Saint-Brieuc is a multi-faceted city shimmering in an array of colours. Set within a dazzling backdrop of its three green valleys and coastal footpaths, blue sea and beaches of golden sand are its multi-coloured Art Deco and Street Art gems… A vibrant, uplifting patchwork that’s sure to bring colour to your cheeks!
Click. Inspire. Go…
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Experience Saint-Brieuc
Half-timbered houses huddled around Saint-Guillaume Cathedral, majestic granite viaducts, shipowners’ grand town houses and a quirky blend of Art Deco & Street Art: Saint-Brieuc unveils an astonishing wealth of urban heritage! The Just Do Paint festival’s graffiti artists have turned the city into their playground, creating dozens of frescoes, some of which can be spied from Place Haute-du-Chai to Rue Saint-Goueno. These blend harmoniously in with the Art Deco style of the buildings and Odorico mosaics, not forgetting the must-see Maison Saint-Yves chapel: from floor to ceiling, a gloriously modern kaleidoscope of ochres, pinks and geometric shapes unfolds!
A city for coming out of your shell!
Is it treat o’clock yet? Welcoming café terraces, tempting eateries, you’re in the right place for a fun time out: enjoy drinks, indulge in delicious local produce (not least the bay’s iconic shellfish, scallops), shop in concept stores like Chez Simonne, mosey around a market (there are two huge ones each week, renowned for their famous delicacy: sausage wrapped in a buckwheat pancake) or gear up for some entertainment at Le Fût Chantant, Bonjour Minuit or La Passerelle! Happy times to be shared!
Another port of call, though of a different style entirely, is Légué marina, the bay’s entry port whose quays look out to sea. Bathed in a rich maritime past yet keeping breezily up with the times, boutiques, record shops, bars and restaurants abound: a picture-perfect setting for a walk or jog! To reach it from the centre, head along the 3km-long greenway through the lush-green Gouédic valley, Saint-Brieuc’s very own “Central Park”. But Saint-Brieuc is the city of three valleys (Douvenant and Gouët in addition to Gouédic), little pockets of refreshing greenery that tumble seawards. Above the harbour, don’t miss the Villa Rohannec’h, which commands stunning views over the bay.
Maison Saint-Yves chapel? From floor to ceiling, a gloriously modern kaleidoscope of ochres, pinks and geometric shapes unfolds!
Did you know?
Art Rock : music and good food in the open air
Every year, in mid-May, festival-goers flock to Art Rock. This multi-disciplinary festival has teamed up with Rock’n Toques, which serves the revellers locally-sourced street food, fine dining style, at affordable prices. At each event, an award-winning chef partners up with a headline act to rustle up a sensational menu!
Pressing the pause button in the nature reserve
In Légué, you’re on the doorstep of Brittany’s largest nature reserve. This is the world’s fifth largest bay for its impressive tidal ranges. In an ever-changing, rugged and wild landscape, shaped by small creeks and panoramic viewpoints, fauna and flora thrive alongside migratory birds. Head out in good company for a spot of shellfish gathering or birdwatching – more than a hundred species nest here – or why not a trip to the Bouchot mussels farm. Next stop, the Maison de la Baie heritage centre in Hillion for an in-depth insight into this unspoilt environment.
Eurostar will get you to Paris from London in 2 hours 16 minutes, then, thanks to the high-speed line, it now only takes 2 hours 15 minutes to get from Paris-Montparnasse to Saint-Brieuc on the TGV intercity rail service, and only 2 hours 8 minutes on Friday evenings (not stopping at Rennes). By car, it takes just over an hour to drive from the ferry port at St Malo, about 1 hour 20 minutes from Roscoff ferry terminal, and, using the RN 12 toll-free dual carriageway, the journey from Rennes takes just one hour. Saint-Brieuc’s bus station is served by the long-distance bus companies Flixbus and BlaBlaBus.
Travelling in and around Saint-Brieuc
You can hire bikes (preferably electric, as the hills are quite steep!) from the Rou’Libre shop, just outside the station.
Saint-Brieuc has a good bus network, known as the TUB, which allows you to reach all parts of the town and its suburbs. In summer, you can easily get to the beaches on the shuttle buses Breizhgo that serve the seaside resorts of Binic-Etables-sur-mer, Saint-Quay-Portrieux and the Small Town of Character, Quintin. To discover a little more of the Côtes d’Armor, they also lead you tranquilly to Paimpol or Cap Fréhel.
