If Brittany inevitably evokes, in the collective unconscious, a raging sea under a slate sky, it is however not just a mythical maritime territory. Its rural face, less well-known, is just as fascinating, endearing. In this countryside bristling with raised stones and carved crosses, history is still very much alive: for centuries have spared innumerable hamlets, towns and villages, refugees in the hollow of peaceful estuaries, at the bend of wild valleys, or on the edge of of oak forests. This superb and picturesque built heritage, in which one can easily imagine the peasants, traders and craftsmen of yesteryear going about their business, is a pretext for beautiful walks with family or lovers. In addition to their architectural riches,the most famous villages hide attractive shops and restaurants, and miles of hiking around for those who want to take the time to explore the sunken paths lined with ferns, or fly fishing in the nearby river. Depending on whether you are staying in the north or the south of Brittany, you will not regret including their visit in the program of your weekend or holiday itinerary.
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Locronan (Finistère)
Locronan is one of the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” and one of the most prestigious sites in Brittany.
Press photo
Small City of Character, Locronan owes its fortune to the weaving of sailcloth, the trade of which declined during the Second Empire.
Magnificently restored, its haughty 17th and 18th century granite mansions are harmoniously scattered around the main square and its well, not far from a beautiful church and two chapels: walking around it is easy to understand. why these magical places served as the backdrop for
Roman Polanski's films
Tess ,
Chouans!
by Philippe de Broca, or
A long engagement Sunday
by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
His "pardons" (
pilgrimages here called troménies, Editor's note
) attract summer crowds: the processions go to the top of the mountain, resuming the walk that Saint Ronan took every morning.
How to get there ?
By train,
it
takes 4 hours from Paris to Quimper, then 20 minutes by car, taking the D39 towards Plogonnec.
A table ?
Ar Maen Hir
is the first restaurant of young chef Thibaud Erard, who offers light, colorful and original cuisine, where aromatic herbs are in the spotlight.
Dishes from € 19 à la carte.
Ar Maen Hir, 15 bis rue du Prieuré, 29180 Locronan.
Phone.
: 02 56 10 18 37.
Rochefort-en-Terre (Morbihan)
20 minutes from the Gulf of Morbihan, here in southern Brittany, the “Favorite village of the French” 2016. Emmanuel Berthier / Morbihan Tourisme
Very visited in season, this large feudal village built on a rocky promontory about forty kilometers north-west of Vannes is typical of inland Brittany and always seems to be on guard in the shelter of its castle. With its ravines, woods, orchards, the site is splendid; through its pretty old alleys, we discover corbelled houses from the 16th and 17th centuries with incredible cachet, decorated in summer with hundreds of geraniums and agapanthus, as well as several arts and crafts shops and restaurants. Do not miss Notre-Dame-de-la-Tronchaye either, a pretty 12th century church, combining Romanesque and Gothic art.
How to get there ?
By train,
it
takes 3 hours from Paris to Vannes, then 35 minutes by car, taking the D775 then the D777.
A table ?
Café Breton
is arguably the best crêperie in the village.
Installed in a splendid medieval house, it offers a second room with slate bistro formulas.
From 19 €.
5 guest rooms, from 90 € / night.
Le Café Breton, 8 rue du Porche, 56220 Rochefort-en-Terre.
Phone.
: 02 97 43 32 60.
Read alsoGolfe du Morbihan: getaway to the islands of the Breton “little sea”
Saint-Suliac (Ille-et-Vilaine)
Thanks to the preservation of its heritage, Saint-Suliac, a former fishing village, located on the estuary of the Rance, has been elected among the “Most Beautiful Villages of France” and is in itself worth a detour. Norbert Lambart / Brittany Region
When winter storms shake the ramparts of Saint-Malo, the adorable village of Saint-Suliac, 10 km away, is peaceful in Olympia. Placed like an egret on the banks of the Rance - this river around a hundred kilometers long belonging to both peasants and sailors - it has offered since prehistoric times a natural shelter on horseback between Ille-et-Vilaine and Côtes-d 'Armor. We stroll happily in its narrow streets where the fishing nets dry, we admire the old houses with arched doors covered with thatch, we push the door of its 13th century church and we have a drink at sunset facing the shore . A country walk circles the peninsula, revealing a small vineyard and the remains of an old Viking camp.
How to get there ?
It takes 2h30 by train from Paris to Saint-Malo, then 15 minutes by car by taking the N137 towards Rennes.
Or sleep ?
Les Mouettes
is a pretty stone house in the heart of the village.
It offers 5 guest rooms that give the perfect flavor to family vacations.
Double room from 70 €.
Les Mouettes, 17 Grande Rue, 35430 Saint-Suliac.
Phone.
: 02 99 58 30 41.
Read also48 hours in Saint-Malo, for the charm and softness of the sea air
Bécherel (Ille-et-Vilaine)
The Breton Petite Cité de Caractère, very close to Rennes, is a paradise for book lovers and hikers.
Press photo
Here is a unique stopover for bibliophiles! The former stronghold of Bécherel, 30 km north-west of Rennes, in 1989 became a city of books. There are about fifteen bookshops (housing more than 400,000 books!) As well as bookbinding, calligraphy, illumination or illustration workshops, scattered in the winding alleys of this beautiful granite village. The surrounding countryside is full of washhouses and megaliths that one discovers during long walks on the 170 km of surrounding paths; 800 m from the village, the Château de Caradeuc offers a remarkable garden. Finally, do not miss the book market which is held on the first Sunday of each month, from March 1 to December 1 (maisondulivredebecherel.fr).
How to get there ?
By train, count 1h30 from Paris to Rennes, then 30 minutes by car by taking the D137 towards Tinténiac, then the D20.
Where to have lunch?
La Crêpe Bouquine
for its excellent buckwheat pancakes whose dough borders on perfection.
La Crêpe Bouquine, 4 place Alexandre Jehanin, 35190 Bécherel.
Phone.
: 02 99 66 77 00.
Moncontour (Côtes d'Armor)
Moncontour
and its alleys with medieval charm, a must-see in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc Paimpol Les Caps destination.
Donatienne Guillaudeau / CRT Bretagne
Nicknamed "Le Mont Saint Michel des terre", this powerful 11th century citadel perched on its rocky outcrop at an altitude of 100 m dominates the Penthièvre country, south of Saint-Brieuc.
Like Locronan, it became prosperous thanks to its hundreds of weavers making and then marketing flax and hemp canvas for ships.
The sumptuous granite or half-timbered mansions, with Italian or Antwerp influences, and the imposing steeple of its church with remarkable stained glass windows that can be seen going up the picturesque alleys where royalists and Chouans clashed.
How to get there ?
It takes 2 hours 40 minutes by train from Paris to Saint-Brieuc, then 25 minutes by car, taking the N12, then the D765.
Where to have a drink? Le Contre Temps
for its excellent charcuterie / cheese boards, its rustic bar-tobacco decor, and its terrace with a view of the ramparts.
Le Contre Temps, 2 rue de la Porte d'en Haut, 22510 Moncontour.
Phone.
: 02 96 69 38 86.
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