We recently had a lovely family with two young children stay at the Petit Longere gite, our two bedroom holiday cottage near Huelgoat in Brittany. 

They were kind enough to leave a wonderful review of their holiday in central Finistere which you can read below. See why you need to bring the kids for a holiday at Ty Hir in beautiful Brittany!

"We had a lovely time staying in the Petit Longere, it is not so petite the living room is spacious, the kitchen has everything you will need, the bedrooms are also quite large as is the bathroom and utility room. The property is full of character and in a lovely location, there are stunning views out of the bedroom window when you get up in the morning.  A very peaceful location the main noises you  will hear are cows, sheep,  cats  meowing and birds singing. 

Both the front and the back of the house have plenty of garden furniture, great for alfresco dining, reading a book or lying in the sun and enjoying the peaceful surroundings. Our children had a great time playing in the large garden, paddling in the paddling pools, playing football with the football goals that are provided.  In the evening we sat around the Chiminea (outdoor fire) keeping warm and drinking local cider, beer or wine, one evening toasting marshmallows.  

The book shelves are stocked with books both for adults and children as well as DVD's. If you want to eat out there a plenty of places to try in Huelgoat and the surrounding towns if you like seafood a trip to Roscoff is worth it just for the lunch.  There are also supermarkets close by to stock up with provisions as well as other amenities. The location is great, close to Huelgoat with its Gigantic boulders.  A river to walk to from the Petit Longere a great place for a paddle on a hot day.  There are so many other places to visit in the area that we didn't have time in a week to do everything we wanted to so we will definitely be coming back to the Petit Longere in the future for another visit. "

You can see the original review on our French Connections advert here: Petit Longere Guestbook.

So you desperately need some rest and relaxation on holiday and don't want to spend hours driving around sightseeing. Luckily you don't need to travel far for entertainment when you choose to stay at our gites in Finistere.

Here are a few ideas on things to do that are are within a half an hour drive from our cottages. Some are even on our doorstep - you can't ask for more than that!

A large lawned garden surrounds our gites and there is also a gravelled terrace. You can simply sit and chill out with the beverage of your choice (ours is red wine!) and enjoy the sound of birdsong. 

The cottages are south facing and get the sun all day. The terrace is a real sun-trap but don't worry, we have parasols and there are some large trees to provide shade if you get too hot!

We're lucky to have a circular walk right on our doorstep. The Circuit des Passerelles is a 7.5 km trail which crosses the pretty Ellez river, taking you through gently rolling countryside via chemin rurals and quiet country lanes. 

If you fancy a shorter stroll, it only takes a few minutes to walk down to the river. On a summers day it is great to cool down in the shallow water or just take in the view from bridge keeping an eye out for kingfishers or the odd coypu.

Cross over the river, continue up the hill and turn right and you will quickly come to the pretty Chapelle Saint Salomon. You will more than likely have it all to yourself. It is a great place for quiet contemplation. Don't miss the font in the grounds from which crystal clear spring water flows.

We have complimentary mountain bikes available for our guests to use. One of our more energetic guests road the Circuit des Passerelles trail. If you are thinking of going a little further afield via a bike be warned, some of our local hills are steeper than the seem from a car! Another guest road to Plouye, only 2 km away but at the top of one of our bigger hills. They earned their drink at our local bar that day!

I've mentioned Huelgoat numerous times in my posts, particularly the forest, but that is why we like it so much. We are fortunate to have it as our local tourist town. Just popping over there for some groceries is a real pleasure and it only takes 15 minutes by car.

The main square is surrounded by a good choice of cafes, creperies, bars and restaurants. There is a friendly tourist information office where English is spoken.  A small market is held here Thursday mornings.

Park in the square and take a stroll to the lake, maybe enjoy an ice-cream whilst watching the swans or walk straight into the forest and explore local boulder strewn trails. 

There is a cinema, Artus Ciné,. If a film is marked VO it means that it is in the original language with French sub-titles which is handy to know

Don't miss the beautiful gardens at Les arbes du monde au Huelgoat at the top of the town. For local produce visit the Miellerie de Huelgoat just next to the Chaos (of rocks) by the bridge for anything to do with honey and also Les 4 Saisons for jam from the Monts d'Arrée, plus lots other goodies from Brittany.

Carhaix-Plouguer, known as Vorgium in Roman times, is a 15 minute drive from the gites. It is now an unprepossessing town, great for shopping, especially the Saturday market, but not much of apparent historical appeal other than the elaborately decorated building which houses the tourist information office. 

Oh, and there is a great hand-made chocolate shop just the down the road from the Office de Tourisme!.

Hidden in one of the suburban back streets you will discover part of the old Roman aqueduct which is 27 km long. You can pick up a leaflet which traces the route of the canal from the tourist office or download it from here: Les trois circuits de l'aqueduc romain de Vorgium (Three circuits of the Roman aqueduct of Vorgium). 

The trail heads east from the central market square in Carhaix towards Mael-Carhaix. It is signposted and you will find numbered panels at each stop which explain the history in French and usefully English.  

It can be a bit of a challenge to follow it but surely getting lost is half of the fun isn't it? One part of the canal at Le Moustoir still carries water - they built things to last in those days!

If you want to travel slightly further afield and enjoy some spectacular views with relatively little effort, head to the chapel at the summit of Le Mont-Saint-Michel de Brasparts. It is one of the highest points in Brittany.

The 30 minute drive crosses the dramatic heather clad moors of the Monts d'Arree at the heart of the Parc d'Amorique. A car park lies three quarters of the way up the "mountain". There is a steep challenging footpath which takes you directly to the chapel from this point, or a little further back from the car park, an easier path that slowly inclines to the same point. You can see for miles on a clear day, over towards Morlaix on the north coast and, in the other direction the Reservoir St Michel which supplies water to the surrounding area. 

Make sure you stop at the Ferme des Artisans at the foot of the Mont St-Michel on the D785, the road to Brasparts, to pick up some local art or produce. You can even park there and walk up the hill to the chapel if you are feeling energetic or down to the bog or Yeun Elez.

There are plenty of parking areas in the Parc d'Armorique from where you can enjoy extensive panoramic vistas. Often you will find a footpath leading to granite outcrops which allow you to get an even better view. These rocky tors are great for climbing on too, no matter your age! 

There are lots of marked trails if you fancy going for a hike. The landscape is so open on the moors it is difficult to get lost, unless of course it is foggy.

If you do decide to spend a day in the central Mont's d'Arree exploring the moors and tors, there are two amazing alley graves well worth visiting in the area.

Allée couverte de Ti ar Boudiged or the 'House of the Fairies' is actually in the small town of Brennilis. It is one of the few remaining alley graves that is still covered by earth, as they all originally were. As you can see from the photo you can get inside and appreciate the amazing architecture up close, a real privilege and  treat.

In Brennnilis you will also find the Maison de la Reserve Naturelle et des Castors. This houses an exhibition on the Venec peat bog, the only place in Brittany where wild beavers can be found. 

On the outskirts of Commana, on the other side of the moor, there is one of the best examples of an intact alley grave still in existence. Mougau Bihan is a splendid allee couverte which dates to around 3000 BC. It is over 14 meters in length with five large capstones. It is great fun for young and old alike to scramble inside and discover a number of ancient engravings. There is a picnic area and it is signed posted from the main road

It is also worth popping into Commana itself to have a wander around the impressive Parish Close. There is a cafe and patisserie if you fancy a spot of lunch.

I hope this has given you some ideas on ways to spend a relaxing holiday at Ty Hir. The simplest pleasure for us though is pottering around doing some gardening in the sunshine but we don't expect our guests to do that - a bit of watering of the container plants in summer is not unappreciated though!

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!

We recently enjoyed a long weekend break at our gites in Brittany. We're quite keen birdwatchers, though, please note, not Twitchers! We've been lucky enough to see the spectacle of starlings flocking in winter in the UK but not thus far in France.

On the first evening of our stay we could hear "chattering" outside the front of the Grand Longere gite. We were pleasantly surprised to see hundreds of starlings in our trees obviously getting ready to roost. I managed to get a quick photo before the murmuration set off over the hill. A task on the next visit is to find the actual roost and hopefully observe the huge flocks forming fantastic shapes in the winter sky.

The weather in Finistere is much the same as that in southern England so a little rain is to be expected at this time of year. The question was, what to do on a wet day in Brittany in January?

We plumped for a day trip to Quimper, the lovely columbage captial of Finistere which is a fifty minute drive from Ty Hir. 

We arrived just after 12 noon which meant, as is still normal in much of France, everything was shut until 2pm except cafes and restaurants. Dodging the raindrops we headed to the Au Bon Vieux Temps Salon de Thé overlooking the river Steir and treated ourselves to a tasty lunch. 

After lunch we made for the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper which can be found in the main square, just across from the cathedral. The art gallery was created in 1864 following the bequest of an art collection to the town by Count Jean-Marie de Silguy. The condition of the donation was that a museum be built to house the collection.  Below I have described a few of the highlights of our visit.

This large painting captures your attention as you enter the first room of the exhibition. It represents a story of King Gradlon and his daughter Dahut.

The 'Fuite de Gradlon' was painted in 1884 by Évariste Vital Luminais. He was born in Nantes which was the capital of Brittany for hundreds of years. 

Gradlon was the ruler of the legendary city of Ys, purported to lie in the Bay of Douarnenez off the Crozon Peninsular. His beautiful daughter Dahut lead a cruel and depraved life but her father was blind to her faults. The city lay below sea level on an island and was accessed by a gate. Dahut yielded to the advances of the Devil and gave him the keys to the gate which he opened and water poured into the doomed city. The king tried to save his daughter, but God speaking through the mouth of Saint-Guénolé ordered him to drop Dahut shouting three times "The demon is behind you!" The unhappy father obeyed and the waves subsided.

D'Argent painted his interpretation of the legend of the 'Les Lavandieres de la nuit' in 1861. 

The story goes that if you visit the bog of Yeun Elez in the centre of Finistere on the night of a full moon, you may encounter the washerwomen of the night. These ghostly figures beseech unwary travellers to help them wring out their shrouds. 

If an unsuspecting victim should spin a shroud in the wrong direction, the washerwomen wind it around their body, wringing them until all they are dead. You have been warned!

Quimper, pronounced Campere, is the departmental capital of Finistere. It is picturesquely situated at the confluence of the Odet and Steir rivers. Its name is derived from the Breton word ‘Kemper’, meaning the confluence of two rivers. 

This ancient capital of La Cornouaille (the southern part of Finistere) was painted by Eugène Boudin in 1857. Boudin was a mentor and friend of Claude Monet. I think that you can see how he influenced the style that came to be known as Impressionism. The painting shows the Cathédrale Saint-Corentin de Quimper overlooking the old port of Quimper which was established by the Romans.

This atmospheric oil painting was painted in 1913 by Lucien Simon. Simon came from Paris and discovered Brittany when he married the sister of a local artist.

The scene shows the burning of seaweed. This was an important industry in Brittany in the 19th century as it provided fertiliser which was used in the production of crops such as cabbages and artichokes. 

You can still find coffin shaped seaweed ovens (four au goémon) dotted around the coast of Brittany. Finistere is France's top producer of seaweed. It is used in spa treatments, as cattle-fodder and served up in some local restaurants as a Breton speciality.

The Lemordant Hall can be found at the heart of the museum. On display are 23 traditional Breton scenes. These were painted by Jean-Julien Lemordant to decorate the dining rooms of the Hôtel de l'Epée in Quimper between 1906 and 1909. 

This panel shows men and women gathering seaweed. The hotel closed in 1973 and the paintings were donated to the museum. The specially designed hall was not created until the museum was expanded in 1993, finally allowing these delightful paintings to be shown in context once again.

A snip at only 5 euros per person, a visit to this museum of beautiful art in Quimper is highly recommended. The collection is surprisingly large and includes a section dedicated to local writer and painter Max Jacob. Allow at least a couple of hours, longer if the rain won't go away...

Over a century ago a "pink" castle was built in Trévarez near Saint-Goazec on the slopes of the Montagnes Noires. It gets its nickname from the red brick which was used for its construction.

The chateau was built for James Kerjégu between 1894 and 1904 replacing an earlier 17th century building. 
Unfortunately he died shortly after its completion.

The château was equipped with all the latest innovations: electricity, central heating, telephone, lifts etc. There are 44 bedrooms are served by four staircases.

The chateau can be found in the heart of the Black Mountains which lie to the south of Châteauneuf-du-Faou. The highest "peak" only reaches 330m so mountains is a slight exaggeration but we are happy for forgive this bit of local folklore.

To reach the castle from the main entrance, you pass the magnificent stables where free exhibitions are held often featuring local artists. You will find a gift shop in the foyer.

The chateau was seriously damaged by Allied bombing in 1944, unfortunately after the Nazis had moved on so it was all for naught.

The estate was acquired by the county council of Finistere in 1968 after suffering years of neglect. They have implemented a restoration program and a few rooms are now open to the public. Some of these can be seen in an unrestored state. 
The shop staff will happily provide an iPad to guide you through the faded grandeur and fine craftsmanship on show.

The estate at Trevarez covers over 447 acres. The best time to visit is in spring to enjoy the colourful displays of azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias which can be found in the extensive gardens surrounding the chateau. There are over 300 varieties of these shrubs for you to enjoy.

Also to be enjoyed are marked trails leading to fountains, ponds, pools, natural woodlands, open grassland rich with wildflowers and English style gardens. A chapel lies at the foot of valley overlooked by the chateau.

Since 1997 Trevarez has housed a national collection of camellias, one of the largest in France. 

In early spring the chateau plays host to the "Trevarez en camelia" festival. Beautiful blooms abound and you will find activities for children on offer as well as talks and workshops on the planting and propagation of camellias. There is also a Rhododendron  Festival later in spring.

Trevarez is our closest chateau being only a 30 minute drive from the holiday cottages at Ty Hir in Finistere. The park is open throughout the year and admission is free. Check the on the Domaine de Trévarez website for details of opening times and exhibitions. In the stable yard you will find a cafe serving food and drink, a great way to finish your visit.

A Parish Close or Enclos Paroissial is a feature of religious architecture particular to Brittany in north western France. These fascinating and sometimes elaborate Catholic parishes are found predominately in Finistere. They number around 70 in total. Normally surrounded by a wall they contain a parish church and other religious buildings and structures such as:

· A cemetery
· A monumental archway or gate giving access to the parish close
· A calvary, these range from a simple representation of Jesus on the cross to elaborate scenes from the bible depicted by up to 30 figures or more
·An ossuary – a repository for the bones of exhumed bodies
. A porch often decorated with statues of the apostles and local saints

The notion of the “parish close” was coined in Brittany. The closes benefited from the prosperity of the economic golden age in Brittany between the 15th and 17th centuries, particularly where linen was made.

Many parishes in Brittany host an annual “Pardon”.  Pilgrims (and tourists) come from all over Brittany and further afield to seek indulgences from the local saint. 

These colourful events date from the Middle Ages. Men, women and children process through the streets in traditional costumes, carrying candles, banners and statues of saints to the church to celebrate mass, singing hymns on their way. 

The procession and church service is usually followed by a Fest Noz in the evening. This involves lots of singing, dancing and food and are much less serious after the solemnity of the Pardon.

Pilgrims flock to this church in Traon-Meriadec to venerate the relic of the finger of Saint-John the Baptist which arrived there around 1437. 

The sermons at the annual pardon are given from a platform in the churchyard. The congregation then perform devotions at the magnificent fountain and process to the nearby calvary of Pen Ar C’hra and it miraculous spring.

It was in Plougonven in 1554 that the series of the great calvaries started in Finistere. 

On the two levels of an octagonal pillar, set in the churchyard of Saint-Yves, stories from The Annunciation to The Resurrection unfold. A demonic devils head was added to the tableau in 1897. 

This impressive calvary underlines richness and fertility of the 16th century in the Tregor region of Brittany.  

In the churchyard of the 16th century Notre-Dame-de Croas Batz in Roscoff you will find two ossuaries. 

One is dated from the 16th century on the right as you enter the enclosure which is very simple. The other dates from the 17th century and is beautifully decorated by an elaborate double row of balusters. Access is through a strangely arched door on the outside of the enclosure wall. 

On the outside of the church itself you will find ships carved into the walls, a legacy from the pirating past of this charming port.

The monumental Calvary of the parish close in Pleyben was constructed in 1738. It displays thirty scenes from the life of Christ carved in local granite. It was relocated to the churchyard during road works in 1955 which must have been some feat.

The mid-Gothic church of St-Germain is well worth a visit to see the painted 16th century panelled ceiling of the nave. Don't miss the beautiful carved cornices decorated with masks that portray mythological scenes alternating with stories of the lives of the saints and scenes of everyday life.

The striking triumphal gate of the parish close at Sizun captures your attention as you enter this small market town in central Finistere. Some say it is the most beautiful of its kind, it is certainly one of the most important and impressive. 

Representative of the art of the Renaissance, the gateway is 14.5 m in length consisting of three sections separated by Corinthian arches surmounted by a cross.

An ossuary is attached to the gate. The entrance to the ossuary is surmounted by a triangular pediment decorated with the arms of the family of Rohan. 

Statues of the twelve apostles adorn the yellow granite exterior. Looking towards the square you can spy a mermaid carrying seaweed.

There are three marked driving tours between Brest, the Monts d'Arrée and the Bay of Morlaix. You can pick up leaflets detailing the tours in local tourist offices. Follow the brown tourist road signs which indicate the routes tours or, you can download audio tours in English from the Ze Visit website. You will need to register on the Ze Visit site.