Brittany is my new favorite place in France. After Paris, of course. After enjoying five days on the Brittany peninsula, I am hot to go back to visit more.
So, if you are wondering where it is, here’s a map. Brittany was originally an area where the Celts and folks from Great Britain settled. At the end of the 100 years war the area was annexed to France.
So, what was so great? It’s beautiful. It’s French. The folks were friendly. The food terrific. There was a lot to see and do and it isn’t overrun with tourists. Yes, there are visitors—tourism is a major industry—but it isn’t like some parts of the world forever changed (and some say ruined) by too many people
Here are some Brittany Highlights.
Dinard
We stayed at a lovely hotel on the water in a town called Dinard. Loved it. Our view was across the water to St. Malo.
Dinard was an old fishing village. In the 1800s a British guy got the idea that it could be a resort. A casino was built along with hotels and over 400 vacation homes.
At various points around town we saw photos of people in the late 1800s in their bathing costumes on the beach or in very fine Victorian style clothes parading on the promenades.
Today, folks enjoy this area, but my guess is that the hoity toity moved on to the south of France after World War I to enjoy their holidays and see and be seen.
Interestingly there’s an American connection. Dinard hosts an important film festival every year and reveres Alfred HItchcock. A stature of him and his unforgettable film The Birds holds court at a prominent location near the beach and town.
Saint Malo
On the other side of the bay from our charming hotel is the walled town of Saint Malo. Like many old walled cities it has now morphed into tourist city with mostly ticky tacky shops. We enjoyed a walk all around the city wall with view of the water and the fresh water swimming pool.
The highlight of our day there was Lunch. The concierge at our hotel recommend a restaurant that pays homage to the area’s speciality. Salted butter. The rolls came with an assortment of butters. My gosh, they were delicious. Frankly I could have made a meal out of bread and butter alone if I had only known.
Salted butter was developed because for hundreds of years the French government imposed a tax on salt but Brittany was exempt. They developed salted butter as a result. Ymmmmm. There are salt marshes in Brittany where the salt is harvested.
The Lighthouse at Cape Frehel
Most people tour the old light house. Actually there are three. A new modern one. A medium old one and a really old one. It was a gorgeous spot for a walk and fun to see the progression of sizes and styles.
Saint Suliac
France has a lot of towns they designate as “most beautiful” so of course, we visited one near our hotel in Brittany. There we saw charming sailboats near the meandering streets of the village and water color painters capturing the scene.
Parc Zoologique et Château de la Bourbansais
Another fun experience was going to a private zoo at an old Chateau. I’m sure establishing a zoo is a way to make money to support the massive chateau. I particularly liked the demonstration of working dogs, from sheep herding dogs to hunting dogs. Impressive. Talk about fast!
Love the RED!
And lastly I have to mention the color RED. The buildings in this part of France are typically made of a gray granite. Could be kinda dreary, but the folks use red for shutters, doors, flower pots and even the center line on the roads in villages. Truly a DesignDestination.
Last week I featured several castles in the area you might enjoy. If you think you might be sure to click back a week for an overview of interesting castles in Ireland and Brittany.
What a hoot.
And, isn’t this a hoot? I bought a striped Breton sailor sweater while I was there—classic style made famous by Coco Chanel. Look at the lady who was randomly assigned to the seat next to me on the TVG. We could be sisters. Certainly friends.
Turns out she was from Canada and on her way to a language immersion class in Sancerre while I was headed to a Food and Photography program in Luzy, Burgundy.
