Brittany’s Rugged Coast
From St-Malo to Brest to the southern coast beyond St-Nazaire lies
nine hundred miles of pristine coastline jutting out and into the
western sea. This is inviting Brittany, called Breizh by the Celts of
old. You know you’re in Brittany when you start seeing BZH on the
license plates. You begin to hear a distinctive language. You can taste
the fruits of the sea and a local hard cider that is served with
crepes. Brittany is the land of sailboats, lighthouses, authentic
costumes, picturesque harbors and gastronomic pleasures. You’ll find
legends of Merlin and the legendary island of Avallon. You’ll find
mysterious megaliths dating back 5,000 years and magical sacred
forests. You’ll discover great spas, golf courses, horseback riding
trails, bird watching, thallasso therapy, scuba diving, biking,
canoeing and more. Brittany is a treasure trove of smells, sights and
experiences that shouldn’t be missed.
I stand facing west on the ramparts of St-Malo, high above the sea, watching the sailboats bend to the wind. Behind, in a tiny restaurant, I can see people feasting on oysters or crepes and cider to the sound of Celtic music. I am back in Brittany, on La Place du Quebec, where I am surrounded by half-timbered buildings and sheltered market towns on the Emerald Coast.
St-Malo is a picturesque restored city with a history. In the Château de St-Malo, there is proof of the city’s finest days. Great churches rose in the 12th century, and Bretons from this area departed for South America and returned with riches. The bombardment of 1944 failed to destroy the city, so it is possible to still walk around the ramparts or through the narrow cobbled streets of St-Malo. Today, there is a wax museum and an aquarium built directly into the ramparts. At low tide you can walk to the tiny Grand-Bé, where the writer-diplomat René Chateaubriand is buried. At Manoir Limoelou, Jacques Cartier made his home on a mysterious looking granite coast. Manoir Limoelou is now open to the public.
From St-Malo, travel towards Guingamp and, then, the sea. The Ile de Bréhat, a fifteen-minute crossing that is well worth the effort, actually is two islands, where one can pass the day cycling through valleys of mimosa, fruit trees and oleander. Ile de Bréhat is a tranquil respite from the more urban centers. Boats are available for rent at Port-Clos. For walkers, a short climb to the white Chapelle St-Michel offers a splendid view of the sea and the granite coast.
Next, I drive to Roscoff, a one-time pirate haven. It is now an upscale resort with a full array of ship owners’ mansions and weathered old ships. You can visit the interesting Charles Perez Aquarium, take a boat to Ile de Batz, or visit one of the many health spas with seaweed centers. You also can see the Côte de Granit Rose with its reddish cliffs around the Chapelle de Notre Dame.
A short drive to Brest offers views of a pretty, protected harbor that was rebuilt after the shelling of WWII. Here, you can sample the local delicacies or visit the sea center, Oceanopolis, at Port de Plaisance du Moulin Blanc, which has an excellent aquarium and hands-on museum for children. You can pass over Europe’s largest lifting bridge, the Pont de Recouverance, and also visit the naval museum at the Château on Square Pierre Peron.
Next, travel to Ile d’Ouessant, which can provide you with a better understanding of the rough seas and strong currents that the fishermen and sailors of this region have had to overcome. Here, you can visit many interesting museums, especially the Musée des Phares et Balises, which explains what life is like for a lighthouse keeper.
Travel south via Finistère and out to Pointe du Raz, where you can climb the terrain and have a dramatic view of jagged rocks and out-islands, where sea battles were fought and pounding seas offer spectacular photo opportunities.
Visit the lovely harbor town of Concarneau with its 14th century protective granite wall. You can lose yourself in the narrow streets, where tiny restaurants offer regional tastes, or visit the Musée de la Pêche.
Almost next door is the art center at Pont Aven, where Paul Gauguin painted and changed French art with his primitive intense work. This town of fourteen mills is not only picturesque but also offers over forty art galleries. While Pont Aven may be a little touristy, the village is a must-see for art lovers and historians. Be sure to visit the Chapelle de Tremalo and the Musée de Pont-Aven.
Finally, spend a few days in Carnac, which offers prehistoric relics second to none. Here, the land is dotted with thousands of huge granite rocks arranged in mysterious formations. You can see megaliths of different and unusual shapes like the menhirs of Obelix and Asterix, two famous French comic book characters. There are great table-like dolmen or alles converte, roofed upright stones placed in rows, and covered burial mounds to tax your imagination. The Musée de Préhistoire explains these relics.
Some Important Contact Information
Manoir Limoelou (+ 33) (0)2 99 40 97 73
Charles Perez Aquarium (+ 33) (0)2 98 29 23 23
Oceanopolis (+ 33) (0)2 98 34 40 40
Naval museum at the Château on Square Pierre Peron
(+ 33) (0)2 98 45 05 31
Musée des Phares et Balises (+ 33) (0)2 98 48 80 70
Musée de la Pêche (+ 33) (0)2 98 97 10 20
Musée de Préhistoire (+ 33) (0)2 97 52 22 04
10, place de la Chapelle, Carnac
