AddThisWhen to Go and What to Do
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WHEN TO GO
Many of Brittany's best hotels and restaurants close for the winter months, so the prime time to visit is April through October (with the exception of August, the French national holiday, when the region is overcrowded).
GETTING THERE
Brittany's easternmost edge is a four-hour drive from Paris. The fastest route to Breton towns is to fly Air France to Rennes's St.-Jacques airport (RNS) via Paris, then rent a car.
WHERE TO STAY
Les Maisons de Bricourt
Olivier and Jane Roellinger offer rooms in a grand
1920's villa; a stately, ivy-covered stone house; or
renovated seamen's cabins. 1 Rue Duguesclin,
Cancale;
33-2/99-89-64-76; www.maisons-de-bricourt.com; doubles from
$192.
GREAT VALUE
Le Moulin de Rosmadec
This quaint four-room hotel rises on a
riverbank in Pont-Aven, an artists' haven
Gauguin visited regularly in the late
1880's.Venelle de Rosmadec, Pont-Aven;
33-2/98-06-00-22; doubles from $102.
L'Auberge Bretonne
Chef Jacques Thorel's wife, Solange, runs an inn above his
restaurant, with spacious rooms that exude old-money polish
and clubby charm.
2 Place Duguesclin, La Roche-Bernard; 33-2/99-90-60-28;
www.auberge-bretonne.com; doubles from $216.
WHERE TO EAT
O. Roellinger
Brittany's star chef transforms the region's raw
materials into contemporary haute cuisine.
1 Rue Duguesclin, Cancale;
33-2/99-89-64-76; dinner for two $280.
Le Chalut
Don't let the campy sea-shanty décor fool
you; the kitchen prepares delicious dishes from the
bounty of the local waters.
8 Rue de la Corne du Cerf, St.-Malo; 33-2/99-56-71-58; dinner for two $52.
Au Pied d'Cheval
The docks at Cancale are the ur–oyster experience,
but the market is short on comforts such as wine and
frites. This is the best of the bayfront oyster
houses.
10 Quai Gambetta, Cancale; 33-2/99-89-76-95; dinner for two $32.
Crêperie de la Passerelle
Set above the docks of the pretty port town of Douarnenez,
visit this crêperie for authentic buckwheat pancakes.
17 Blvd. Camille Réaud, Douarnenez; 33-2/98-92-
13-28; lunch for two $25.
L'Étrave
The legendary creamed lobster served in this
vaulted, no-frills dining room, not far from Brittany's
blustery Baie des Trépassés, is not
to be missed.
Rte. de la Pointe du Van,
Cléden-Cap-Sizun; 33-2/98-70-66-87; dinner for two
$120.
Erwan
Beneath the wacky skin of this bistro lies a beating Breton
heart. The chef cooks rib-sticking dishes like kig ha farz,
a landlubber's bouillabaisse.
1–3 Rue Aristide Briand, Quimper; 33-2/98-90-14-14;
dinner for two $44.
La Gaillotière
Among the Muscadet vineyards south of Nantes, Roellinger
protégé Benoît Debailly serves French
country cuisine with flashes of modern brilliance.
Château-Thébaud; 33-2/28-21-31-16;
dinner for two $42.
La Table d'Eugénie
Young chef-owner Erwann Hergué brings meticulous
technique to simple, fresh French food.
2 Rue des Dames, Rennes; 33-2/99-30-78-18; dinner for two $100.
Where to shop
Jean-Yves Bordier Beurrier et Fromager
Pick up provisions from this esteemed shop and picnic on
the St.-Malo seawall.B
9 Rue de l'Orme, St.-Malo; 33-2/99-40-88-79.
Vent de Voyage
This homey boutique makes stylish furnishings and tote bags
out of recycled sailcloth.
3 Rue St.-Thomas, St.-Malo; www.ventdevoyage.com;
33-2/99-20-17-91.
What to Do
Cidrerie Paul Coïc
Five miles northwest of Quimper, a first-generation cider
maker produces top-notch brews and distilled
lambigs.
Kerscouédic, Plonéis; 33-2/98-91-14-11.
Musée de la Faïence de Quimper
This compact museum brings to life the 300-plus years of
artisanal glazed-ware production in Quimper.
14 Rue Jean-Baptiste Bousquet, Quimper;
33-2/98-90-12-72; www.quimper-faiences.com.
Musée des Marais Salants
After chatting with salt panners in the marshes of
Guérande, drop in to learn how their
ancestors began harvesting the world's finest salt.
29 bis Rue Pasteur, Batz-sur-Mer; 33-2/40-23-82-79.
Oan's Pub
The Celtic origins of Breizh are audible in
the rollicking Friday-night live music sessions at this
pub, which is also serious about local beers.
1 Rue Georges Dottin, Rennes; 33-2/99-31-07-51.
What to Read
The Oysters of Locmariaquer
By Eleanor Clark. First published in 1964, this is a
compelling memoir of life among oyster gatherers in a
village on Brittany's south coast.
Aimer la Cuisine de Bretagne
By Jacques Thorel. The outstanding guide to the region's
cuisine includes recipes and stunning photographs
throughout.
Copyright © 2008, American Express Publishing. All rights reserved.
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