Brittany Coastal Drive
Brittany juts into the Atlantic like a fist — 2,800 km of coastline ranging from wild granite headlands battered by ocean swells to sheltered estuaries where oysters grow in calm waters. This drive follows the northern and western coasts, from the corsair city of Saint-Malo to the prehistoric alignments at Carnac, passing through some of France's most stirring landscapes.
- Roscoff (250 km): A charming onion-trading port — the
once cycled to Britain selling strings of pink onions. Ferries depart for Plymouth and Île de Batz. - Pointe du Raz (350 km): Finistère —
This dramatic headland is France's westernmost mainland point. Waves crash onto rocks 70 metres below. Raw, wild, unforgettable. - Douarnenez (380 km): A fishing port famous for sardines — the Port-Musée (boat museum) floats historic vessels in the harbour.
- Quimper (420 km): The cultural capital of Brittany — Gothic cathedral, famous faïence pottery, crêperies everywhere. The medieval old town along the River Odet is lovely.
- Pont-Aven (470 km): Where Paul Gauguin developed his Synthetist style before departing for Tahiti. A small museum honours the Pont-Aven School. The riverside walk is charming.
- Carnac (600 km): The finish — over 3,000 prehistoric standing stones arranged in parallel rows stretching for kilometres. Nobody knows exactly why. The alignments are among the most important megalithic sites in the world.
Brittany's Geology — Granite, gneiss, and the ancient Armorican Massif — the rocks that shaped Brittany — on La Terre.
Food Along the Way
— the Breton staple; order a complète (egg, ham, cheese) - Oysters — Cancale (near Saint-Malo) is the oyster capital of France
— served in — the world's most buttery pastry