Last year’s road trip through France started in the north of Germany, from where we crossed Netherlands and the Belgian-French border in just one day. After a long day of driving we arrived to Normandy and spent the next days discovering its beautiful coastline, slowly moving west. At Mont-Saint-Michel, we crossed the virtual border into Brittany, which was actually our main destination. Dramatic cliffs, luxurious villas, medieval fishing villages, dreamy beaches and islands, interesting architecture, cider, galettes, and much more. And those magical shades of blue and green! We were definitely not disappointed. On the contrary, we were quite impressed! We drove almost the entire coast from east to west and further south before continuing all the way to the Ile de Re island near La Rochelle. In this super comprehensive post you can read about the most beautiful and interesting places in Brittany, including those that we have saved for our next visit.
Visited: Mont Saint-Michel, Cancale, Saint Malo, Dinard, Cap Frehel, Cap d’Erquy, Pleneuf Val Andre, Paimpol, Ile de Brehat, Plougrescant, Trestringel, Trestraou, Saint Guirec, Ploumanac’h, Tregastel, Roscoff, Ile de Batz, Brest, Crozon, Locronan, Pointe du Van, Pointe du Raz, Quimper, Beg Meil, Concarneau, Plage de Tahiti, Quiberon, Carnac, Morbihan, Vannes, Plage de Lomer, Plage Min d’Or, Guerande, Ile de Noirmoutier, Ile de Re
How: with our LR Defender and roof top tent
Stayed in: campsites, in a castle and tourist farms
WE TRAVELLED TO BRITTANY WHEN MILA WAS 3 MONTHS OLD. READ MORE ABOUT OUR TRIP & BRITTANY WITH KIDS IN THIS POST.
READ MORE ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ROAD TRIP AND OUR TIME IN NORMANDY IN ANOTHER POST BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW
more about NormandyMONT SAINT -MICHEL | mystical UNESCO protected monastery town
I’m starting with the most well-known tourist attraction in these parts, the famous MEDIEVAL MONASTERY, which with its associated buildings forms a spectacular place on an island. MONT SAINT-MICHEL, who hasn’t heard of this mysterious place? I admit, I was endlessly looking forward to the visit, even though I knew that this might be the most touristy place on our trip. But, unfortunately, the weather hasn’t been on our side here. Those of you who read the article from Normandy already know that we decided to drive due to heavy rain and fog. We agreed we would most probably not enjoy visiting it with Mila on such a day. So we’ll have to come back one day.
Otherwise, a VISIT is possible only according to a special protocol and only at certain hours of the day, when the sea recedes, as the difference between high and low tide in these places can reach up to 8 meters. Thus, the island, on which only about 40 inhabitants live, is cut off from the mainland and access is not always possible. It is therefore necessary to leave the car in a special PARKING LOT and either take the shuttle bus, bike or walk to the entry point.
CANCALE | Brittany’s oysters capital
So we continued along the coast to the beautiful FISHING TOWN OF CANCALE. The sun came out again and we treated us with delicious lunch after a lovely walk while admiring PICTURESQUE HOUSES.
Stopping in Cancale wasn’t a coincidence thought. The town is famous as the CAPITAL OF OYSTERS, producing around 25,000 tons of oysters per year. And a visit to the famous OYSTER MARKET or MARCHE AUX HUITRES is really something special, even if you are not the biggest fan of shellfish. At numerous market stalls you can try oysters of different sizes, usually ordering 3, 6 or 12 pieces. They can also mix a couple of different ones for you on a larger plate.
The best part of it all is that you can also buy something good to drink and a fresh baguette (in addition to which you also get salted butter) at the special stands on the same market, sit right on the beach or a nearby bench and enjoy this authentic CULINARY EXPERIENCE while observing the locals passing by. Also, it is totally okay to throw empty shells straight into the sea. This was an excellent simple tasty lunch, we paid €18 for two trays of oysters and €16 for a bottle of Chablis wine.
SAINT MALO, DINARD AND DINAN | 3 historical interesting towns
Since it was still relatively early, we decided to make a quick stop in two interesting coastal towns, SAINT MALO and DINARD. However, if you go another 30 km south, you can also visit DINAN. In the seaside town of SAINT MALO, in addition to the CITY WALLS and architecturally interesting buildings in the center, you can also see a wonderful, historically important PORT with ferry connections to the islands of JERSEY and GUERNSEY and some cities in southern England. The resort town of DINARD is located literally on the other side of Saint Malo, at the mouth of the Rance River into the ENGLISH CHANNEL. There are plenty of beautiful houses, mansions and castles, as well as a large sandy bay right in the heart of the town. We skipped visiting DINAN this time, but if you have time you should not miss its famous medieval castle CHATEAU DE DINAN, which also houses a museum, the MONASTERY, BASILICA, TOWER and more and more. We ended the day on the beautiful CAP FREHEL peninsula, but more on the latter below.
RENNES | picturesque capital of Bretagne
If you drive another hour south from DINAN, you can see the historic town of RENNES, which is also the CAPITAL OF BRITTANY. We skipped it this time because we thought the detour was too long and we preferred to drive along the coast, but otherwise the city is a popular spot for many visitors to Brittany. Rennes is famous for its beautiful multicolored MEDIEVAL BUILDINGS, built in the typical TIMBER FRAMING HOUSES. There are around 300 of them, which places Rennes at the very top of French cities famous for such buildings. Otherwise, here you can see the mighty entrance to the city of PORTES MORDELAISES, the famous PLACE DES LICES market, which is the second largest in the country, the town square, the town hall and the parliament building, numerous museums, galleries, the cathedral and other churches and much more.
CAP FREHEL | wild cape covered with pink heather fields and pine trees
We ended the interesting day at the last camp site on the CAP FREHEL PENINSULA, which captivated us at first sight. Beautiful CLIFFS, hidden coves with SANDY BEACHES, blooming HEATHER FIELDS, fragrant PINE TREES and the blue sea in the background. Wonderful! The camp site was almost empty, we caught the last week before it officially closes for the winter. In general, we slept in camp sites many times on this road trip. Partly because this was the first road trip of this kind with the then 3-month-old Mila, but also partly because, despite traveling outside the main season, it was simply not possible to find suitable places without height restrictions or places for wild camping. Luckily the camp sites were all great and due to off season not crowdy at all, we usually paid around 15€ per night which seemed a very good price to us.
The next day we started EXPLORING THE PENINSULA, we visited a couple of beaches and walked to the mighty LIGHTHOUSE at the end of the cape. There is a paid parking lot here, but otherwise there are no other entrance fees. There are lots of idyllic WALKING AND CYCLING TRAILS around the entire peninsula, if you have your own bikes it’s a real little paradise.
CAP D`ERQUY | smaller cape with many hiking paths
We continued along the coast to the east and decided to visit this smaller peninsula, which charmed us with its unspoiled nature, walking trails and wonderful views as well. Once again we were greeted by beautiful carpets of pink heather, pine trees and cliffs. You can walk along the marked CIRCULAR WALKING PATH, there are two parking lots available. Really nice and also less visitors compared to Cap Frehel.
PLENEUF-VAL-ANDRE | coastal spa town
We made our next stop in the pleasant spa town of PLENEUF-VAL-ANDRE, but it was only because we visited friends here for lunch. Here we also treated ourselves to this famous cake, with a slightly unusual name, KOUIGN-AMANN. In Breton, “kouign” means cake and butter is called “amann”. It is a real sugar bomb made of multi-layered puff pastry with butter and sugar. But I loved it despite the fact that I’m really not into sweets. It’s worth a try!
PAIMPOL AND ILE DE BREHAT | great views and boat trip to the islands in the bay
We ended the day at a campsite in PAIMPOL, which is located on the mainland opposite a GROUP OF ISLANDS, the largest of which is called ILE DE BREHAT. Again, wonderful places, we also spotted many still blooming HYDRANGES bushes, which are one of the trademarks of Brittany. Combined with the turquoise sea and interesting rocky islets, the surroundings of the camp were a feast for the eyes.
From POINTE DE L’ARCOUEST point, you can take one of the many excursion boats to PORT CLOS on the south side of the largest island of Ile de Brehat in just15 minutes, or you can opt for a ONE-HOUR CIRCULAR PANORAMIC BOAT RIDE around the island. A wonderful short trip where you can admire smaller islets, see the lighthouse on the north side of the island, and a lot of interesting birds in between. The famous COTE DE GRANIT ROSE coast, which got its name after the pink granite rocks, begins somewhere here, and we were excited to discover more of it in the following days.
LE GOUFFRE DE PLOUGRESCANT | fairytale house between two rocks and hiking in the bay area
Is this the most romantic house you’ve ever seen? I remember thinking about how it would be to live here, write books, drink wine and eat oysters every day the first time I saw this place. Well, maybe I would get tired of being alone soon, but I definitely wouldn’t mind it for a couple of weeks. This very special house is located in PLOUGRESCANT BAY and it is privately owned, so you can only see it from a distance. It can be reached via one of the walking paths from the parking lot, on maps you can find it under the name “Maison du Gouffre de Plougrescant”, “La petite maison entre les rochers” or simply “Castel Meur”.
Otherwise, this unique house is just one of many interesting motifs around here. The scenery around here is absolutely beautiful, even if we are only talking about ‘rocks’. I recommend at least a couple of hours for a long walk and enjoying the views.
PERROS – GUIREC | impressive coastline and one of the prettiest parts of Brittany
PERROS – GUIREC is considered one of the most famous areas on the coast of Brittany and together with its three beautiful sandy beaches (TRESTRINGEL, TRESTRAOU and SAINT GUIREC) attracts many tourists throughout the year. The wonderful GR 34 HIKING ROUTE, known as the SENTIER DES DOUANIERS, which translates as “customs officer’s path”, also leads through here. If you have about two months, you can walk the entire route, but otherwise it is worth walking at least one part. The most beautiful views and a really impressive coastline.
And not only the coast and natural resources, the architecture is also beautiful here. At every corner, you will be surprised by a fairy-tale house with a beautiful lush garden. Really really nice. In general, Brittany seemed to me to be quite rich, there are many huge beautifully restored farms and estates, while the small towns are anyway very nicely arranged.
PLOUMANAC`H | an absolute “must see” despite many visitors
I admit, it was difficult to choose our stops on this part of the coast, because it is simply so very beautiful, fabulous and special everywhere. Of course, we didn’t have time for everything, but we still enjoyed the beauty of many places. PLOUMANAC’H is certainly one of those more visited spots and we couldn’t skip it either. Despite the really large number of visitors on that warm September day and the fact that we are usually trying to avoid the crowds, we had a lovely time here. Well, after we finally found a free parking spot that is.
A short walk through the cute town of Ploumanac’h and we were already admiring the granite rocks in the bay of SAINT GUIREC. Just wow! Years ago we were in the Seychelles, and this coast visually strongly reminded us of the bays there. Well, the water temperature was of course significantly lower – swimming is only for the bravest. And the palm trees are also missing, but still. If you have the time and will, I highly recommend DISCOVERING THE BAY WITH A RENTED KAYAK.
Because Mila was still so small, we decided to skip the kayaking experience and walk along the CHEMINS DES ROCHES WALKING TRAIL instead. The path led us to the MEAN RUZ LIGHTHOUSE where the famous PINK GRANITE ROCKS really shine in all their beauty. If you have the time it might be even more beautiful if you come at sunset.
We treated ourselves to a TRADITIONAL “GALETTE” here. Galettes, a kind of thin savory pancakes made from buckwheat flour, originate from these places, and they are one of those things you absolutely must try during your visit. The toppings are somewhat reminiscent of pizza, traditionally there is grated cheese, ham, mushrooms and an egg on top. Of course, with a spoonful of butter. Everything is folded or rolled into a roll just before serving. A really tasty street snack, but the French like to prepare this at home for dinner as well. For an even more authentic experience, order a bubbly apple cider with it.
TREGASTEL | more dreamy bays with sandy beaches
Another wonderful spot for all lovers of WHITE SANDY BEACHES, and in the town you can also visit the AQUARIUM. It was this view from one of the surrounding cliffs that fascinated us the most.
ROSCOFF | port town and starting point for visiting Ile de Batz island
A strategically important small seaside town, from where you can also catch a ferry to Ireland or the UK. From a tourist point of view, it is probably best known as a stepping stone to the beautiful island of ILE DE BATZ, but there are still some attractions in the city itself. Roscoff is important for its production of SEA GRASS and MARITIME TRADE, and is also known as the historical center of THALASSOTHERAPY.
ILE DE BATZ | magical island with a special micro climate
You can reach ILE DE BATZ island in just 15 minutes from the town of ROSCOFF. Beautiful white sandy BEACHES and turquoise bays, a very special microclimate, SEA GRASS BREEDING GROUNDS, lush exotic GARDENS and panoramic seaside WALKING PATHS are guaranteed to impress you! We skipped it this time, because the weather not the best again, but we will definitely visit it at the next opportunity.
BREST | the largest city in this parts of Brittany
We only drove through but skipped the stop in by far the largest city in this part of Brittany this time. I am mentioning it anyway, because it is an important port and metropolitan area due to its rich history. In an otherwise quite industrial city, you can visit the OCEANOPOLIS aquarium, the MARITIME MUSEUM, the warehouses of LES ATELIERS DE CAPUCINS, the medieval towers in the port of MOTTE TANGUY, many museums and galleries, parks and gardens.
CROZON | rocy peninsula with great hiking and cycling paths
The CROZON PENINSULA is located opposite the town of BREST so it is really just a short drive away. We first drove to its northern part and stretched our legs on a short walk to the point POINTE DES ESPAGNOLS. It felt good to walk, but otherwise this part of the peninsula didn’t seem like anything special to us. It was more beautiful or more interesting on the other side, where we first stopped at the PEN HIR point. Beautiful cliffs and rocks protruding from the rough sea.
You can see a couple of lighthouses and a war memorial along the coastal road on the way here, as well as many bays with a sandy beach. Further to the southwest, we liked CAP DE LA CHEVRE the most, where there are also many wonderful WALKING TRAILS. In general, the entire peninsula is a true HIKER’S PARADISE. We most wanted to go to the beach PLAGE DE L’ILE VIERGE, but access was unfortunately prohibited due to the danger of falling stones.
LOCRONAN | one of the most beautiful French villages
Despite our general plan to drive along the coast, we wandered into the interior here and there as we absolutely could not miss some of the typical villages. And LOCRONAN is definitely one of the most charming ones. Even officially, as it was on the list of THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FRENCH VILLAGES.
The town is otherwise CLOSED TO MOTOR TRAFFIC, which means that you have to leave your vehicle in one of the parking lots on the outskirts. Despite the €4 parking fee, I recommend a visit to see all those countless cute houses, handicraft shops, a famous church, authentic restaurants and bars where you can try local specialties and more. It is especially beautiful when the HYDRANGES are BLOOMING.
We took advantage of the rainy weather that afternoon and decided to stay in a hotel instead of a camp site for a change. And we found a very special place to stay – WE SLEPT IN THE CASTLE! There are many privately owned castles in France, and many of them have been converted into boutique hotels. The overnight stay was, of course, significantly more expensive than our usual overnight stays at the campsites, but for such special occasions we found it acceptable.
POINTE DU VAN & POINTE DU RAZ | wild landscapes and some of the most western points of France
Some of the MOST WESTERN POINTS of continental France surprised us with wild coastlines and magnificent views, even though the day was kind of gray and cloudy. We were enchanted by the dramatic cliffs, hiking trails, bays ideal for SURFING (especially the PLAGE DE LA BAIE DES TREPASSES beach) and idyllic houses in the area west of Quimper.
We stopped at one of the roadside picnic areas with tables and benches for a coffee break and a snack while we enjoyed the views in peace as there was nobody else around.
QUIMPER | nice smaller town known for its pottery tradition
The town of QUIMPER is the capital of the french department of FINISTERE and thus an important center, also famous for its POTTERY TRADITION. As a result, we find here many BOUTIQUE SHOPS with handmade products, galleries and museums, and of course also picturesque streets full of interesting houses.
BEG MEIL | wonderful white sandy beach
Ahhhh the beach! And not just any kind of beach, this one was a really nice one. The sun was hot and that September afternoon seemed more like a hot July afternoon, so we even took a swim in the otherwise colder Atlantic. Meanwhile, Mila was enjoying the comfortable warm sand in the shade of one of the rocks. We found this beach by complete coincidence, but it was really beautiful.
Since we also have a mini kitchen in our Defender, we mostly prepared our own breakfasts, lunches and dinners on this road trip as well. Preparing a quick salad right in the parking lot, buying a loaf of fresh bread from the nearby bakery and grabbing a refreshing drink from our mini-fridge and we’re all set for a picnic at the beach.
Let me quickly write a few more lines on the topic of TRAVELING THROUGH THE NORTH OF FRANCE WITH A BABY. Sometimes I forget that maybe someone actually wonders how it looks like. For us, it is completely normal and we don’t find it specifically challenging compared to our usual life back home. With such a small baby, who in our case is still breastfeeding, there is nothing much to complicate. She sleeps, she eats and she plays in between. The best thing is, she can’t really move and roll around yet, so she stays where you put her. Otherwise, there are also pharmacies, bakeries, playgrounds and other infrastructure not too far away all the time. So I would say it is a top destination for a road trip with a baby. The campsites are also well-kept, the stops on the beaches are great. I recommend a baby carrier though, as there are a lot of hiking trails and old cobblestones in the villages, which are not the most suitable for strollers.
ILES DE GLENAN | a boat trip to a group of smaller islands with Caribbean vibes
These beautiful islets will also have to wait for our next visit as we decided against taking this trip due to the moody weather and strong winds. Ideally we would want to squeeze in an overnight stay at one of these paradise islands with a Caribbean feel. Otherwise, you can also take a ONE DAY BOAT TRIP from one of the following places: BEG MEIL, BENODET, CONCARNEAU, LOCTUDY, PORT-LA-FORET or TREGNUC. We will definitely come back and visit them at the next opportunity, because they look really dreamy!
CONCARNEAU | historical center of shipbuilding
We also had a quick look at the PORT TOWN OF CONCARNEAU, which is divided into two parts – the modern part on the mainland and the medieval, walled part on the long island in the middle of the harbor called VILLE CLOSE. The city is famous as an important historical CENTER OF SHIPBUILDING, every year in the month of August the FETE DES FILETS BLEUS (Festival of Blue Fishing Nets) festival has been held here since over 100 years already.
PLAGE DE TAHITI | staying in a campsite at a beach with a promising name
I don’t know how you plan your trips and travels, but in addition to reading travelogues, I usually spend a lot of time on Google maps, looking for some less-known spots and hidden gems. And when the name PLAGE DE TAHITI appeared there, I of course had to mark it on my printed out map. It’s certainly not called “Tahitian Beach” for nothing, I thought.
That’s why we chose to stay overnight in the nearest campsite, which was a bit too big for our taste though, but at the end of September, at least 80% of the pitches were free which made it a lot better. Did a nice walk to the bay and around the fields in the afternoon and enjoyed being there almost completely alone. Though I have to admit, despite this place being a nice beach, we have seen nicer ones on our trip so far.
QUIBERON | beautiful peninsula with dramatical cliffs and remote bays
Time for a new peninsula, this time we explored QUIBERON, on which the town of the same name is located. And we left absolutely thrilled! What we liked most was the famous wild coast of the COTE SAUVAGE in the south of the peninsula, from where ferries to the island of BELLE-ILE-EN-MER and the island of ILE D’HOUAT also depart.
The peninsula is 14 km long, but it is connected to the mainland only by a narrow strip of sand dune along which the road also runs. Here we also find a whole series of beautiful bays, two harbors (PORT MARIA and PORT HALIGUEN), CHATEAU TURPAULT castle, which is closed to the public, and countless fairy-tale houses. You can also visit a small museum dedicated to the history of the peninsula.
On the peninsula, we again find a huge number of HIKING and CYCLING TRAILS, and for the most beautiful view of the surrounding islets, we head to the extreme south, all the way to POINTE DU CONGUEL. Otherwise, don’t miss the beaches around SAINTE-PIERRE and PENTHIEVRE. Awesome!
CARNAC MEGALITI | over 3000 historical stones
Although Charlie didn’t quite understand why we have to go look at these “piles of stones” I was really keen to visit the CARNAC MEGALITHS. We arrived early in the morning and there were already a few groups of tourists but we could still pull of a peaceful hike between the fields of stones arrays, dolmens, tumuli, menhirs – over 3,000 prehistoric CARVED GRANITE STONES, erected by pre-Celtic people in the Neolithic period, form the BIGGEST COLLECTION OF THIS KIND IN THE WORLD.
You can see everything on your own, like we did, or you can join a GUIDED TOUR, where you will also be taken by minibus to the more remote locations of a total of three sites.
GOLFE DU MORBIHAN | a massive bay with islands and endless cycling paths
MORBIHAN BAY, which stretches between the towns of VANNES, AURAY, ARZON and SARZEAU, impressed us, even if we only spent the late afternoon, evening and part of the morning the next day here. We camped in a beautiful location in a private CAMP and admired the shimmering rays of the sun at sunset. The name “Mor bihan” means “little sea” and in the bay itself there are MANY ISLANDS, some of which you can visit by ferries and fast ships – the most famous are ILE AUX MOINES and ILE D’ARZ.
The area is also a paradise for BIRD WATCHING, and you can also check out the many OYSTER FARMS. Just wandering among the countless smaller marinas where sailboats are anchored can be interesting on its own – in fact, there are over 100 km of MARKED WALKING TRAILS in the vicinity of the bay (in addition to numerous cycling trails).
VANNES | another cute medieval town
One of the most beautiful MEDIEVAL WALLED TOWNS in the south of Brittany is definitely worth (at least a quick) visit, especially if you have bicycles with you, as there are a lot of CYCLE PATHS around here. A university town with many promenades and a port, it is also the capital of the MORBIHAN AREA, there is no shortage of excellent authentic restaurants, bars and historical sites.
PLAGE DE LOMER | lonely bays and wild coastal landscapes
Near PENESTIN, we discovered another beautiful beach, called PLAGE DE LOMER. Beautiful scenery in all the peace and quiet you can imagine. We found a remote parking lot after a short drive on a mud road and did a hike on a narrow path above the cliffs before descending down to the bay and checking out the beaches below.
Maybe it sounds like nothing special, but for us it was a paradise spot. It’s definitely a good place to stop and stretch your legs while driving, especially if you love good views.
PLAGE MIN D’OR | “the golden beach” with picturesque orange cliffs
Sometimes the most beautiful places are the ones we find just like that, on the way, true? We had never heard of this beach or these cliffs before, nor had we marked them on our printed out map in advance. Basically, we stopped because we were getting hungry and we needed to go to the bathroom. We blindly followed the sign for the beach, where this beauty awaited us.
It is located in the vicinity of PENESTIN, around which we can find many other beautiful sandy beaches. On this approximately 2 km long stretch of beach, surrounded by “golden cliffs”, gold was actually mined in the 19th century. The most beautiful light is at sunset, so if you have the time, I recommend a visit in the late afternoon. The CHEMIN DES DOUANIERS hiking trail also passes here. Otherwise, Penestin is famous for its delicious MUSSELS, CLAMS and other SHELLFISH, so I recommend lunch or dinner in one of the restaurants here to all seafood lovers.
GUERANDE | world known salt pans
The official border of Brittany is a little north of these world-famous GUERANDE SALT MARSHES, but since we continued our journey along the coast to the south, all the way to the island of Ile de Re, I am including these last few days of our trip in this post. So now we are already in PAYS DE LA LOIRE, with the city of NANTES as its capital. These places are much more familiar to me personally, but I visited these beautiful salt flats for the first time.
The walls of the town of Guerande have 4 entrances, next to the main one there is also a MUSEUM. In addition to the walls, the museum and the church, it is also nice to see the very special market. Otherwise, it’s best to hit one of the many WALKING – CYCLING TRAILS among the picturesque salt flats. A truly photogenic landscape, with white towers of salt and glistening pools of water, sometimes blue-green, but also pink and grey. Those of you who have a little more time can treat yourself to guided tours, but for those who are in a hurry, I recommend at least driving along the D92, D45 and D774 roads.
The visual image of the SALT MARSHES, where salt was produced by the ancient Romans, was also marked throughout history by the construction of defensive walls, and the entire area is now an important tourist spot, where TRADITIONAL SALT MAKING still takes place.
ILE DE NOIRMOUTIER | a short break on a popular holiday island near Nantes
Moving on, we arrived in a new region again, namely VENDEE, whose capital is the city of LA ROCHE-SUR-YON. The island of Noirmoutier was not originally planned, but we decided to have a spontaneous family “reunion” with one part of our French family and Noirmoutier seemed like the best place to meet. For a couple of days we chilled a beautiful house located in a pine forest not far from the beach.
On this interesting 25km long and between only 500m and 15km wide island, we primarily intended to rest, eat well and get enough sun and vitamin D. So we didn’t explore too much here, but we did see the MAIN TOWN, SALT PANS and a good number of BEACHES, with PLAGE DES DAMES being the most famous one. For culinary gourmets, there is also a two-star restaurant on the island, LA MARINE. I can say with certainty that the most beautiful part of the island is right at the top, that is, in the northern part and this is also where we spent the most of our time.
Otherwise, the island is connected to the mainland by a short BRIDGE, but at certain times (when the tide is low) it is possible to drive to avoid taking the bridge and reaching the mainland on a narrow “SEA ROAD” which is a very special experience. We took this road on our way back and did not regret it.
ILE DE RE | family time at our second home
Annnd we arrived at our destination, a little further south, in the department of CHARENTE – MARITIME. For those of you who don’t know yet, ILE DE RE ISLAND is where Charlie is from, so a part of my maternity leave was spent here spending time with family & friends, enjoying the beach and all that amazing seafood. I have already visited the island many many times, so there is already a longer article on the blog, which you can read by clicking on the button below.
I admit, neither Normandy nor Brittany were somehow at the top of my list of places I want to visit. I don’t know why myself, but the world is huge and if I ever thought about a road trip through France, I would somehow always choose south of France. So if we were not visiting our family with a car from Germany and had unlimited amount of days we can spend on the trip, we would probably still never visit these parts of the country until today. Well that goes for me, as Charlie has already been here a few times before. Now that we’ve driven this route, all I can say is wow, what a great choice for a road trip! Such beautiful parts of Europe, we will gladly come again sometime and discover something we haven’t seen now. Maybe I’ve inspired some of you to put Normandy and Brittany on your radar as well 🙂
