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BRITTANY
This seafaring region, long a favourite with visitors, is proud of its culture and likes to consider itself independent from the rest of France.
Closely resembling its Celtic cousin Cornwall, there's a familiar ring to place names, the white cottages have that chocolate-box appeal and seafood is always on the menu. The Breton language divides this region's landscape into Armor (coast) and Arvor (forested interior). The northern Côte d'Armor extends from the wide expanse of Mont St Michel Bay in the east, through the sandy beaches of the Côte Émeraude historic St Malo, Dinard and the Rance estuary to the west where a detour inland finds delightful, medieval Dinan. At Trebeurden, it becomes the pink granite coast, while further west Atlantic rollers crash against the Finistère coast and its islands. Below naval Brest, the pretty Crozon Peninsula stretches into the Atlantic. Here, the Parc Régional d'Armorique reaches inland where pleasant wooded walks can be enjoyed. Across the Baie de Douarnanez, another rocky outcrop terminates in the Pointe du Raz. Inland lie historic Quimper and preserved Locronan. Wooded river inlets soften the southern coastline around attractive Benodet, the fishing port of Concarneau and artists' haven, Pont-Aven. Below Lorient, sands sweep down to the Quiberon Peninsula and Golfe de Morbihan, where Carnac's ancient stones, old Vannes and Auray are not to be missed. Inland, a patchwork of forests and fields stretches south-east to pretty Josselin and the fairytale Forêt de Paimpont, linked by legend with King Arthur. Rennes the capital Fougères, Vitré and Combourg feature attractive old quarters.
main pic Tregastel, Pink Granite Coast
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