brittany in july (1 Viewer)

[happytraveller123]

off to brittany in july ,can anyone recommend any areas or places to head for . we are both in our fifties with an elderly dog so we dont need touristy nightlife etc . its just that the coastline seems quite diverse and looks quite remote in places that were not sure where to start. we prefer exploring to lying on a beach .any suggestions more than welcome.

 

[hilldweller]

not sure where to start.

Doesn't get any better than St Malo. Then Dinard for real olde town centre.

But when we did it, 30 years ago with 2 kids it was for the lovely beaches of which there are a countless number.

 

[Randonneur]

Brittany

Try Malestroit, there is a Municipal there that is very cheap with nice showers and electric hookups. Malestroit itself is beautiful and is a short walk into town from the Campsite. The Nantes/Brest canal runs through there as well at the side of the site. If it wasn't so cold in Winter we would move there. There are a couple of Aires as well, one just past the lock-keepers cottage and one near the campsite.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Denny]

Brittany

We have not been very far into Brittany / Bretagne as we prefer to venture further south, at least as far as the Loire. The weather is better and more reliable.
However, I would highly recommend a visit to Fougeres which is only just into Department 35 Ille-Et-Villaine, Bretagne.
It is well worth, as always, making your first port of call the tourist information office where you will be given an excellent map of the town. It advises visiters to follow the tourist route and finishes back near the tourist office.
An excellent place to eat en-route is facing the castle entrance where the atmosphere is a bit like Disneyland, that is, you can see where Disney got inspiration for their buildings.
Bon voyage.
Denny.

 

[Romahomepete]

St Malo, Dinard
Have a look at the Rance barrage it is fascinating

Follow the coat road round from Dinard through St Lunaire to St Briac a small seaside town next to the fremur estuary. try this campsite Link Removed
It used to be a municipal but is now privately owned, right on the estuary, 5 mins walk into the town and 20 mins from St Malo by the main road.

We have spent some time here most summers for the last 27 years

 

[MrJinks]

Hi

I have repeated a post that was on a similar thread recently posted by Wintonian and I found it useful although he is talking about going in June. July will be a bit busier in popular places

Suggestion:

Take the ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo (or Caen if you don't want an overnight crossing). If you take the afternoon ferry to Caen you will be advised to stay there for the night before moving on. You are welcome to spend the night at the ferry port for no charge (one of the things you will love about France is the amount of free parking!). It is safe and comfortable in the car park, and you are unlikely to be alone in a camping car.

(Follow these suggestions on http://www.viamichelin.co.uk for clarity.)

Then drive up to Perros Guirrec on the Cote Granit Rose and have a look around the many interesting bays on the peninsula. The scenery is spectacular and there are plenty of places to spend the night (free of charge).

Then go to the south coast of Brittany via Pontivy. The car park in the city centre is large and free, and camping cars are welcome. There are other places in the town where you can spend the night for free. Visit Vannes. Here, unfortunately, you may find difficulties parking your camper, but the car park opposite the city walls (the Ramparts) may have empty spaces and it is easy to access the city from there. The gardens beneath the ramparts are beautiful in June, and you will take photos! On Wednesday and Saturday mornings there is a very big market, so parking will be very difficult.

Then go to Carnac, La Trinite sur Mer and the surrounding areas. It is all very quiet in June.

After you have spent some time in Brittany drive down the motorway in the direction of Nantes (but without going to Nantes!). Visit La Roche Bernard, where you will be able to park and have lunch by the river, then continue on to La Baule - the playground of the rich. Beautiful sandy beaches and fabulous white apartments lining the bay.

After that, head for Saint Nazaire to see the famous WW2 german submarine pens. Then head for the enormous and spectacular Saint Nazaire bridge over the Loire. Look down on the shipyards (where the Queen Mary II was fitted out).

From here you can continue south to, perhaps, Les Sables d'Olonne, La Rochelle and Bordeaux.

That will give you plenty to do without much frenetic driving - especially if you stay off the dual carriageways and take the smaller roads.

Many people simply cross to Calais, get on the motorway towards Paris, drive round and onto more motorways heading south to Mediterranean. After a great deal of boring driving and huge bills for the Tolls, they arrive at the Med to find just sandy beaches and a lot of people. And high prices. This can put people off France, so better to stick to the REAL France.

Have fun and enjoy France. You are bound to return to see more of it.

I hope to try similar trip in April/May

Good luck and have a good trip

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[suntorfan]

off to brittany in july ,can anyone recommend any areas or places to head for . we are both in our fifties with an elderly dog so we dont need touristy nightlife etc . its just that the coastline seems quite diverse and looks quite remote in places that were not sure where to start. we prefer exploring to lying on a beach .any suggestions more than welcome.

Hi there! You have a great treat in store for you. My suggestions would be not to miss spending some time at Dinan, that we have a great fondness for and have been back to again and again - you could stay at the Aire under the Viaduct down in the port, though I have never done it myself I hasten to add, having only got our m'home a year ago and always hotelled it until then. There is a good access to the canal too, good for walking the pooch?. We have always found Finistere and anything in the West very interesting but a little bleak. In the south Josselin is always a good spot and there is an Aire there in the town that I would consider safe to stay on. Concarneau is very interesting and the port of Auray is also. A bit like you we avoid anywhere too big and crowded. Someone mentioned Malestroit which we like and near there is a very interesting museum at St Marcel which features the resistance movement there locally during WWII - this is a must whenever we are down that way. Bon voyage!!:thumb:

 

[sue1959]

Pardon my ignorance but I thought Caen was in land.

 

[Gonewiththewind]

I found Quimper (not sure on spelling) Street trader dressed in traditional attire,
very interesting.

Don

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dellwood33]

The city of Caen is about 15Km inland, but the ferry to Ouistreham is referred to as the Portsmouth - Caen ferry

 

[JeanLuc]

Pardon my ignorance but I thought Caen was in land.

Strictly speaking, it is: 15 km in fact up the river from Ouistreham where the ferry terminal is situated. But Brittany Ferries refer to it as the Caen Ferry Terminal.

Philip