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Boutique hotels in Brittany

Holidays in Brittany, France

Brittany Overview

France

Coastline
Craggy cliffs and crêperies
Coast life
Naval gazing

Rugged, windswept Brittany in north-west France is the coastal twin of Cornwall, and its happy-holidays charm matches its UK sister’s in buckets and spades.

This is a place for good old-fashioned food and fun, where everything’s rustic and laid-back, and nothing’s pretentious or polished. In this part of France, with its own language and people, the Celtic influence is clear – if you’re lucky, you might spot women wearing mediaeval headdresses on the southern shores. The region is France’s leading oyster supplier, and the salty streets of Cancale are where to head for some mollusc magic. Clifftop villages look out to the Atlantic where you’ll see the shoreline frequented by surfers and sailors. Ocean-worn stone structures dot the coast, too – spot the megaliths in Carnac. And the action isn’t all at sea – the beaches, islets and fishing villages make way inland for modern towns and mythical forests.

Beautifully Brittany

Brittany is bivalve bountiful – more than a third of the oysters consumed in France are farmed in the region’s seabed. Head to the northern shores to see the tractors at work on the muddy beds in Cancale. You’ll be able to eat up as many freshly picked oysters as you can manage soon after, for a snip of what you’d pay anywhere else.

Local knowledge

Taxis
You can’t flag taxis down so book in advance. You’ll be grateful for a vehicle in this part of the world.

Siesta and Fiesta
Opening hours in this seasonal destination can be somewhat erratic – it’s best to check ahead so you’re not disappointed. Shops will often close for lunch between 12pm and 2pm.

Packing tips
Leave glamorous garments at home – this windy landscape demands laid-back and lived-in chic. Deck shoes and stripey tops are suitably nautical.

Recommended reads
The Oysters of Locmariaquer by Eleanor Clark; Sex, Death and Oysters: A Half-Shell Lover’s World Tour by Robb Walsh.

Cuisine
Brittany is the home of the crêpe, and you’ll find them filled with all things sweet and savoury. Galettes are a savoury version, made with buckwheat flour. Seafood is what brings people to Brittany’s shores, though – to Cancale for oysters, Erquy for scallops and everywhere else in between for fabulous fruits de mer. The sea even makes a special kind of salt – fleur de sel is collected by hand and scraped from only the top layer of salt. Kig ha farz may be harder to come by these days, but be sure to gobble down this meaty soup filled with dumplings if you find it. Cakes include the prune-based le far Breton and the sugary, buttery kouign amman. Artichokes, cauliflowers and other greens are grown in plentiful supply. Like its Norman neighbour, Brittany produces cider, and serves it in dainty ceramic teacups. From hard cider, Bretons distill lambig – a fire-starting spirit that tastes of apples.

Currency
Euro (€).

Dialling codes
France: 33. Brittany: 02.

Do go/don't go
Brittany is in swing between April and October; in winter, many shops, restaurants and cafés will be closed. Give August a miss if you want to skip the hordes – it’s holidaymaker prime time.

Don't go home without

…spotting a woman wearing a coiffe bigoudène – a tall hat made from lace, as worn in mediaeval times.