So you love France but you've not been to Brittany yet - why not I ask? Perhaps you don't know what this beautiful region has in store for you, particularly our more remote department of Finistere. Well I'd like to set that right. Here are seven sensational sightseeing experiences that make the west of Brittany a must see destination in my opinion.

If you are a fan of megalithic history then Brittany is the place for you! We always make a point of visiting at least one new megalithic site on each trip to Brittany. 

These mysterious ancient stones are fascinating features that you'll find dotted all over the landscape, ranging from alley graves like this one on the beach near Plouescat on the northern coast, to rows of standing stones known as alignments. Single standing stones can often be glimpsed in the middle of fields or even private gardens. There is one just up the road from our gites near Landeleau in a corn field off the D17.

If you want to track down these prehistoric sites in Brittany, download the Guide to the Menhirs and other Megaliths of Central Brittany by Samuel Lewis. Many of the stones have legends associated with them often pertaining to fertility. You have to wonder how they managed to move and manoeuvre the sometimes huge pieces of granite into place. Maybe the fairies really did help!

The parish closes of Brittany represent the wealth generated by the trade in flax and hemp in the 16th and 17th centuries. The highest concentration of these religious architectural gems can be found in Finistere. 

The most impressive feature of the larger closes are the elaborately carved calvaries. These usually display scenes from the life of Christ and often incorporate carvings of important local personages. Up to 150 figures can be counted on some of these crosses, including the devil, saints and animals.

There was great rivalry between the parishes, each striving to out do their neighbour. The most splendid of the closes can be found at St-Thégonnec, Guimiliau and Pleyben. Our nearest parish close is Saint-Herbot near Plonévez-du-Faou, just 15 minutes away. A butter festival is held at Saint-Herbot in September. Click here to see my post on parish closes

Brittany has over 2,000 miles of coastline and 300 of them are in Finistere. I think it is fair to say that the you will be rewarded with stunning views no matter which part of the coast you visit, from white sandy plages to rugged granite cliffs and boulder strewn beaches. Out of season you will frequently find that you have an entire beach to yourself.

The gites lie at the heart of Finistere and it is easy access all three coasts for daytrips. Our closest sandy beach is Plage Pentrez just a 45 minute drive away. You can also enjoy marked walks on the Sentier des Douaniers, the old customs coastal path which reveals outstanding vistas around every bend. Carantec on the north coast is blessed with no less than seven sandy beaches!

Brittany has more than one third of all of the lighthouses in France. 23 of these protect the coast of Finistere. The French word for lighthouse is phare.

The phare of St Mathieu at Plougonvelin, to the west of Brest, was built in the grounds of a Benedictine Abbey in 1835. 

In past times the monks at the abbey would light a fire in a tower on the cliffs to guide sailors to safety. I wrote about our trip to to Pointe Saint-Mathieu last May. 

Some of the lighthouses that I think are worth visiting are: Eckmühl in Penmarc’h on the south coast, one of the tallest lighthouses in the world at 65 m; Le phare de l’île Vierge, even taller at 82.5, lies just off shore at Plougueneau on the north coast. Finally, La Vieille is situated dramatically in the sometimes stormy seas just off the Pointe du Raz, protecting seafarers as they pass the French version of Land's End.

The biggest river to be found in Finistere is the Aulne. This majestic watercourse forms part of the Nantes-Brest Canal which links two of the most important cities in Brittany. The tow paths make for nice easy walking. If you are into fishing it is famous for allis shad, sea trout and salmon. We walked along the non-canalised part of the river near Landeleau last June and met not another soul. Read about it here: A Ramble by the River Aulne.

At the end of our lane, just a five minute stroll down the hill, you will find the shallow peaty coloured river Ellez. It can be crossed via a ford though we are yet to be brave enough try this in our car. I can highly recommend a paddle on a hot summer's day from the sandy beach. It flows into the Aulne not far from the gites.

Another lovely river can be found in nearby Carhaix-Plouguer, the Hyères. It is popular for kayaking and there are also riverside walks through a deep wooded valley.

The lovely lakeside town of Huelgoat is just a 15 minute drive from our holiday cottages. It lies on the edge of the mysterious Forest of Huelgoat. You can access these lush moss clad woodlands directly from the town via the boulder strewn "Chaos". 

Follow the sparkling river Argent as it bubbles and froths its way amidst granite rocks or head up hill to discover fascinating sites associated with King Arthur like the cave where he supposedly spent a night. There are many legends associated with the forest, you can learn about some of these on my blog post here: Legends of the Forest of Huelgoat.

In the village square you will find boulangeries, creperies, a pub, a small supermarket and a tourist information office amongst other things. A market is held in Huelgoat every Thursday morning. On the lake front there are more lovely creperies and an ice-cream parlour. The lake is home to carp, pike and perch if you fancy a day's fishing. You will need to obtain a fishing permit from the Paint shop in the main square. Or you could simply go for a lakeside stroll or take the kids to the playground for a bit of fun.

Finistere is bordered by the Atlantic ocean on three sides and benefits from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. This means that there is a much wider variety of plants than one might expect in cooler climes of northern Europe.

A feature you will discover as you explore Brittany, in the coastal areas in particular, are what the French term "jardins exotique". Explore these gardens and you will spot many plants that you would normally expect to see in subtropical zones such as South Africa and Australia. The gardens at Roscoff and on the Ile-de-Batz both over look the sea and on a sunny day it feels as if you could be on a tropical island in the South Pacific. 

At Les arbes du monde au Huelgoat in the rolling countryside of central Brittany, you will come across over 3,600 species of plants. They are arranged by region, from the Himalayas to South America. One section is dedicated to eucalypti which makes you feel you are wandering around the Australian bush, without the huntsman spiders - thank goodness!

Other places that offer beautiful gardens to explore are the local chateaus. Our closest chateau, the Domaine de Trevarez on the outskirts of Châteauneuf-du-Faou. It is surrounded by 447 acres. This impressive pink castle is renowned for its Camellia festival as well as its eye catching displays of azaleas and rhododendrons. Not to be missed if visiting Brittany in Spring.

There are of course many other sightseeing sensations to be enjoyed in Brittany. Take a look at the Brittany Tourism and Finistere Tourism websites which both have versions in English for more ideas on where to visit.

I hope that this has whetted your appetite to come and explore fascinating Finistere. 

There is something for everyone!

One of the reasons that we try to visit Ty Hir as often as possible is to enjoy the many lovely local walks. 

The French are fanatical about walking and hiking or randonnée as they call it. You will find miles of well marked trails all over the country. 

Finistère is blessed with over 5000 km of marked paths just waiting to be discovered. 

Here are a few of our favourite walks that we would like to share with you.

1. Circuit des passerelles, Collorec

We are very lucky to have a wonderful walk right on the doorstep of Ty Hir. 

Le circuit des passerelles or the footpath of wooden bridges, is a 7.5 km circular route which wends its way through beautiful rolling countryside. 

This marked trail can be accessed from the lane which passes in front of our holiday cottages. It crosses and recrosses the amber coloured river Ellez which is only a five minute stroll down the hill from Ty Hir.

We first did this walk with some of our friends on a sunny September afternoon, translating it from French as we went. To make things easier for our guests from the UK we have translated it into English and there are laminated copies in each gite or, you can download it here.

One of the furry friendly locals decided to join us on the circuit. Two of our party had to escort her back home when she wouldn't return of her own accord. The best bit of the walk is, of course, when you return home to Ty Hir to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine (or two!) on the terrace.

2. Circuit des Roc'hs, Monts d'Arrée

A short drive from Ty Hir you will find the scenic Le circuit des Roc’hs. This 14 km hike starts at Plounéour-Ménez and crosses the spine of the Monts d’Arrée, at the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique.

The "Monts", or mountains, may make this sound a little daunting but in fact the highest point reaches 385 m so this is not exactly the Alps, though the far reaching views are just as spectacular, providing a panorama of 360 degrees.

In the course of the walk you will encounter many impressive granite outcrops, each an excuse to stop and catch your breath while you admire the heather clad moors stretching down to the St Michel Reservoir, or the views north towards Morlaix and Roscoff on the coast.

3. Pointe du Raz Coastal Path

If you fancy a coastal route with breathtaking views you'd be hard pushed to surpass the 7.3 km circular walk from Pointe du Raz via the Baie des Trépassés. 

Pointe du Raz is France's Land's End, as far west as you can go on the mainland.  

By the parking area (fees payable peak season) for the Pointe, you will find cafes and souvenir shops. There is also a local heritage center where you can obtain a mini-guide for Le Sentier des Lutins or the Elves trail. The trail is especially designed for children and the guide provides information on local flora and fauna. 

From the car park head towards the semaphore tower. Once you have passed the tower the view across the Raz de Sein, a treacherous stretch of water guarded by two light houses, opens up towards the very flat Île de Sein. 

After you have had your fill of the amazing view (or the wind!) go left to follow the costal path towards the beautiful Baie des Trépassés or Bay of the Dead. Don't worry, if you don't want to do the whole circular walk, there is a short cut back to the car park!

4. 'Kastell Gall' Walk on the River Aulne, Landeleau

Less than a 15 minute drive from the cottages you will find the small town of Landeleau which marks the start of the 18 km Castle Gall walk.

This is another walk that we have translated from French, so we felt it was only fair that we try it ourselves. Fair to say that we took a couple of wrong turnings but never strayed too far from the route - thank goodness! I blame the French instructions meself...

From Landeleau you quickly descend to a wooded riverside path that follows the slow flowing river Aulne. Aulne in Breton means "alder". We had the trail all to ourselves for duration of the whole walk - talk about relaxing! I wrote about our 'Ramble by the River Aulne' in an earlier blog post which you can read here.

5. Huelgoat Forest

Nearby mystical Forêt d'Huelgoat is one of our favourite destinations. We try to visit it each time we are in Brittany, either for a quick peek at the boulder strewn 'Le Chaos de Rochers', which you can easily reach from the center of Huelgoat, or for a longer walk like the lovely leaf scattered hike we did in Autumn. 

You can find out more about Huelgoat on our dedicated webpage here.

There are plenty of marked circular paths in the forest, long and short, including one that goes out to the old silver mine where you can still see some of the workings. Click on the link to download this walk in English.

Many legends are associated with the Forest, including stories about King Arthur, Princess Dahut and the devil!  I wrote about some of these in a blog post last May which you can read here. The Virgin Mary does her washing up here allegedly...

You can pick up a leaflet which details all of the walking trails in the Forest of Huelgoat from the friendly folk at the Tourist Information office in the main square in Huelgoat (closed at lunchtimes).

I hope that this post has given you some inspiration. If you wish to find out more about walking and hiking in Finistère please see our Walking, Hiking, Mountain Biking & Cycling webpage. Bonne randonnée!

Fascinating Finistère lies at the far western end of Brittany in France. 

The Breton name for Finistère is Penn ar Bedd which translates as End of the World - a very appropriate description!


There are lots of activities for visitors to enjoy during a stay in Finistère. Here is my personal top ten of things to see and do when you visit this fantastic region. If you have any other ideas that you would like to add, just leave me a comment. I am always keen to discover new places!

1. Visit Mystical Huelgoat

Cradle of many Celtic legends, the forest of Huelgoat is best known for its "chaos" of huge moss covered granite boulders that have inspired many local folk tales. 

Located in the Parc naturel régional d'Armorique on the edge of the picturesque lakeside town of Huelgoat, la forêt du Huelgoat (meaning "high wood" in Breton) abounds with mystery. The sparkling rivière d'Argent or silver river dashes its way between green clad trees and rocks.

King Arthur is reputed to have camped here, the devil awaits those who like to imbibe at little too much and the Virgin does her washing up here apparently...

2. Discover Magical Megaliths

Brittany has one of the highest concentrations of megalithic sites in the world. It is famous for its standing stones, mostly dating from 4,500 to 2,000 BC. 

The sites include burial chambers, menhirs (standing stones), alley tombs and dolmens.

There are two megaliths in fields close to Ty Hir, Le menhir à Kervic near Plouyé and Dolmen de Saint Thelo just off the D17 on the way to Landeleau.

3. Check out a Breton Parish Close

Parish closes (enclos paroissiaux) are characteristic of rural religious architecture in Brittany. 

A parish close, usually enclosed by a wall, generally includes a church, a calvary, an ossuary, a cemetery and a triumphal gate. 

When visiting some enclosures I have found that you sometimes need to step over a small barrier to enter the close. These puzzled me and I recently found out that these were designed to keep wandering animals out of the churchyard!

There are three Circuit des Enclos Paroissiaux driving tours which you can download. The routes are signed posted by the local tourist board and are easy to follow.

4. Eat Crêpes and drink Cider!

If you had to name a single symbol of Breton cuisine, it would undoubtedly be crêpes! A stay in Brittany is not complete without indulging in this local speciality - whether sweet or savoury, or both!


Crêpes are made from wheat flour (crêpes de Froment) or buckwheat flour (galettes). They are traditionally accompanied by cider in a small ceramic bowl. 

My favourite topping is le caramel au beurre salé or salted caramel sauce, though lemon and sugar also goes down quite well. I did once bravely try Andouille which is a smoked sausage made using pork intestine; suffice to say it is an acquired taste which I shall not be acquiring!

5. Take part in a festive Fest Noz

Though we are yet to be lucky enough to attend one of these traditional Breton celebrations (we never seem to time it right!) they sound like great fun.

A Fest Noz usually takes place on the evening of a Pardon. A Pardon marks the feast of a patron saint of a church or chapel, during which indulgences are granted, thus the name.

A Fest Noz involves plenty of food and drink, and above all music and dancing with lots of foot stamping. All kinds of Breton and other Celtic music are played featuring the Celtic harp and Breton bagpipes.

6. Visit some Tropical Gardens

The coast of Finistère is bathed by warm waters the Gulf Stream. This means that an unexpected variety of plants survive here.

Jardin exotique & botanique à Roscoff, overlooking the Bay of Morlaix on the north coast of Brittany, makes a great day out. This lovely garden has one of the largest collections of southern plants and cactus grown outdoors in Brittany with plants from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and South America. 

A short boat trip from Roscoff takes you to Ile-de-Batz where you will find the Georges Delaselle Garden another exotic garden. Plants from America, Australia and Africa grow side by side in this island oasis.

7. Discover the Onion Johnnies of Roscoff

La Maison des Johnnies et de l'oignon de Roscoff traces the story of the Breton farmers who used to sail to England from Roscoff to sell their pink onions. The onions have an AOC (Appelation d'Origine Contrôlée) label.

From the middle of the 19th century the onion sellers used to set off in the summer to sell their onions door-to-door. They were a familiar sight in southern England wearing berets with strings of onions dangling from their handlebars until the early 20th century. 

Their story is told via photographs and films at this unique museum. You also have a chance to taste onion based products or, you can take a little train to visit to an onion grower.

8. Walk or ride the Nantes-Brest Canal Towpath

Napoleon decided to create a safe inland passage from Nantes to Brest after Brest was blockaded by the English in 1803 to 1805.

Upon completion in 1842 the Canal de Nantes à Brest reached a length of 360 km in length. This included the canalisation of eight rivers and the creation of 236 locks. There is 100 km of towpath in the department of Finistère. 

One of our favourite sections of the canal can be found in nearby Châteauneuf-du-Faou. You can enjoy a flat stroll along the towpath through the pretty wooded river valley and then indulge in a tasty a pizza at Le Chaland on the banks of the canalised river Aulne.

9. Haunt a ruined Abbey

There are a number of atmospheric abbey ruins in Finistere well worth a visit including Landévennec Abbaye. It was founded by one of Brittany's greatest saints, St Guénolé in the 5th century. 

The ruins are located on the banks of the river Aulne where it enters the Bay of Brest. 

Another ruined monastery is the Abbaye de Saint Mathieu which sits on a headland overlooking the Iroise Sea. It is made all the more attractive by the presence of a lighthouse and a signal station. It is a very popular photographic subject.

10. Swim in a Sandy Beach

Finistère has 300 miles (500 km) of coastline and there are plenty of wide sandy beaches within easy reach of Ty Hir. 

The three coasts of Finistère are approximately a 45 to 60 minute drive from the gîtes. The local roads are quiet so a day trip to the beach is an easy prospect.

Our closest sandy beach is Pentrez-Plage on the Crozon Peninsular. It is around a 45 minute drive from Ty Hir. There is plenty of parking and cafes and restaurants on the beachfront.

October 2012

In October we returned to Ty Hir to enjoy the late Indian Summer. The garden was carpeted with mushrooms and we referred to our Collins Fungi Guide in order to try to establish if they were edible. 

We decided that they must be woodland mushrooms which are safe to eat. As there are many similar fungi are listed as deadly, we thought that we would stay on the safe side and just photograph them instead!

Some pharmacists in France are trained to identify certain fungi and, if in doubt, they will inspect your mushrooms and advise whether they are dangerous or edible - maybe we will do this next year!

As the weather was so lovely we decided to go for a quick stroll on the local lanes. The birds were singing, the bees were buzzing and the butterflies were feeding on the ivy flowers - bliss!

We stopped to say hello to our neighbour's cows but they were too busy enjoying the lush green grass to exchange pleasantries. Can't blame them I guess...

We were able to combine two of our favourite things on this trip, walking and menhir hunting, in one expedition. 

The Kerampeulven Menhir, which is over 6 metres high, lies on a circular walk that links Berrien and Huelgoat. The stone has always drawn many visitors. 

In past times, women who could not have children would come to rub their stomachs against the standing stone and hope this would improve their chances of conceiving!

The trail passed through the magical boulder strewn Huelgoat Forest where we were delighted to discover a plethora of fairy tale red toadstools dotted amongst the pine trees. These were enhanced by the colourful autumn leaves that littered the forest floor.

Another place that is great for a picturesque walk is the river Aulne at Port Launay. Just beyond the pastel coloured town you will find the lock which marks the start of the Nantes-Brest Canal. 

This majestically flowing salmon river is overlooked by an arched viaduct. It was constructed in the 19th century to carry trains to Brest at the far north-western end of Brittany.

Towards the end of our trip we decided to venture further south to the Pays Bigouden. There is a strong sense of Breton tradition in this area, known as Cornouaille.

You can still see ladies in the market town of Pont-l'Abbé wearing the distinctive Breton costumes including the lace headwear called coiffe brettone.

Our first stop was at the busy fishing port of Loctudy. Here we enjoyed our traditional baguette picnic whilst watching the azure blue streak of a passing kingfisher and the snowy white of egrets fishing off the granite water break.

Next we moved on to another fishing harbour, Kerity, which is flanked by long sandy beaches. Piles of colourful shells dotted the deserted seashore like piles of precious jewels. 

On the other side of the dunes lay marshes where we discovered coffin shaped seaweed ovens. These were used by the locals in days gone by to create fertilizer from seaweed which was an important source of income to the area.

November 2012

In November we made a flying visit to Brittany, spending only two nights at Ty Hir. We did manage to squeeze in a visit to Pointe du Raz which is most westerly mainland point in France. 

As we made our way along the Sizun Peninsular towards the Point, we stopped at the pretty cove of Anse du Loch as the sun broke through the clouds - perfect timing!

Pointe du Raz is the most visited tourist site in Brittany. During summer you have to pay to park by the Visitors Centre which is located 800m from the point itself but out of season parking is free.

We walked along the winding northern coastal path from the Pointe du Raz to the Baie des Trépassés, 2.5kms away. The scenery in this part of the world is truly is stunning and the entire Sizun Peninsular is a must visit when you are in Finistère.

Well that concludes the summary of our adventures in Brittany in 2012. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about them and I look forward to sharing more of our adventures in fascinating Finistère in 2013.

Last weekend we made a short visit to beautiful Brittany. Brittany Ferries currently have a late autumn getaway offer from £99 return. 

As we have put our house in the UK on the market, we decided to take advantage of the offer and move some of our gear over to our holiday home in Finistère. Not that we really needed an excuse to go back, we do miss our little piece of rural heaven when we are not there!

Andy loaded up the car on the Friday and picked me up from work en-route to the ferry in Portsmouth. As usual we were early but we boarded fairly quickly much to our great satisfaction.

My stomach was grumbling at the thought of the dinner that awaited us at the La Baule, the self-service restaurant on the Bretagne (my favourite ferry). I had the lamb tangine, it was a huge serving that melted in my mouth - yum! Naturally this was accompanied by a bottle of red which went down very well. 

They take their food and drink very seriously at Brittany Ferries - you can even download their menus and wine lists in advance of your trip to plan your dining experience - how very civilised!

We arrived at the gites late Saturday morning after a quick stop for a few essentials at the Intermarche supermarket at Rostrenen. These naturally consisted mainly of wine and a treat from the patisserie. 

I love the roads in Brittany, they just seem so quiet and traffic free compared to the UK, though you do have to contend with the occasional tractor or two! A small price to pay methinks.

We discovered the last of the autumn mushroom crop lining our drive but resisted the temptation to try them for dinner - we will leave that to the experts! 

After a couple of back breaking hours of digging out weeds we felt that we had earned our very tasty and tangy mille-feuille aux framboise from the patisserie - what a treat and just €3 for two of them, a bit of a bargain I'm sure you will agree!

Of course, now it's autumn, we were able to take full advantage of the lovely wood burner in the Petit Longère. We were happy to spend the evening snuggled up in front of the fire watching a bit of TV.

On the Sunday we set off early for the Cap Sizun peninsular at the far west end of Brittany. Our goal was Pointe du Raz which is most westerly mainland point in France. In summer it can be a bit busy and we were keen to discover it out of season.

Our first close encounter of the day with the sea was when we made a quick stop on a beach overlooking the Anse du Loch. We were lucky that the sun decided to show its face. It gave a lovely warm glow to the cliffs overlooking the anse (cove). 

Pointe du Raz is the most visited tourist site in Brittany. During summer you have to pay to park by the Visitors Centre which is located 800m from the point itself but out of season parking is free.

It was a blustery day to say the least and some of the gusts of wind were nearly strong enough to knock us our feet - it made photography somewhat of a challenge! I did manage to get a few snaps before we headed to the more sheltered northern side of the point for a cliff top picnic lunch.

Having been entertained by the diving gannets as we enjoyed our baguettes, we set off towards the beach at the Baie des Trépassés, 2.5kms away. 

The name of this beautiful bay translates as Bay of the Dead. There are a number of legends which seek to explain the name. 

One story is that bodies of shipwrecked seaman were washed up here by strong currents. 

Another tale tells that the dead were taken from the bay to the Druid Priestesses on the Isle of Sein which lie 8km off the Pointe du Raz. 

The bay is also thought by some to be the location of the lost city of Ys, the fabled ancient capital of the region.

From the cliff top path you descend to the wide sandy beach via some WW2 german bunkers. These have been decorated in traditional French fashion - with graffiti. 

Once down on the beautiful beach we found ourselves subjected to the full force of a strong sea breeze. We found a convenient bench and enjoyed watching the powerful surf pounding on the shore. It was mesmerising. 

The bay is normally very popular with local surfers but today it was a bit much for even those hardy souls. 

We only saw one hardy wetsuit clad soul bobbing around in the waves. He didn't manage to successfully ride a wave during our stay, not surprising considering the force of the wind.

As the sun began to set we slowly climbed back up the cliff and retraced our steps to the car park at  the Pointe du Raz. This is definitely a highly recommended day trip from our gites, especially out of season, for stunning views with plenty of bracing sea air.