Petites Cites de Caractere - Ty Hir gite & self catering holiday home, Finistere, Brittany
Pont-Croix
Petites Cites de Caractere means small towns of character. The aims of Petites Cites de Caractere are to preserve and enhance the authenticity and diversity of the heritage of a number of small towns all over France of less than 6,000 inhabitants. These towns generally have some interesting architecture and historic buildings that make them worth a visit.
Below is a brief guide to each of the 5 Petites Cites de Caractere which can be found in Finistere. Where museums or chateaus, abbeys and forts are mentioned in the text you will find more detailed information on the relevant pages under the Places of Interest tab.
Below is a brief guide to each of the 5 Petites Cites de Caractere which can be found in Finistere. Where museums or chateaus, abbeys and forts are mentioned in the text you will find more detailed information on the relevant pages under the Places of Interest tab.
Guerlesquin
La maison de la Tourelle, Guerlesquin, 50 mins
Close to Morlaix in northern Brittany, Guerlesquin is a small town with a wealth of fine architecture. Beautiful granite houses from the 15th and 18th centuries frame the squares and line the streets. These include the 17th century La maison de la Tourelle (the turreted house) with its polygonal tower and dungeons, into which prisoners were thrown and sometimes forgotten about.
The summer Monday market brings the streets to life with Breton music and dance, carriage rides and local craftsmen. Buildings bear witness to the town’s rich historical past including the grain scale (1539) and the Saint-Jean chapel, the last vestige of the old 17th century convent.
The summer Monday market brings the streets to life with Breton music and dance, carriage rides and local craftsmen. Buildings bear witness to the town’s rich historical past including the grain scale (1539) and the Saint-Jean chapel, the last vestige of the old 17th century convent.
Le Faou
Cremerie at Le Faou, 45 mins
Le Faou is a small port dating back to medieval times, set on an estuary on the River Aulne in the Bay of Brest. There is sailing and windsurfing on the river where it widens out to join the sea.
The main street of the town is lined with some impressive "belles maisons". It has good choice of shops and some excellent restaurants.
The Maison de la Pays museum, open in high season, has exhibits, photographs and costumes of the area. Churches to visit include Saint Sauveur, with its 16th and 19th century furnishings, the Church of Notre-Dame de Rumengol and the 17th century Chapel of Quai Quélen.
The main street of the town is lined with some impressive "belles maisons". It has good choice of shops and some excellent restaurants.
The Maison de la Pays museum, open in high season, has exhibits, photographs and costumes of the area. Churches to visit include Saint Sauveur, with its 16th and 19th century furnishings, the Church of Notre-Dame de Rumengol and the 17th century Chapel of Quai Quélen.
Locronan
Locronan, 1 hour by car
This exquisite village in western Finistere occupies a sacred spot. It is named after a revered Irishman who settled here in the Dark Ages, but the place’s spiritual roots go back much further. From the late Middle Ages, sail-making brought prosperity and a handsome architectural legacy.
The beauty of the architecture stems from the success of local weavers who supplied fine sails not just to the French navy, but also to English and Spanish clients. Locronan’s grandest houses are mainly 18th century. As trade dried up Locronan stayed stuck in the past. Filmmakers have frequently used Locronan. Walk up the nearby summit for dramatic views to the Bay of Douarnenez. Locronon hosts one of Brittany's oldest pardons on the second Sunday in July.
The beauty of the architecture stems from the success of local weavers who supplied fine sails not just to the French navy, but also to English and Spanish clients. Locronan’s grandest houses are mainly 18th century. As trade dried up Locronan stayed stuck in the past. Filmmakers have frequently used Locronan. Walk up the nearby summit for dramatic views to the Bay of Douarnenez. Locronon hosts one of Brittany's oldest pardons on the second Sunday in July.
Pont-Croix
Pont-Croix on the Cap Sizun peninsula, 1.5 hrs
Point-Croix on the banks of the Goyen river can be found in the center of the Sizun penninsula. This ancient town was once the capital city of Brittany. The lanes are beautiful and the ancient buildings speak of lives past.
Walk the steep cobbled streets up to the church square and into the market square. Have a coffee at L’Assiettie du Cap. After coffee stroll the market place, see the churches and visit the Marquisat Breton Museum.
From here it is easy to visit the nature reserve of Cap Sizun on the coast or continue on to Pointe du Raz, the French version of Land's End.
Walk the steep cobbled streets up to the church square and into the market square. Have a coffee at L’Assiettie du Cap. After coffee stroll the market place, see the churches and visit the Marquisat Breton Museum.
From here it is easy to visit the nature reserve of Cap Sizun on the coast or continue on to Pointe du Raz, the French version of Land's End.
Roscoff
Chapelle Ste Barbe, Roscoff, 1 hour
Roscoff lies on a peninsula in Morlaix bay. It is a town of granite with a privateer past and a historic 16th-century heart. Its stonework exudes the past wealth of rich merchants.
Roscoff is famous for it's “Onion Johnnies”. This was the nickname given to the French farmers who sold the distinctive local pink onions door-to-door in the UK. They have their own museum, La Maison des Johnnies. The onions are celebrated during the mid-August Fete de l'Oignon Rose.
The historic heart of the town is often missed by people passing through from the ferry but it would be a pity not to spend a few hours visiting it. There are plent of restaurants and cafes, many with sea views.
Roscoff has sandy beaches and 19th century merchants' houses in the centre. The restored gothic church of Notre Dame de Croatz Batz is worth a visit. Another attraction is Le Jardin Exotique, with over 3,000 plant species including specimens from Australia, South Africa and Chile. The gardens have huge rockeries. From the highest point there is a panoramic view the Bay of Morlaix, Roscoff and Carantec. Take a boat trip to see the Chateau de Taureau from the jetty in the center of town or over to the Île de Batz.
Roscoff is famous for it's “Onion Johnnies”. This was the nickname given to the French farmers who sold the distinctive local pink onions door-to-door in the UK. They have their own museum, La Maison des Johnnies. The onions are celebrated during the mid-August Fete de l'Oignon Rose.
The historic heart of the town is often missed by people passing through from the ferry but it would be a pity not to spend a few hours visiting it. There are plent of restaurants and cafes, many with sea views.
Roscoff has sandy beaches and 19th century merchants' houses in the centre. The restored gothic church of Notre Dame de Croatz Batz is worth a visit. Another attraction is Le Jardin Exotique, with over 3,000 plant species including specimens from Australia, South Africa and Chile. The gardens have huge rockeries. From the highest point there is a panoramic view the Bay of Morlaix, Roscoff and Carantec. Take a boat trip to see the Chateau de Taureau from the jetty in the center of town or over to the Île de Batz.