Day 1. We 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.

Image – Fabien from Pixabay

Day 2. It’s a great day to be in beautiful Quimper! Today we will begin with a visit to the Musée de la Faience. We will have at tour in English to understand the importance of manufacturing ceramics in Quimper.

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.
Visit the Musée des Beaux Arts, the Musée of Breton Culture, and the Cathedral.

Dinner as a group this evening.

Day 3. We will drive to Riec-sur-Belon, known worldwide for the quality of the oysters that are produced here. This area has been an inspiration for chefs and artists. Oyster tasting on the site.
Afterwards we will have delicious lunch at Chez Jacky with panoramic views over the Belon river.

After lunch we will depart for Pont Aven which was the home of the School of Pont Aven painters: Gaugin, Max Jacob, Serusier, Emile Bernard and more. We will visit to the museum this afternoon. The Musée Pont Aven is filled with paintings depicting life in Brittany, centered around 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 the Breton Butter cookies, the sardines, and the algae tapenade.

Return to Quimper late afternoon.

Dinner as a group this evening.

Day 4.

We will check out of the hotel and travel a short distance to the delightful town of Locronan for a leisurely morning discovering one of the most beautiful villages of France.

Lunch on your own in Locronan.

We will depart for Carnac after lunch.

Arrive in Carnac and check into our luxury hotel & wellness spa, less than a four minute walk to the beach! This will be our home for the next three nights.

You might like to take a leisurely stroll along the beach or take some time discovering the town center which has a village-feel with its many boutiques and cafes.

Dinner on your own today.

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. Choose a restaurant by the harbor or purchase some of the delicacies at the market for your lunch.

On our way back to Carnac, we will make a stop at the small Port of Saint Goustan in Auray, where in 1776, Benjamin Franklin was forced to seek shelter due to the windy sailing conditions as he made his way to Nantes to ask for help from France to help obtain American independence. This medieval port with its colorful houses is home to many artisans, cafes and boutiques.

Dinner as a group this evening.

Day 6. This morning we will depart Carnac for our sightseeing 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.

Following our cruise we will drive to the town of Josselin with its fairytale castle inside the medieval city walls.
Enjoy lunch on your own before we take a tour of the castle, the Doll museum and gardens.

Return to the hotel late afternoon.

Dinner as a group this evening.

Day 7. This morning, after we check out of the hotel, we will travel a short distance to visit the alignments at Carnac, the largest collection of megalithic standing stones in the world. Our local guide will explain the history and mystery of these ancient standing stones and megaliths which are older than the Pyramids and predate the Celts!
Wear good walking shoes! We will be walking in a field with grass and stones.

After the tour, which lasts about an hour, we will be rewarded with delicious group lunch.

We will continue onto Nantes and arrive late afternoon and check into our hotel.
Dinner on your own.

Day 8. Today is a free day for you to explore Nantes on your own.
You might like to visit the Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne, which is now the History of Nantes museum, or perhaps the Natural History Museum or the Musée Dobrée, the antique book and coin museum.

You may also like to stroll the elegant streets and discover the Passage Pommeraye with its many boutiques and delightful architecture.

Day 9. We will depart our hotel after breakfast and to walk to the Île des Machines de Nantes. On the way we will stop to visit the Museum of the Abolition of Slavery. At the site of Les Machines de l’Île we will enjoy the Giant Elephant as it takes its midday walk! See the Jules Vernes Carousel. You might like to go for a ride on one of the fabulous sea creatures later today! You may also like to operate these giant mechanical creatures!

After our activities here we will walk back to the center of Nantes together, where you will have some free time for lunch and the remainder of the afternoon to explore.

Tonight we will celebrate together and enjoy a delicious Bon Voyage dinner.

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

Day 10 continued… For our Extension tour guests, we will check out this morning and depart for Fougères.

En route we will visit the delightful Breton town of La Gacilly, home to the French health and beauty brand: Yves Rocher. The focus is very much on working with nature, conservation and the environment. We will visit the Maison de Yves Rocher for an interactive tour. This quaint town with its plethora of flower baskets decorating the town, is also a center for a variety of artisans.

Enjoy lunch at your leisure.

We will continue onto Fougères this afternoon and check into our hotel. The town is famous for its medieval fortress and castle with 13 towers.

Dinner as a group this evening.

Day 11.  A full day in charming Dinan! Depart the hotel at 09h15. 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 take a ride on the Petit Train and discover some of the history of this delightful Breton town.
Lunch on your own and free time to explore Dinan at your own pace.
Return to Fougères late afternoon.
Dinner on your own.

With thanks – Image by Andreas from Pixabay

Day 12. Today we will depart early to 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, followed by a 350 meter walk to enter the entry to the village.

The access to the Abbey is via the main street, lined with cafes, boutiques and historical points of interest. Good walking shoes are required today as the path is cobblestones and some inclines are steeper than others. Please note that there are 350 stairs during the walk up to and through the abbey and most without handrails. It is important to take your time!
There will be time for you to explore at your own pace.

You might like to stop for a mid-morning snack break in one of the cafes.

We will enjoy a group picnic lunch with a panoramic view!
Return to Fougères late afternoon.

Dinner on your own.

With many thanks to Lee Hatfield for this amazing image.

Day 13. We will check out of the hotel this morning. Before we depart Fougères, we will visit the castle and its ramparts.

Lunch on your own.

Depart for our hotel in Nantes after lunch.

We will arrive in Nantes and check into our hotel. There will be some free time before dinner.

Our final dinner together to celebrate a wonderful tour in Brittany this evening.

Image with thanks by Franck Barske from Pixabay

Day 14. 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 Nantes-Atlantique Airport (NTE) or Nantes (SNCF) train station per your departure schedule.