Art in the great outdoors | Brittany tourism

When parks, gardens, lakes and forests become stages for the creations born of the imagination of contemporary artists, a walk becomes a cultural exploration. The enjoyment of walking and aesthetic emotions intertwine. Fabulous animals, human figures or abstract constructions play with scales and materials and reinvent the places they take over. Here’s a demonstration in six noteworthy suggestions!

In the blink of an eye

1. Follow the Ribin paths

Côte des Légendes, accessible all year round

Near Morlaix, on the Côte des Légendes, rocks, fountains and hollow trees have given rise to fabulous tales handed down from generation to generation. They form a singular geography, to which astonishing works of art bear witness today. As you stroll along the Côte des Légendes hiking trails, open your eyes and let your imagination run wild. Have you spotted the enormous dragon’s egg at Pointe de Pontusval, with its fifty or so burnt-wood facets and gilded interior, where you can rest with a breathtaking view of the lighthouse? Along the Poul Sant-Dider path that leads to the Plouider washhouse, why do we get the feeling we’re being watched? Does nature have eyes? In Ploudaniel, at the Château de Trébodennic, a brightly coloured painted sculpture awaits you. A combination of a menhir, a chateau and a turret, it tells a legend that we’ll leave you to discover for yourself. Follow the ribin’ (a Breton word for small paths) with a light heart and lots of dreams!

Les Ribin de l’imaginaire (fr.)

Where to sleep : L’hôte antique in Brignogan-Plages

2. Château des Pères sculpture park

Piré-sur-Seiche, open all year.

At Château des Pères near Rennes, creation is essential and the sculpture park is one of its emblems. In the 31-hectare castle grounds, the sculptures, which are often figurative and sometimes abstract, inhabit the lawns, the undergrowth, the water features, etc. There is even a metal diver launching herself above the lake. A little further, David and Goliath, earth-coloured monumental bodies, introduce a barbaric note to the bucolic orchard setting. A place of life and culture, open to everyone, the park has a collection of several dozens of creations by well-known national and international artists. To discover over the seasons, before or after a tasty break in the castle restaurant.

Château des Pères sculpture park

Where to sleep : L’Essenciel

3. Etangs d’Art (Art Lakes)

Ille-et-Vilaine, summer 2024

Head for the Etangs d’Art. A biennial land art event inviting artists to create works of art on the (fresh) waters of Brittany. Each edition is as much a technical challenge as it is an imaginative one, all designed to blow your mind. These (temporary) sculptures, made of natural or machined materials, seem to levitate, playing with their own reflection, light effects and the transparency of water. So poetic… from sunrise to sunset! For the summer of 2024, four artists invite you to discover their works of art on several lakes around Rennes: Jardins de Brocéliande (Bréal-sur-Montfort), Parc Ar Milin’ (Chateaubourg), Liffré and Saint-Aubin du Cormier. As a bonus, the migratory birds flying over the lake of Marcillé-Robert and the floating boat at La Gacilly have become permanent features!

Etangs d’Art (fr.)

Where to sleep : Hôtel Le Roi Arthur

Ideas

The inratables of the summer, the place to be to treat yourself to a seafood platter, the best views on the GR®34, the best spots to start surfing… in short, all the good...

4. The Valley of the Saints

Carnöet, open all year round

Is it possible to re-create “Easter Island” in the heart of Brittany? This is the incredible challenge taken up by the Valley of the Saints in Carnöet, between Carhaix and Guingamp. Instead of an island, a whole tribe of granite statues, up to 7 metres high, are enthroned at the top of a hill. These stone giants represent the founding saints and all those who have shaped the history of Brittany. Discover Saint Malo, Saint Brieuc, Saint Patern, Saint Katelle… among the two hundred statues currently on the site. Eventually, in 100 years or so, there could be more than 1,000 of them. In the meantime, you can wander freely from statue to statue, sculpted in a variety of styles. The cherry on the Kouign-amann: the site offers  breathtaking  panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The Valley of the Saints (fr.)

5. Manoli museum sculpture garden

La Richardais, open all year

Close to Rance, part of the work of the sculptor Manoli is unveiled in the setting of a charming floral garden next to the museum. Hanging from a branch, a trapeze artist gracefully launches himself. A little further, Poseidon’s horses prance in a group, while silent owls sit next to a placid sheep with its stylised spiralled fleece. A master of fire, the artist uses mainly metal, creates iridescence and plays with the surface. With the flame, he melts granite and gives it unusual depth. You can visit the garden freely, accompanied with a booklet or audio-guide. Children can pick up an adventure book. In summer, children’s educational workshops are organised.

Manoli museum sculpture garden

Where to sleep : Guest rooms Le Berceul

Domaine de Kerguéhennec - Sept colonnes à Stéphane Mallarmé - Étienne Hajdu

6. Sculpture park at the Domaine de Kerguéhennec

Bignan, open all year round

Fancy a giant game of artistic hide-and-seek? Then head to the Domaine de Kerguéhennec, between Vannes and Pontivy. Although the chateau is being renovated until 2027, the park is still open*… where more than thirty creations by well-known artists are scattered among the century-old trees and glades. Most of these works have been specially created for the site and create an original dialogue with the landscape. A circle of patinated bronze pots in a greenhouse, a stone giant lying on the grass, a jetty overlooking a stream in the undergrowth, a hut by the water… To discover these creations, there are two routes to choose from: one to the north of the chateau, the other to the south, to be followed with a map of the park. Not sure which to choose? Take both!

*Temporarily, pending pruning work following damage caused by storm Ciaran, only the centre of the park is open to visitors.

Kerguéhennec sculpture park (fr.))

Where to sleep :