A nature getaway in the great outdoors with cultural surprises aplenty

From Rennes to Brest, a 4-day jaunt through inland Brittany

Travel from Rennes to Brest through the green heartlands of Brittany! From Brocéliande Forest to the ocean, point the compass west for four days of sightseeing amidst enchanting green countryside home to a wealth of heritage. There are surprises and fascinating detours galore for a delightfully refreshing cultural adventure!

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Rennes - Josselin

Estimated distance & journey time: 80 km (50 miles) – 1h10 by car

Step

01 Step 01

Set off from Rennes

Get your trip off to a bracing start in the Breton capital, which not only boasts a vibrant urban cultural scene but is also one of France’s greenest cities! Even greener pastures await just a stone’s throw away!

Rennes

Rennes basks in a buzzing yet laidback vibe, against an eclectic backdrop of half-timbered houses, concept stores, exhibitions, street art and Art Nouveau. With its lively café terraces, friendly local pubs and fine dining restaurants, the city really is a feast for the eyes and the taste buds!

Brittany’s capital

02 Step 02

Brocéliande Forest

A forest steeped in legend, where secret castles slumber beneath lakes and venerable trees have a calming presence… Fall under the spell of a natural wonderland shimmering in entrancing colours! Magical!

The call of the forest

03 Step 03

Spend the night in Josselin

Drift off to sleep in this riverside town awash with charm, a recognised Petite Cité de Caractère! The mediaeval castle, cutting such a dashing figure alongside the canal, is an unforgettable sight. Explore the town in a wholly original and relaxing way by hiring paddleboards, kayaks or canoes!

The formidable castle!

Where to stay in Josselin

Jour 2 : Josselin – Pontivy

Estimated distance & journey time: 80 km (50 miles) – 1h10 by car

Step

01 Step 01

Set off from Josselin

A day in the footsteps of the Rohans, the powerful Breton benefactors who had the castles of Josselin and Pontivy built. Not far away you’ll find a haven of greenery… where sculptures grow.

02 Step 02

Bignan, Domaine de Kerguehennec

This eighteenth-century country estate is set within one of the largest sculpture parks in Europe. From the wood to the stables and the greenhouses, 40 major contemporary artworks play hide-and-seek in the open-air. An exhilarating experience for the imagination!

The garden bursting with art

03 Step 03

Spend the night in Pontivy

The impressive fifteenth-century fortress watches proudly over the town … and your sleep! Take a guided tour around it, before admiring the corbelled houses in the old town – contrasting strikingly with the nearby Napoleonic buildings lining the wide, straight avenues.

Napoléonville this way

Where to stay in Pontivy

Pontivy – Huelgoat

Estimated distance & journey time: 87 km (54 miles) – 1h15 by car

Step

01 Step 01

Set off from Pontivy

This captivating landscape is a treasure-trove of art, nature and sacred heritage, a dazzling place to be savoured before heading out along the Chemin des écoliers towards the Monts d’Arrée.

02 Step 02

The Blavet Valley

What a green and pleasant land this valley south of Pontivy is! And one brimming with surprises, starting with its little chapels, nestling within leafy scenery. In the summer, they stage larger-than-life exhibits by prominent contemporary artists. Don’t miss Saint-Gildas Chapel!

When religious architecture meets contemporary art

03 Step 03

Guéméné-sur-Scorff

Time to make a quick pit-stop to taste the local speciality: Andouille de Guéméné, a delicious Breton chitterling sausage you can find at the Maison de l’Andouille and local food markets. Served with a traditional buckwheat pancake and craft beer from the Monts d’Arrée… it’s an absolute treat!

A charming little town with a famous culinary delicacy

04 Step 04

Le Faouët

You have to see Sainte-Barbe Chapel with your own eyes to fully appreciate this architectural feat, perched amidst the forest-carpeted rocks! After admiring this tucked-away stone gem, be sure to pop into the museum too, on the corner of the town’s splendid market square.

A lush-green Far West

You’ll be tickled pink by a visit to Trévarez

Overlooking the Aulne Valley, this turn-of-the-twentieth-century pink-brick country seat is graced with sweeping gardens, striking Art Nouveau features and remarkable stables, which regularly play host to temporary exhibitions and festivals.

Domaine de Trévarez

05 Step 05

Spend the night in Huelgoat

Known as “Brittany’s Fontainebleau” (after the famous forest just outside Paris), Huelgoat’s woodland is a beguiling place where the mystical jumble of boulders and intriguing rock formations has inspired countless tales. The village, meanwhile, has a lovely café-bookshop and the Ecole des Filles gallerry!

River Argent and mythical forest

Where to stay in Huelgoat

Huelgoat – Les Monts d’Arrée - Brest

Estimated distance & journey time: 91 km (56 miles) – 1h45 by car

Step

01 Step 01

Set off from Huelgoat

Before reaching the coast, soak up the spellbinding hills of the Monts d’Arrée, along the Circuit des Roc’hs trail with breathtaking views … or Brennilis, the village by the Yeun Elez marshland, known as the Gates of Hell!

02 Step 02

monts-darree-dans-mediatheque-max-coquard-bestjobers-gal.jpg

The Monts d’Arrée

Welcome to Brittany’s very own Himalayas. This windswept wilderness of salt, rocks and moors is wholly deserving of its reputation, its highest peak culminating at 385 metres. An invigorating change of scene guaranteed, abounding with legends and views that are out of this world.

"Into the wild" in Brittany’s green heartlands

The little church on the hillside

St-Michel-de-Brasparts Chapel is open once again to visitors after extensive renovation work. A modest eighteenth-century building that wears its stunning location lightly – despite boasting sweeping views all the way to the coast – not to mention its furniture, which has been entirely redesigned by Ronan Bouroullec. Photo opp alert!

03 Step 03

Daoulas

On your way to the bay of Brest, you won’t be able to resist this pretty mediaeval harbour with its babbling brooks and picturesque stone dwellings. From April, the outdoor photo exhibition Balades photographiques can be enjoyed through the town as far as the Abbey’s listed gardens.

A glorious port of call!

04 Step 04

Landerneau

The highlight in this historically-rich town, betwixt river and ocean, is its inhabited bridge, one of the rare few in Europe. It’s named after the Royans, those Breton nobles again! So you see, you’ve come full circle. Fabulous contemporary art exhibitions at the Fonds Hélène & Edouard Leclerc.

A thriving cultural hub

05 Step 05

Brest

Overlooking one of France’s most beautiful bays, the city of Brest is decked out in Modernism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, inventive community venues and a superstar aquarium. You’ll definitely want to linger awhile, the longer the better!

The ends of the earth right on your doorstep