometres of coastal paths (the famous GR 34) that link
Lannion and Morlaix Bay.
Find out more
www.tourisme-morlaix.fr/The-Saints-Shore-way.html
GPS and geocaching
in Kreiz Breizh
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the NantesBrest Canal, the Kreiz Breizh Tourist Office has
created a 15 km walk called “In the convicts’
footsteps”, a GPS-guided route that follows the
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-C h a n
cutting, dug out by the convicts who built the canel cy
c li n g
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as well as the camp and other sites associated
with the Nantes-Brest Canal.
Visitors can rent a GPS from the Kreiz Breizh Tourist
petit to Office or download it free of charge from the tourist
ur office website.
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treasures hidden along the route! Good Luck!
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Find out more
www.tourismekreizbreizh.com
The route allows walkers to follow the path of the
“Saints” who came from Great Britain from the 4th
to the 6th centuries. At various points along the way,
including Roscoff, Saint-Pol-de-Léon, Carantec, Morlaix, Plougasnou, Locquirec, Plestin-les-Grèves and
Lannion you can discover the secrets of Brittany’s
origins and see some outstanding panoramic views.
For all the family
All the special offers, accommodation and activities
for families can be found on the dedicated website
www.familyfun-brittanytourism.com
14
Family fun in Brittany
Follow Katell into the enchanted world
of the Monts d’Arrée mountains
‘Ribambelles et ritournelles’ invites visitors of all
ages into the heart of the Monts d’Arrée woods
for a walk and a story.
Katell, who is half-Welsh, half-Breton, welcomes
visitors with a song in Welsh and then Fred, the
giant musician, leads the way. Korrigans, the Breton elves, and other creatures come along to join
Find out more
this magical nature trail. With animal puppets on
her fingers, in the middle of a natural theatre, Katell
is a real hit with visitors! You only have to look at
the smile on the children’s faces: it never falters, all
the way from the first welcome to the Gargantuan
afternoon tea that comes at the end of this magical
musical experience.
www.brittanytourism.com/ideas/brittany-experiences
A new display
at the Musée du Loup
From the end of April onwards, visitors can discover, or rediscover, a museum that is the only one
of its kind in France, and find out all about the
wolf, such a fascinating animal as they go round
the unusual displays.
Visitors can rub shoulders with stuffed wolves, learn
about wolves through a variety of teaching aids,
look at a reconstruction of a wolves’ den and also
help the sheep escape from the wolf! Using the various interactive facilities you can transform yourself
into a creature that is half-man, half-wolf and also
see yourself on screen alongside a virtual wolf. This
is a real treat for all ages, a visitor attraction where
fun and invention are all part of the mix.
Find out more
www.museeduloup.fr
15
Haliotika, La Cité de la Pêche
The World of Fishing
What’s it like to be a fisherman? How does a fish
auction work? How should fish be prepared and
cooked?
At Haliotika, you get right under the scales of a fish;
you get to know what has happened to it all the
way from its travels in the ocean to its arrival on
your plate! The “Cité de la pêche” in Le Guilvinec,
France’s most important port in terms of the numFind out more
ber of fishermen, takes you right inside the world
of modern-day fishermen, who go out, every day,
to catch langoustines, monkfish, skate, cod, whiting
and sardines. Visitors of all ages can find out about
life at sea thanks to the audio-guides and the many
events and presentations: tastings of fish soup, an
introduction to shellfish gathering, seaweed cookery
workshops, a guided tour of the National Lifeboat.
www.haliotika.com
Where can you spend the night nearby?
L’Orangerie de Lanniron
The Castels Orangerie de Lanniron five star campsite was formerly the summer residence of the
bishops of Quimper who, in the 12th century, enjoyed the cool banks of the river Odet in summer.
Today it is a favourite stopping-off point for families, close to the historic centre of Quimper. Facing
the Odet, in grounds of 38 hectares, with Frenchstyle gardens, this top-ranking establishment offers
the complete range of accommodation, including a
campsite, gîtes, cottages, and more. The estate offers its guests many facilities and services: a restaurant, bar, grocery store, water park with aqua-fun
complex, wellness centre, games area, nine-hole
golf course, entertainment, etc. But even though it’s
rooted deep in green countryside it still feels close
to the coast of Finistère, with the ocean only 15 km
away.
Find out more
http://lanniron.com/en/
16
Set a course for the islands
Mysterious Ouessant
Ready for an island sailing trip? Right then, set
a course for the Ouessant (Ushant) Archipelago!
On these islands at the extreme west of mainland France, your holiday will start to get really
exciting! This string of islands seems unreal, suspended between heaven and sea, shrouded in
spindrift. This really is throwing you in at the deep
end!
A beautiful collection of islands, 30 km from Pointe
Saint-Mathieu, the Ouessant Archipelago, which really is “Finistère” (literally “land’s end”), is made up
of seven islands, surrounded by isolated rocks. Only
Molène and Ouessant, the largest, are inhabited.
The inhabitants of Ouessant are a friendly lot and so
they have installed signals to help sailors. Majestic
lighthouses stand proudly on the island or alongside
it, such as the Stiff Lighthouse, built by Vauban in
1695, the Jument with its red cap, and the Kéréon.
The most powerful and the most famous of all is the
Créac’h Lighthouse, very photogenic and instantly recognisable in its black and white “fisherman’s jersey”.
Find out more
The island is 7 km long and shaped like a crab’s claw.
It is bordered by rocks with fantastical shapes. It was
the very high cliffs that gave this ocean sentinel its
Celtic name: Ouxisama, meaning “the highest”.
Ouessant is mysterious and intends to preserve its
mystery, but it is still prepared to lift its veil for visitors….
www.ot-ouessant.fr
Brilliant Bréhat
Bréhat is only separated from the mainland by a
narrow stretch of sea and is just ten minutes or so
by boat from Pointe de l’Arcouest. But as soon as
you arrive, you feel you are in a different world on
this island, sometimes called the “Isle of Flowers”
because of the variety of its flora and the beauty
of its landscapes. A real little corner of paradise.
All year round, the Gulf Stream gives this magnificent spot a real micro-climate. This means that many
plant species thrive here: hydrangeas, mimosas,
mulberry trees, eucalyptus, aloes, camellias, and
more – the island’s nickname really suits it. But the
Find
Find out
out more
more
www.brehat-infos.fr
www.brehat-infos.fr
flower that symbolises the island most of all is the
agapanthus. From June to September, its bluish-violet flower blooms on every path you follow on Bréhat. The houses are very pretty too and you will find
exotic plants and isolated inlets. Bréhat has so much
to offer – but don’t try to bring your car: motor vehicles are not allowed here and you have to get around
on foot or by bike! As for the birds, more than 120
species have been recorded on the island, and in the
spring you will hear blue-tits, finches, robins, larks
and song-thrushes.
Find out more
See our well-being suggestions at
www.wellness-brittanytourism.com
Well-being,
a blend of tradition
and luxury…
An Ayurveda getaway for two
Located in Vannes, the Villa Kerasy four-star Hotel
& Spa combines the stylishness of a 1920s residence with themed décor that evokes the Road to
India, just a stone’s throw from the megaliths of
the Gulf of Morbihan.
This former hosiery plant has come a long way since
it was converted into a lovely boutique hotel, that
recalls the epic voyages of Breton sailors heading off
to Asian lands. To win over new visitors, the hotel/
spa is launching a new “1 night wellness escape” for
Find out more
2, including 1 night in a Deluxe room overlooking
the garden, 2 continental breakfasts, a two-hour spa
package entitled “Spirit of India duo” and 2 Ayurvedic room service dinners, available from 433 €.
www.spakerasy.com/en
The apple, elixir of beauty
The Armor Argoat Spa at the four-star Coq Gadby
eco-hotel has developed the ISB range of cosmetics. The products are both natural and ethical and
combine cosmetic effects with the active ingredients of apples.
This new range, inspired by Arthurian legend, gives
the skin the nourishing, hydrating and firming properties of the apple: try “Le Secret de Viviane”, their
anti-ageing, relaxing signature treatment, or “Le
Murmure des fées” (Fairy Whisper) to help you relax… Using the apple as its theme, the Armor Argoat
Spa offers, amongst its latest services, a detox-naturopathy cure that was designed by a Michelinstarred chef, fitness experts and a naturopath.
Find out more
www.lecoq-gadby.com/spa-rennes.php
Private suites for greater
well-being
The most recently-opened spa in the “Relais Thalasso” chain, the four-star Château des Tourelles
in Pornichet, offers an innovative new thalassotherapy and spa experience.
No more waiting, no more schedules, just a “Private Relais Thalasso Suite” for your entire stay,
including: steam-room, bath, massage table with
sea-water shower, experience shower, and a private
lounge with a seaweed bar to make your well-being
experience last longer. And the best thing about
this new experience is that clients will be pampered
throughout their stay by a qualified hydrotherapist!
In Brittany, two “Relais Thalasso” establishments
offer these unique suites: the four-star Château des
Tourelles in Pornichet and the three-star Relais Thalasso in Bénodet.
Find out more
www.thalasso-tourelles.com & http://benodet.relaisthalasso.com
18
Getting to
Brittany
Easy access by plane or ferry
from the UK
By car
As soon as they arrive in the region, tourists have
the benefit of Brittany’s entirely toll-free dual carriageway network.
By train
From London, visitors from Britain can get to the
Gare du Nord in Paris in 2 hours 20 minutes by Eurostar. Then, to continue their journey, Brittany has
an excellent rail service from Paris aboard the TGV
Atlantique high speed train. From the Gare Montparnasse, it takes two hours to get to Rennes and four
hours to Brest or Quimper.
Find out more
Find out more
www.eurostar.com
www.voyages-sncf.com
Direct routes from the UK to Brittany
By ferry
From
Plymouth
Poole Portsmouth
Weymouth
By plane
To
Roscoff
St-Malo
St-Malo
St-Malo
Ferry operator
Brittany Ferries
Condor Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Condor Ferries
From
To
Birmingham
Brest
East Midlands
Dinard
ExeterRennes
Guernsey
Dinard
Leeds Bradford Dinard
London City
Nantes, Brest
London City
Quimper
London Gatwick Nantes
London Stansted Dinard
Manchester
Brest, Nantes, Rennes
Southampton
Brest, Rennes
Find out more
www.brittanyferries.com
www.condorferries.co.uk
www.brittanyferries.com
www.condorferries.co.uk
Airline
Find out more
Flybe
www.flybe.com
Ryanair
www.ryanair.com
Flybewww.flybe.com
Aurigny
www.aurigny.com
Ryanair
www.ryanair.com
Cityjet
www.cityjet.com
British Airways www.ba.com
Easyjet
www.easyjet.com
Ryanair
www.ryanair.com
Flybe
www.flybe.com
Flybe
www.flybe.com
Information
Brittany tourism
Comité régional du tourisme de Bretagne
1 rue Raoul Ponchon • CS 46938
35069 Rennes cedex, France
Tél. +33 (0)2 99 28 44 30 • tourism-crtb@tourismebretagne.com
tourismebretagne.com
Brittany Tourism has been awarded the Green Globe Certificate for Sustainable Development.
Document published by Brittany Tourism • 2014
Cover and inside pages: designed by Charlotte Mével for Awen Studio • Photo credits: Cover: Emmanuel Berthier - p 3: Emmanuel Berthier - p4 : Top left Guillaume Leroy ; Top right Diaphane ; Bottom Figure with striped blouse ©Succession Picasso 2013 - p5: Top Myriam Jegat ; Middle Nicolas Job ; Bottom Route du
rhum - p6: Top Yannick Derennes ; Bottom Ronan Gladu - p7: Top Laurent Guilliams ; Bottom Nautik Experience - p8: Top Emmanuel Berthier ; Bottom Ronan
Gladu - p9: Top Emmanuel Berthier ; Bottom La Prod est dans le Pré - p10: Top Diaphane ; Bottom Ronan Gladu - p11: Top Yannick Le Gal ; Bottom La Maison
des Armateurs - p12: Top Diaphane ; Middle Hervé Ronne - p13: Top Diaphane ; Bottom Kreizh Breizh - p14: Top Pierre torset ; Bottom Le Musée du Loup - p15
Top Simon Bourcier ; Bottom Orangerie de Lanniron - p16 Top Emmanuel Berthier ; Bottom Xavier Dubois - p17: Top Villa Kerazy ; Middle Coq Gadby ; Bottom
Château des Tourelles - p18: Top Diaphane ; Bottom Bernard Begne/Région Bretagne - back cover: Emmanuel Berthier.