Discovering the pretty towns of Brittany

I have been in France for almost two weeks now, driving and cycling around Normandy, Brittany and Pays de La Loire. Due to the weather I was zig-zagging my ways through the states, following the sun, so I had to wait until I leave at least one state before I can write a blog. So here it is. And what better way to start a new blog then to write about me discovering the pretty towns of Brittany. Not to mention walking around the pink cliffs or ‚Côte de granit rose‘ Coast.

Btw.. if you would like to have a look, last year I was further southeast of France.

Brittany of France

How amazing is the state Brittany. To be honest I was pleasantly surprised to see such stunning landscapes and coastlines. I love it. The blue sky made the contrast and the ocean look extra gorgeous, that‘s for sure. It was picture perfect! That said, I wouldn’t want to be here on a rainy and cold day … (which I have read is most of the time). 

Brittany seems like a diverse region, however due to the opening to the North Atlantic, the coast can be quite rugged and rocky. Luckily the beautiful sandy coves and beaches amongst it make up for the roughness of the coast.

For me, it was the first time I saw beaches as beautiful as in Australia. Gorgeous deep blue waters and white sand beaches. Stunning! Shame it was too cold to dive in.

THE PRETTY TOWNS OF BRITTANY

Saint Malo

Saint Malo is the Dubrovnik of France and I only found it by coincidence. It is a gorgeous port city with walls surrounding the old city, serving once as a protection and stronghold for pirates and privateers.

As I am a fan of forts, walking around Saint Malo was great. Whether it was on top of the wall or inside the old city (and Cathedral of course), Saint Malo had a great vibe with plenty of cute options to shop and dine.

Saint Lunaire

Saint Lunaire was recommended to me by a friend, and although it is a cute little coastal town with pretty little houses, that was all there was to it. So I more or less drove through (I did my walking in Saint Malo already) adding a quick climb to the top cliff, overviewing the blue Atlantic Ocean, looking for my next destination?

Rennes

Rennes, the capital of Brittany is part of the ‚pretty little towns of Brittany’. But given what else is around, there is not much to say about Rennes. I only made a quick stop there. The city was still asleep and I will never tire of walking old pebbled streets, decorated by cute half-timbered medieval houses, however I have seen and walked a few lately. When are many too many??

I wonder how those houses look inside? They certainly look fun, although not very straight and functional from the outside?

Dinan

I stumbled upon Dinan on my way to the coast and Dinan is an unexpectedly beautiful town, worth a visit. Decorated with an 14th century castle, the old town is super cute. The town itself is clearly not a secret spot. It was packed with tourists and locals, enjoying a sunny day out.

It was hard to take some photos of the old city so I have only a few from the castle. Definitely put Dinan on your list to visit when in Brittany.

The Pink Cliffs – Côte de Granit Rose

After dropping off my bike for an overnight service I then made my way to Perros-Guirec, a recommendation from a hotel. Perros-Guirec is supposedly known for its pink cliffs, although once I was there, I couldn’t see too many cliffs. I was expecting a bit more. That said, Perros-Guirec had an amazing beach and beach houses. Shame it was still too cold to swim.

Well…

… of course I couldn’t see the pink cliffs from Perros-Guirec, as there were just next door, in a small town called Ploumanac’h. Although the ‚Pink Cliffs‘ stretch over 30km, (read more here) I found Ploumanac’h was the perfect spot to explore it. Park your car in the small town and take a walk through the park and the pink cliffs. You will get some amazing views.

For me, the cliffs were a great spot for my morning walk. I was certainly glad I found the „Côte de Granit Rose“ after all.

And so…

There is definitely much more to see of the pretty towns of Brittany and I will be back to explore more. I would just have to plan the weather right to enjoy it once again. And maybe go for a swim, diving into the Atlantic Ocean?

For now, it was time to head back to Normandy again, enjoying the last few days of cycling in France, before heading over to England.

And that is all from me and my journey discovering the pretty towns of Brittany. I loved it all, although the coastal towns were the definite winner for me. So take your time exploring them!

Many locals confirmed to me that I was lucky to have seen Brittany during sunny and warm days. Apparently that is very rare. Maybe that is why it looks so beautiful and almost untouched? Because there aren‘t too many tourists around?

Either way, don‘t give it a miss. I will definitely be back…

And last but not least. A few photos from the gardens and castle of Fougères. A gorgeous small town I discovered before leaving Brittany for good.