Brittany Minibus Tour - french travel agency westcapades all inclusive tours mont st.michel st.malo brittany hotels paris d-day beaches paris by night golfing tour french cuisine eventsWestcapades Tour Operator

Dear Travel Friends,
Degemer mat . . . Breton for “Welcome!” Certain areas of our world preserve a unique tradition and identity, though they are commonly lumped within a larger geographical area or country. So it is with Brittany or Bretagne, a subculture in northwestern France. Still today Brittany retains a distinctive culture, language and heritage closely related to those of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
Our eight-day specialized tour under the expert leadership of Marc Le Meur, will introduce you to a great urban tradition, with a unique concentration of castles, cathedrals, and towns built from the Middles Ages to the Renaissance. Of course, no trip to Brittany would be complete without a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont St. Michel in next-door Normandy! But more, Brittany has an infinite variety of coastal and interior landscapes. This area is the most popular resort in France next to the French Riviera. The peninsula is the most untamed of all the French regions. We’ll also see the mysterious and ancient site of Carnac, dating from 2,500 BCE!
The hotels chosen for this trip were selected for their unique regional character. Three of them are unique castles or manors (from XVI, XVII and XVIIIth centuries) all surrounded by huge natural parks and some in the same family since several centuries. One is a former traditional Breton farm with a modern Breton style. The other has unique original Breton furnishings in all rooms from different centuries. Each property offers its own unique charms and we’ll sure you’ll enjoy each.
Come with us and be inspired as were Gauguin, Monet, and Picasso. The tour is limited to just seven participants so you will enjoy a small group. I look forward to welcoming you to the group!
All This is included
• Travel in the best of company with a small group of like-minded travelers and our excellent guide-driver, Marc Le Meur, a native of Brittany
• Taste local cuisine with breakfast and dinner included daily with wine!
• Stay in castles, a manor and a Breton farm house
• Tips to waiters are all included
• Travel by private comfortable mini coach, gas and parking included
• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mont St. Michel
• Experience charming medieval towns with rambling cobbled streets and half-timbered buildings
• Admire intricate carvings at parish enclosures, a uniquely Breton church form
• Discover the wildly rocky, astonishing coast of Breton
• Visit Breton’s most beautiful village, Locronan, where the movie Tess was filmed
• See Pont Aven, the City of Painters
• Stroll amongst the standing stones of Carnac, one of the world’s most important Megalithic sites, from 2,500 BCE
useful information here:
Private customized tours from 400 EUR / DAY
8 DAYS/7NIGHTS? 1600 EUR/person (price will depends from your accommodation, if you want a castle or just a comfortable hotel)
from 2 to 7 persons/minicoach and more
Day by Day Itinerary (can be yours)

Arrival Monday Dinard
Plan to arrive at the Dinard Airport (low cost daily flights London / Dinard with ryan air), Rennes Airport or the Rennes TGV station today. We are happy to assist with air arrangements or you may choose to make your own arrangements using frequent flyer mileage or searching the internet for bargains. What’s best for you is best for us!

Welcome to Brittany! You will be greeted on arrival and transferred to our hotel. Our accommodations this evening are in a rococo-style hotel, very well-situated in the charming seaside resort town of Dinard. The remainder of today will be at leisure to relax and become acquainted with our charming Tour Manager, Marc Le Meur, and the other members of our intimate group. Dinner tonight will be at our hotel. (D)

Hotel Printania

Tuesday Malo–Mont St. Michel–Dinan
After a restful night, we’ll awake to breakfast at our hotel. Then, we’re off to discover Wonderful Brittany. We’ll begin our exploration in St. Malo, a port walled city that can trace its origins to a monastic settlement founded in the early sixth century. In later centuries, St. Malo became notorious as the home of a fierce breed of very independent pirate-mariners. In 1590, St. Malo even declared itself to be an independent republic, taking up the motto “not French, not Breton, but Malois.” Our tour will include the port walled city constructed in the 12th century, a private mansion and a “malouiniers” inhabited since the 17th century.

Our journeys will continue to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont St. Michel, a rocky islet where a monk community has been living for more than 1,000 years. It is home to centuries of tradition, isolated on a huge bay where the tides are some of the strongest in the world. Mont St. Michel is made up of a village with the abbey at the top of the rock. We’ll visit the abbey. What makes this monument so striking, and the destination of so many visitors in the past twelve centuries, is its magnificent, almost arrogant location. We’ll take time for lunch at a local restaurant in the tiny fishing port of Cancale. Famous for its oyster farms, Cancale, is located on the Bay of Mont St. Michel. Marc will recommend a spot where the locals dine with a fascinating panoramic view.

Rested and refreshed, we’ll proceed to the delightful medieval walled town of Dinan. Stroll her cobbled rambling streets amongst half-timbered buildings from the 13th and 14th centuries. All have been carefully restored and preserved.

At the end of this delightful day, we’ll arrive at our accommodations, an enchanting manor! Dinner this evening will be at the manor. (B-D)

Manoir de K.

Wednesday Isle de Bréhat–Tréguier– Menhir "standing stone" St. Uzec– Ploumanac’h
Today we’ll enjoy breakfast at the manor before departing for the tranquil Isle de Bréhat. No cars are allowed here. Transportation is by bicycle or foot only. You’ll enjoy a pleasant stroll taking in the natural scenery, beautiful flowers and authentic Breton architecture. Our journeys continue to Tréguier, a splendid town of the Granite Rose Coast. Half-timbered houses are brightly painted. The majestic 13th century St. Tugdual Cathedral, built with pink and gray granite, is one of the very finest in Brittany. The attorneys in our group probably are already aware of this site. Within the cathedral is the grave of St. Yves, the patron saint of lawyers. Attorneys come from all over the world to see his skull! After giving due reverence, our tour continues.

The wonders of Brittany continue as we visit Menhir St. Uzec and the biggest standing stone in Brittany. How did the ancient Britons achieve this feat and why? The stone is truly an amazing site. Our next visit is to the natural site of Ploumanac’h and its amazing pink granite rocks and cliffs. This area is an absolute feast for the eyes! Everywhere the pink granite is indeed sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight.

Continue to the 16th century St. Thegonnec and Lampaul-Giumilau parish enclosure. A uniquely Breton church form, the enclosures (or closes) were constructed by local crafts people using native materials. Gray granite was preferred because it is initially soft and easily carved but dries hard as it is exposed to the air. Wood is also used extensively in the interiors. We’ll see the nearly 200 figures carved on the calvary in the parish close. Gateways, ossuaries, and other ornamentation are created in granite.

Our accommodations this evening will be in a Breton farm located near a wild stretch of coastline – a mystic and comfortable atmosphere! (B-D)

Auberge de K.

Thursday Natural Park d’Armorique
Today we discover the wild rocky astonishing coast of Breton as we venture through Breton’s natural park. The park is made up of seven nature reserves ensuring protection of the most remarkable environments. We’ll see a typical Breton village which has been recreated in the park. Our journeys will take us past massive lighthouses, typical chapels and the highest hill in Brittany.

Our next stop will be to Locronan, credited with being the most beautiful village in France. The popular Pulanski film, Tess, was filmed her not too many years ago. We’ll enjoy strolling her 17th century streets and admiring the well-preserved architecture. We’ll enjoy another nature stop today and a wonderful photo opportunity at Pointe du Raz, a long cape which forms the end of the European continent.

Our accommodations for the next two nights will be at an exceptional Breton castle. This evening, our innkeepers and the castle owners will welcome us. Dinner will be at the castle. (B-D)

Chateau G.

Friday Quimper
After breakfast at the castle, we’ll depart for Quimper, the capital of French Cornwall. This Episcopal city has preserved its 14th century half-timbered houses and the medieval 13th century Gothic St. Corentin Cathedral, perhaps the city’s most prominent architectural landmark. Its Musee des Beaux Arts contains some of the most exciting paintings in France from Boudin, Corot, Bernard, Serusier and others. Quimper has been an active center of pottery production since the days it was part of the Roman Empire. You may want to have a look at the town’s unique hand-painted fiancés (tin-glazed earthenware), especially pieces that were hand-painted with scenes depicting life in Brittany. Quimper is world-famous for its HB Henriot plant and for its ceramics signed “HB Henriot.” (B-D)

Chateau G.

Saturday Concarneau– Pont-Aven–Carnac
After a delightful breakfast at the castle, today we’ll discover Concarneau, a walled city with a tuna fishing port. Then, on to Pont Aven, famed for being the City of Painters. Pont Aven is where Gauguin stayed from 1886 to 1894 with Bernard, Serusier, Maufra, and Filiger. We’ll learn about many world-famous painters!

Continue to Carnac, one of the world’s most important megalithic sites. Dating from 2,500 BCE, the Carnac alignments, tombs and other constructs contain over 13 kilometers of standing stones. It must have been very impressive when it was whole! This evening, we’ll check into our last accommodations, a 17th century castle near Rochefort-en-terre. Dinner at the castle. (B-D)

Chateau de T.

Sunday Rochefort-en-Terre–Chateau de Suscinio–Vannes
After breakfast this morning, we’ll stroll through Rochefort-en-Terre, a charming flowered village and one of the most picturesque places in Brittany. Learn about the American painter, Alfred Klots, who renovated the old fortress (Chateau de Suscinio) which we will visit. His descendants are still living in the castle. View the Gulf of Morbihan, listed as one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Next, we’re off to visit the town of Vannes, founded by Venets 2,000 years ago. It is a magical, medieval, walled town with the most beautiful gardens. Discover St. Anne d’Auray Cathedral, an important Breton pilgrimage site. Drive past St. Goustan port, where Benjamin Franklin landed in 1776. (B-D)

Chateau de T.

Monday Departure
Our tour ends this morning as we say goodbye to Wonderful Brittany and the new friends we’ve made. Enjoy one last relaxing breakfast at the castle. Transfers will be available to the Dinard or Rennes Airports or to the TGV station. (B)

Of course, you may choose to extend your stay in this beautiful region!

B=Breakfast D=Dinner
PS: lovely antic shops in brittany, traditional markets, wonderful forest and unique old trees, golf courses,...you have got an unlimited choice here, come back to marc@westcapades.com