Climate
According to national meteorological data, it rains less in Rennes than in Toulouse, less in Carnac than in Nice and less in Brest than in Biarritz. Common misconceptions and prejudices have portrayed Brittany as a rainy region but its maritime climate is actually mild and bracing. Bordered by the Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, the Armorican peninsula enjoys mild weather and micro-climatic conditions.
Food & Drink
Fruits and Vegetables:
Plougastel strawberries
Cauliflowers from the Golden Belt
Savoured meals:
Guémené andouille
Cancale oysters
Kig-ar-farz
Galettes
Salted butter
Sweet meals:
Kouign-aman (a butter cake)
Far Breton (a kind of prune flan)
Crèpes
Alcohol:
Cider
Chouchen
Breton beer
Beautiful cities & places of interest in Brittany
Auray
The "Alréens", as the inhabitants of Auray are known, built their town on either side of a bridge spanning the Loc'h estuary in the Gulf of Morbihan. The historic priory settlement, which became the port of St-Goustan, is still very much in evidence. It remains almost intact despite the ravages of time and leads through its gateways to the upper feudal and commercial town which grew up around a fortress. The granite of its streets, quaysides and house fronts continues to reflect the richness of its past.
Concarneau
Stretching along one of Brittany's most beautiful bays, Concarneau today embraces the historic heart of the town lying within a ring of granite ramparts. As one of the towns benefiting from the 19th-century fishing industry, it developed around the harbour. Following the valley contours, it moved away from seascape to landscape acquiring its own range of idyllic rural settings. Concarneau is a town which invites relaxation.
Dinan
Situated upriver on the Rance estuary, which opens out on the Emerald Coast between Dinard and St-Malo, Dinan is still encircled by an unbroken line of the oldest and most extensive ramparts in Brittany. Much appreciated for the protection they afforded during the period of the Duchy and the Catholic Holy League, the ramparts, together with other examples of monumental architecture and the many half-timbered houses, constitute a major asset for the medieval town.
Fougères
Fourgères essentially owes its cultural heritage and influence to its exceptional location on the borders of Brittany, Maine and Normandy. An important frontier barony in ducal times, it has retained an impressive fortress from its role during that period.
Hennebont
Spanning the river Blavet and fortified in the 13th century, Hennebont is a town with a history of strong characters, such as its founders, the hermits Gunthiern and Caradec, Geoffroy, its first feudal lord, who reputedly insulted the Duke of Brittany at a gathering of loyal supporters, and Jehanne la Flamme, who successfully withstood the siege of Charles de Blois' army during the Brittany War of Succession. Also numbered among these are the Les Forges foundry men, pioneers of the workers' movement in Brittany.
Landerneau
Landerneau and its magnificent inhabited bridge dating back to the 16th century span the meeting point of river and sea at the crossroads of Léon and Cornouaille. The narrow streets of the town, which has successfully preserved its heritage, are full of history and together with the open-air museum and re-discovered banks of the Elorn are an invitation to visitors to explore the town at leisure.
Lannion
An important centre for trade laid out on the terraced right bank of the river Léguer, Lannion is lucky enough to combine industrial development with maintaining a cultural identity, as can be seen from its famous market, historic houses with overhanging storeys and remarkable church of Brélévenez approached by a flight of 140 steps.
Pontivy
Situated right in the heart of Argoat, on the edges of the Breton and Gallo regions, the historic bishoprics of Cornouaille, Vannes and St-Brieuc and the départements of Morbihan and Côtes d'Armor, Pontivy has often seemed the ideal place to establish a new regional capital. The first French Emperor himself thought so, re-baptising the ancient feudal seat of the Rohan family, "Napoléonville", and doubling its size with the addition of a new town.
Port-Louis
This port at the mouth of the river Blavet has had an unusual history thanks to the kings of France who made it a harbour of major importance in the 17th century and to Queen Amélie who brought it fame as a seaside resort in the 19th century.
Quimper
An Episcopal and ducal town, Quimper has established itself as the historic capital of Cornouaille. Its medieval aspect, dominated by its cathedral, does not mean it is any less a town of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Quimperlé
All those who have lingered here, from Brizeux to Flaubert, have found Quimperlé reflects a gentle way of life. Situated at the gateway to Cornouaille, the town is a focal point for Breton culture, numbering among its native inhabitants Matilin an Dall, the most renowned bombarde (traditional oboe) player of his generation, Dom Morice, historian and father of Breton literature, and Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué, poet author of "Barzaz Breiz", a work which revealed the quality and power of oral literature in Brittany.
Rennes
Dating back more than two thousand years, Rennes was capital of the Celtic Redones tribe and thereafter coronation city in the time of the dukes, seat of the parliament and regional administration during the Ancien Regime and subsequently capital of the region of Brittany. These prestigious roles explain why its architectural heritage bears all the signs of a noble and solemn pedigree.
Saint-Malo
A visit to the heart of the privateer fortress, or Cité d'Alet as it is known standing at the gateway to the Rance, is a must for visitors. The "Promenade de la Corniche" provides the chance to walk around the outside of the fortified town admiring views over it and Saint-Malo bay. At the town's highest point can be found the remains of the ancient cathedral of St-Pierre, Carolingian in origin, the 1939-45 Memorial and, down towards Saint Père cove, the Tour Solidor.
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
A peaceful town surrounding a religious building of almost overwhelming proportions and encircled by a favourable and fertile belt of land, Saint-Pol-de-Léon is quietly moving on from its prestigious past.
Vannes
Situated in the heart of the Gulf of Morbihan, Vannes has maintained its historic traditions and activities down through the centuries. The richness of its ducal heritage, its marina and its proximity to the Gulf, as well as its major cultural events, make Vannes a key Brittany coastal tourist attraction.
Vitré
"To see a complete Gothic town, entire and of a piece, as still exists in a handful of places - Nuremberg in Bavaria, Vittoria in Spain and Nordhausen in Prussia."
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