Brittany is the most westerly of the French regions, its' climate being influenced by the Gulf Stream.  The spectacular coastline of this ever-popular region varies from rugged cliffs to long sandy beches, offering coast holidays for everyone.  Inland, the scenery is just as varied with medieval towns and villages, rolling hills and narrow country lanes, rather reminiscent of England's West Country.  To the north of the region is the port of St. Malo, with ferries direct to the UK, and also the Mont-St-Michel.  There are many varied activities to be enjoyed in Brittany including a visit to the famous Breton pottery in Quimper or to Coucarneau, fortified in the 13th Century and now the third most productive fishing port in France.  The area is well supplied with excellent restaurants offering meals to suit all tastes, but the Breton pancake should not be missed.  A "crepe" is sweet and a "galette" is savory and they come with a variety of fillings.

Rental property comes in all shapes and sizes in Brittany, with everything from city centre hotels to coastal cottages and country gites on offer.  This region is easily accessed from the UK with the port of St. Malo on its' northern shores and low cost airlines also serving the area.

Brittany is made up of four departments, Cotes d'Armor, Finistere, Ile-et-Vilaine and Morbihan.

Cotes d'Armor is a very popular department for holidays.  There are fishing ports full of character, fantastic sandy beaches and rugged, rocky coastline.  The bustling town of Pleneuf-Val-Andre combines great beaches, cliff-top walks and a fabulous market on Tuesdays.  Inland the impressive cathedral city of Saint Brieuc is the main town of Cotes d'Armor.  The Spa town of Perros Guirec has huge beaches, marinas, and a wax museum, amongst other attractions.  There are organised excursions to to the seven islands bird sanctuary with 18,000 pairs of sea birds. 

Finistere is the most westerly department in France and is steeped in maritime history and traditions.  It is a haven for walkers, with over 4,000 kms of footpaths.  However there are many less energetic attractions in Finistere, with many museums, galleries, churches and castles to visit.  The area is famous for producing cider from its extensive apple orchards.  The city of Quimper has a cathedral, art museum and plentiful shops and cafes to sit and watch the world go by.

Ille-et-Vilaine is a department that many people drive through after landing at the port of St. Malo on its' northern shores.  However, it is a department well worth lingering in.  St Malo itself is a lively town with many shops, cafes, restaurants and bars as well as an international sailing centre.  Dinard has a chic feel about it and is known as the Nice of the North.  Cancale is famous for its' oysters.  In the south of the department is Vitre, a charming medieval town with many half-timbered buildings.  Becheral is a book-lovers paradise.  There is a book market on the first Sunday of every month, many book shops and several art galleries.  Rennes is the capital of Brittany and has many beautiful gardens.

Morbihan is the perfect place for lovers of seafood and water sports.  The Gulf of Morbihan is a huge area of 12,000 hectares with, supposedly, 365 islands.  Boats run from L'Orient to Belle Ile where Monet and many other artists spent time capturing its' rugged beauty.  L'Orient is also a naval base.  The area has an excellent climate with over 2,500 hours of sunshine a year.  Carnac is famous for its amazing megalithic monuments, and there are oyster beds and salt marshes nearby.  Auray is a pretty town with a lively market on Mondays.  Inland, near Pontivy, the impressive Chateau des Rohan, dating from the Middle Ages, overlooks the river.  Vannes, in the centre of the department, has markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays and is a very pretty town.  There is an Aquarium and a mechanical toy museum.