Brittany, France Vacation

Brittany, France Vacation

This Brittany, France Vacation is an outstanding French vacation for those “in the know.” Castles, fabulous French cuisine and interesting Celtic influences because of its proximity to Great Britain, make Brittany a great place to dive into history and nature. We suggest combining six nights with Brittany with a stay in Paris before or after! Check out the below vacation itinerary and talk with our Preferred Travel Advisor to book this trip or customize it to fit your needs or that of your group!

Located along France’s Northwest coast across the English Channel from Great Britain and just a few hours by train from Paris, Brittany has a fascinating history. It’s strong Celtic heritage dates back to the Middle Ages, when immigrants from Ireland, Wales and Southern England established communities on the peninsula, calling it Brittany or Little Britain.

Discover Brittany’s distinctive culture and cuisine in Saint-Malo, Dinard, Cancale, and beyond with the below itinerary that we can customize for you. Let our Virtuoso travel agent help you with this Darley Vacations booking to meet the needs of you and your group or family.

7 days/ 6 nights starting at $5,479.50 USD* per person based on double occupancy

* Daily inclusions listed below. Itinerary pricing based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to fluctuations due to exchange rates at time of payment. Prices and reservations are not guaranteed until a deposit is placed. We are happy to customize this itinerary to fit your needs.

Fresh seafood in Perros Guirec

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Dining by the sea in France for Darley Vacations

Brittany, France Itinerary

Day 1: Rennes to the Pink Granite Coast

Arrive to Brittany’s capital city, Rennes, where Brittany’s medieval history is on display through the city’s well-preserved half timbered houses. There are several ways to get to Rennes from Paris and once you arrive to Rennes, it’s a two-hour transfer by private car to your hotel in Perros Guirec.

• Direct high speed train: Paris Montparnasse – Rennes 1hr 30min
• Various Air France and Lufthansa flights from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to Rennes – approx 1 hour flight

Our travel advisor can help you with these arrangements!

Check in at your hotel by the sea along Brittany’s Pink Granite Coast off from Saint Guirec Beach, where an ancient shrine thought to be dedicated to a sixth century Welsh monk, is submerged in water opposite a Celtic cross. Legend has it that the shrine has drawn in female pilgrims for centuries who believe it to bring good luck to their seafaring husbands. And for those unmarried, luck in landing a husband.

This boutique hotel has rooms with contemporary decor and offers kayaking and paddle boarding. Right outside, you can take in the most beautiful coastal sunsets and there’s a great walk to a nearby lighthouse through the large granite boulders that have made the area famous.

In the heart of some of the most stunning landscapes on Brittany’s Pink Granite Coast and facing the Château de Costaérès, set off off on a gourmet voyage of discovery at the restaurant “La Table de Mon Père”. With their grand bay windows, its warm, contemporary-styled dining rooms offer a fabulous view over the ocean. It’s the perfect place to watch the sun set while tasting creative cuisine full of the seasonal flavours of Brittany.

Featuring in numerous good food guides (including Michelin, Bottin Gourmand, Pudlo Bretagne, Gault & Millau and Champérard), the restaurant also has the title of “Maître Restaurateur”, awarded for entirely homemade cuisine. 

Enjoy a 3-course dinner à la carte. *Alcoholic beverages not included.

Day 2: Paimpol-Saint Brieuc Bay-Cap Frehel

Breakfast is included this morning. You will be picked up at your hotel by your private driver-guide for your day’s adventure.

Begin your journey to Paimpol, the fishing and oyster center, your first stop. The little fishing harbor has been shaped by its maritime past, starting with cod fishing trips to Newfoundland and Iceland. Today, its glory is an oyster: the famous Paimpolaise! 

Shops sit alongside beautiful ship-owners’ houses and half-timbered houses from the 15th and 16th centuries on picturesque side streets which you will  walk with your guide. The Latin quarter is a maze of old streets that lead to the fishing harbor and marina. On Rue des Huit Patriotes stands a beautiful 15th-century house that is a listed Historic Monument, the Jézéquel House. It has been a hardware shop since 1886. Other sights to see are the Old Tower, part of the old church, and the Church of Our Lady of Good News, completed in 1914.

Close to the center is Beaport Abbey, a magnificent, remarkably well-preserved monastic complex that is a Historic Monument and is well worth the stop on your way to Saint Brieuc. 

The bay of Saint-Brieuc ranks 5th in the world by the amplitude of its tides (fair warning). To admire it from above, head for the Pointe du Roselier, Pordic or Les Guettes. Walkers usually take a customary path, along a spray-soaked balcony on the sea, unless they opt for kitesurfing, kayaking or catamaran. Next, head to Paimpol, to survey the lively docks and taste the famous Paimpol oysters.

Step back in time and follow your guide during an exploratory tour of Saint Brieuc, founded by a monk in the 6th century. The ‘fortress cathedral’ of St-Etienne, built in the between the 12th and 18th centuries, bears testimony to his evangelisation. The old quarters of the town, which date back to 14th and 15th centuries, grafted onto the grounds around the cathedral are still full of timber framed houses, three of which are classified historical monuments. 

Stroll along the farmers’ market stalls, and pick up local finger food and specialties on your way. Continue with your guide to the bay and the trails. 

The Bay of Saint-Brieuc is first and foremost a vast coastal space of cliffs, inlets, dunes, promontories and beaches (fifteen in all). The chemin des douaniers (the “customs path”), a communicating pathway running along the coast of Brittany, once used by customs officials and coast guards, is today open to hikers where the best views of the Bay can be found.

Taking this GR34 route through the terrain of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, you will discover the fascinating diversity of a landscape that changes with the rhythm of the tides. Running between cliffs and dunes, the path is like a balcony looking out over the sea, a protected maritime domain.

Afternoon Cap Frehel Lighthouse
Classified as an historic monument, the lighthouse of Cap Frehel is bathed by the bay of Saint Brieuc, and extends over 100 feet high. The first lighthouse was built in the early eighteenth century on the original instructions of Vauban. The latter is completely redesigned in the first half of the nineteenth century, before being destroyed by the Second World War. The current lighthouse was built between 1946 and 1950, entirely in stone. It is impressive!

Castle of Bienassis
Discover a privately owned 15th century castle, and meet the owners who still live here. This is a super special experience to find out what it really takes to own and run a castle in modern times.

Not far from Fort-la-Latte in Erquy, Chateau de Bienassis is owned by Pierre Yves Huguet along with his wife, children, horses, ducks and the family dog. Can you imagine growing up in a castle? The castle is from the 14th century and has been in Pierre’s family for seven generations.

The outdoors are composed of a forest park, a French rose garden, and a vegetable garden. The castle itself is bordered by moats! After crossing the bridge that used to be a drawbridge, you have direct access to the main courtyard.

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Still inhabited, you will visit the furnished ground floor, living room, dining room, kitchen, guard room, stairs and chapel. Surrounded by a moat and mighty walls, Bienassis is a registered historical monument, and a fascinating look at historic and modern life in Brittany.

Return to your hotel for another tasty dinner. Sit by the window and admire the sunset (around 10:30pm in June!) while having a delicious dinner. Pick up one of your favorite specialites in the à la carte 3-course menu.

*Alcoholic beverages not included

Day 3: Art & Relaxation

Today, after breakfast, pick up by your private chauffeur for your transfer to Roscoff (1hr 15min).

Meet the artist who will give you a two hour and thirty minute lesson on how to sketch and apply watercolors to your drawing during an outdoor class. Bring back home a unique souvenir from your discovery of Brittany that you will keep forever and will show to your family and friends. Relaxing and fun this class is a unique addition to your time in Brittany. (Lunch included.)

Enjoy the afternoon on own. This is a wonderful opportunity to follow Darley’s experiences at sea and embark on a catamaran, or paddle-board as she did along the Pink Granite Coast, or discover the  Sept Iles nature reserve by boat. Alternatively, go for some VIP yachting with a cocktail on board or enjoy the hotel spa and relax.

If you prefer horsebackriding, enjoy the low tide sandy beach near the hotel, or simply walk along the beach and admire the scenic coast up to Ploumanac’h lighthouse.

*All activities are at additional cost.

Day 4- Pink Granite Coast to the Emerald Coast

Check out at your hotel and get picked up for your next hotel and destination, just less than two hours from Perros-Guirec.

Check into a stunning 5-star deluxe hotel located in one of France’s most elegant resort towns, Dinard, on the Emerald Coast.

The hotel sits on the site of Lord Hamilton’s famous villa and of the old Museum of Natural History overlooking St. Malo and the Channel Islands. The former villa has sparkled here for nearly 150 years, and once served as a marine research station; today it makes an ideal base for exploring Normandy’s D-Day beaches and Mont Saint-Michel. Each of the rooms has its own character and a view of the sea.

There’s a small spa, unique lap pool and solarium. The on-site restaurant serves up fresh local seafood and many other fabulous restaurants are within walking distance of this hotel. Grab a drink in an old aquarium museum, which the hotel cleverly converted into a cocktail bar. Take a bike ride around Dinard on one of the hotel’s complimentary bicycles.

Spend the rest of the day on your own. Today’s lunch and dinner are included.

Day 5: Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo is one of our favorite cities in France. It’s stunning, has amazing history and architecture and is a truly unique experience. We loved it!

St Malo is an ancient rampart city built in the Middle-Ages. This historic walled city was once home to French privateers and pirates, who collected wealth from passing ships and defended the area from attacks from Vikings, and British armies. During the liberation of France in August 1944, the historic walled city of Saint-Malo was almost totally destroyed by artillery fire. Saint-Malo was rebuilt over a 12-year period from 1948-1960.

Walk the ramparts with your guide, hear about these passioning stories of pirates, and explore the farmers’ market the heart of the city. Stop by the covered market (Halles), stop at the butter shop Beurre Bordier as Darley did, and taste local farmer’s butter. It’s the best butter we’ve ever tasted and very hard to find outside of France!

Continue to Maison Gallard following Darley’s steps, for some pastry specialty called kouign-amann and essentially make with butter, before heading to your cooking class.

After lunch, follow your guide along to Roteneuf Site, where more than 300 rocks were sculpted by one man for 16 years in the 19th century! Walk the beach and learn more about this incredible site.

Dinner tonight is on your own. Let us know if you’d like recommendations!

Day 6: France’s Oyster Capital in Cancale!

This morning, after breakfast, your driver-guide will collect you around 9am for an hour drive to Cancale, where restaurants and an outdoor market entice visitors to enjoy fresh oysters and see how they’re farmed. Cancale has been renowned for its indigenous flat shelled oysters since ancient times.

Embark onboard the Ausquémé with Jérôme, a food-loving sailor, and Emmanuel, an ocean-going chef working the spice routes. It’s no wonder that this meeting of minds led to a great idea: to combine gastronomy and traditional sailing aboard the Ausquémé.

Spend 4 hours on board their traditional sailboat, sail the enchanting seas of Cancale Bay, and sample the gourmet treasures of buccaneering days! You will explore flavors directly from the sea, and learn so much about Brittany and its culinary traditions.

This activity is subject to weather conditions. It can be cancelled by the cruise company 24 hours to 48 hours before the cruise due to wind, tides and strong currents. If the weather does not allow sailing, this activity will be replaced with a visit to Mont Saint Michel or by golf time on your own. 

After your cruise, spend the rest of the day on your own in Cancale, a charming port ; explore the port of La Houle and in the picturesque “back streets.” We recommend tasting some oysters from the stalls, freshly picked from the ocean farm in the morning.

Day 7: Return to Paris or Home

Trip Prices & Inclusions

7 days/ 6 nights starting at $5,479.50 USD* per person based on double occupancy

* Daily inclusions listed below. Itinerary pricing based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to fluctuations due to exchange rates at time of payment. Prices and reservations are not guaranteed until a deposit is placed. We are happy to customize this itinerary for you!

Package Inclusions

Accommodation
6 nights accommodations

Transfers
Private Transfer from Rennes to hotel on day of arrival
All private transfers daily per itinerary

Activities: (Please see itinerary for durations)
All privately guided tours per itinerary
Art class
Sailing in Cancale or Mont Saint Michel
Activities include entrance tickets when required

Meals
Daily breakfast for 2
Day 1 Dinner
Day 2 Dinner
Day 3 Lunch
Day 4 Lunch and Dinner
Day 6 Lunch
Taxes and fees are included

Package Exclusions
International airfares
France train transporation from Paris to Rennes
Meal and services not mentioned in the inclusions
Alcoholic beverages for lunches and dinners
Gratuities
Personal expenses
Travel insurance