Day 1. Begin our Brittany adventure today! The tour begins in Nantes. From here we will drive to the charming 12th Century village of Rochefort-en-Terre. We will have a guided walking tour of this village that was chosen the Favorite Village of the French in 2016. Rochefort-en-Terre is a village of art and artisans as well as an official 4 Flower village, famous for its beautiful flowers and gardens. After our visit we will break for lunch then drive to our charming hotel, the Hotel Ginkgo Quimper where we stay for 3 nights. We will dine tonight at a top-rated local restaurant.

Day 2. This morning we will depart for Concarneau, a medieval walled city built on the town’s harbor. Cross the drawbridge from the main town to enter this ancient city, once famous for ship building. It is still one of the most important towns for fishing and for canning sardines – a Breton specialty! You will have time on your own to visit the town and visit the fishing museum if you like. Free time this afternoon to enjoy the lovely setting of our inn and the surrounding park. Dinner tonight as a group.

Day 3. Depart this morning for Quimper home of the Henriot Quimper ceramics. We will start with a tour of the ceramic manufacture followed by some time to shop in their amazing boutique.  After our visit here we will go to the lovely town center where the streets are lined with colorful half-timbered houses.  Choose from the many cozy cafes and restaurants for your lunch. After lunch the museums and shops are open. Both the Musee des Beaux Arts and the Musee of Breton Culture have wonderful collections and both are located in the center of town near the Cathedral. Late afternoon we return to our inn. Dinner at the hotel this evening.

Day 4. After breakfast at the inn, we will drive to the town of Pont Aven which was the home of the School of Pont Aven painters: Gaugin, Max Jacob, Serusier, Emile Bernard and more. This museum is filled with paintings depicting life in Brittany, centered on the sea and the Bretons dependence on it for their livelihood. Pont Aven was a mill town and many of the buildings for the shops were once mills or mill houses.Try the butter caramels and purchase some Niniches, the chewy candies on a stick that were invented by a candy maker here after WWII. Don’t forget to try the Breton Butter cookies, the sardines and algae tapenade. We will take time for lunch in Pont Aven then drive to the tiny port on the Belon river for a presentation and tasting of the world famous Huitres de Belon. This afternoon we will drive to La Trinite-Sur-Mer to the lovely Lodge Kerisper, our home for 4 nights. Dinner on your own.

Day 5. This morning we depart for Vannes which is without doubt one of Brittany’s prettiest towns on the Gulf of Morbihan. The fortified walls of the city are built on the foundations of a Roman wall. Later Vannes was the favorite town of the Ducs of Brittany and home to a great maritime trade. Today is market day in Vannes and this market is known as the largest on the Golfe du Morbihan. It is a beautiful market! Lots of seasonal produce and foods, but that is not all. There are crafts, clothing, jewelry, flowers, spices, and great people watching. Stroll the narrow streets filled with colorful half-timbered houses before enjoying a harbor-side lunch. Back to Trinite for the late afternoon and evening. Dinner on your own.

Day 6. Today we can have a late sleep in and leisurely breakfast. We will depart from the hotel at 10 AM for our ride on the Petit Train to the site of the Megaliths at Carnac.At the site of the Maison des Megaliths we will disembark the train to walk around the site and view ancient standing stones and megaliths which are older than the Pyramids and predate the Celts! Enjoy lunch of Breton crepes at a charming restaurant set in the middle of these amazing megaliths. Free afternoon in La Trinite sur Mer, a very charming port town that is made for relaxing and breathing the sea air. There are lots of fun portside restaurants with views as well as boutiques for regional food, clothing (if you want an authentic French striped shirt this is the place), home décor with seaside themes.

Day 7. Depart La Trinité after breakfast for our boat cruise of the Golf of Morbihan. You will discover that there are as many as 365 islands in this gulf. Many are natural reserves while others have homes and little churches. The point of each island has a “calvaire” or monument to the cross made of stone or wood. You will also see more megaliths on some of the islands. We disembark on the largest of the islands, Ile aux Moines. We are here for 3 hours approximately. There will be time to stop for a leisurely lunch on the port and then time to walk through the adorable streets and see the quintessential thatch room cottages with the roses around the blue doors, windows with lace curtains – a story book setting. Late afternoon return to La Trinité sur Mer. Free time and dinner on your own.

Day 8. Depart La Trinité after breakfast for two exciting days in Nantes. We will begin with a visit to the Chateau of the Ducs of Bretagne. Much of the museum’s fascinating collection and information is about the Maritime life of Nantes in the 18th century and even earlier including pirates, history of slave trade, and the life of the extraordinarily wealthy merchant marines. The Chateau itself is the most important monument in Nantes and is quite impressive! After lunch we will check in to the beautiful Oceania Hotel de France. Free time this afternoon and dinner on your own.

Day 9. Today we have a full schedule of events and activities at the amazing Machines de l’Ile de Nantes: Ride the Jules Verne carousel, see the giant elephant walk, and participate in a guided/animated visit to the Gallery of Machines to see (and maybe help!) them operate the machines. We have a group lunch by the Loire River and a visit to the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery as well. A very special Bon Voyage dinner tonight!

Day 10. Departure day. Transfers provided to Nantes airport or train station.

We will say ‘au revoir’ to our main group mid-morning and depart by coach for northern Brittany. We’ll travel directly to Rennes, the capital of Brittany, arriving just in time for a delicious group lunch.

After lunch, we’ll meet our local guide for a walking tour of the city center including a visit to Saint Pierre Cathedral, with its origins dating back to the 4th century. The city was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1720, but over centuries, it has been rebuilt and is a vibrant mix of the old and the new, including the traditional half-timbered houses known throughout Brittany.

The city also has a unique arts history and we will discover some of the mosaic arts which were established by the great Italian Odorico family of mosaic artisans in the late 19th century.

Later this afternoon, we will check into our hotel with the remainder of the evening free for you to explore on your own.

With thanks – Image by Yves from Pixabay

Today we’re off to discover the truly charming Dinan!  This beautiful medieval town with its ramparts, cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses is perfect to discover at your own pace. It was once a great center for weaving and hide tanning between the 14-18th centuries. You will discover a variety of artisans and craftspeople from woodwork to glass-blowing.

We will return to Rennes late afternoon. Enjoy dinner on your own.

With thanks – Image by Andreas from Pixabay

We will travel to the delightful medieval city of Vitré this morning. It’s market day in Vitré today! The city center, with it’s half-timbered buildings and cobblestone streets, provides a charming backdrop as you explore the market and center of town with its boutiques and cafes.

With thanks – Image by Welcome to All ! ツ from Pixabay

Vitré was once a center for the cloth trade and is a listed “Art and Heritage town”.

As you explore, you may also see some of the Ordorico mosaics throughout the town. You might like to visit the Château de Vitré, with its origins dating back to the 11th century.

We will enjoy a delicious lunch at a local crêperie.

After lunch, we will travel to the small town of Bazouges-la-Pérouse, home to the Château de la Ballue to visit its magnificent manicured gardens, hedge mazes and views across the Brittany countryside. This 17th century château was once a haven for writers (such as Balzac and Victor Hugo) and painters who were inspired by the rolling landscape.

We will return to Rennes late afternoon with the remainder of the evening is free for dinner on your own.

Today we will travel just over the regional border into Normandy to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont St Michel. The abbey atop the fortified island dominates the landscape. Once only accessible during low tides, there is now a causeway for us to access the island easily. It is a short walk to access the shuttle transfer to the island.

Our local guide will join us and explain some of the history of the abbey, the island upon which it sits and also point out some unique sights! There will be time for you to explore at your own pace and for lunch on your own.

We will return to Rennes late afternoon with some free time to rest before our group farewell dinner this evening.

With thanks – Image by Ralf Mohrs from Pixabay

Check out of the hotel after breakfast this morning and bid ‘Au revoir’ to the beautiful region of Brittany.
We will arrange your private transfer to Rennes-St Jacques Airport or Rennes (SNCF) train station per your departure schedule.