Golfe du Morbihan
This rather epic 2km-long stretch of sand spans the calm waters of the island's eastern flank.
Must-see attractions in Brittany & Normandy
Honfleur
A visit to this lively fish market to browse the day's catch is both fun and fascinating.
Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery
D-Day Beaches
The Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery is 4km south of Courseulles-sur-Mer near Reviers.
Golfe du Morbihan
Parts of this array of menhirs – containing 1029 stones – is open all year round.
St-Malo
Containing over 600 species of marine creature, this very popular aquarium about 4km south of the city centre features a 'Nautibus' ride – a simulated…
Palais du Parlement de Bretagne
Rennes
This 17th-century former seat of the rebellious Breton parliament has, in more recent times, been home to the Palais de Justice. In 1994 this building was…
St-Malo
Within Château de St-Malo, built by the dukes of Brittany in the 15th and 16th centuries, this museum examines the life and history of the city through a…
Rouen
The only relic of Rouen’s medieval Jewish community, expelled by Philippe le Bel in 1306, is hidden underneath the staircase at the eastern end of the…
Bayeux
Lacemaking (dentellerie), brought to Bayeux by nuns in 1678, once employed 5000 people. The industry is sadly long gone, but at the Conservatoire you can…
Normandy
This cable-stayed bridge, opened in 1995, stretches in a soaring 2km arch over the Seine between Le Havre and Honfleur. It’s a typically French affair, as…
Le Havre
This colossal building, built in 1958 to replace one flattened by allied bombing in 1944, was designed by architects Auguste Perret – that great…
Finistère
At the heart of Argol, this 1576 church – dedicated to St Peter and St Paul – was much enlarged in the late 17th century, while its bell tower dates to…
Finistère
Built in 1861 to carry the Brest–Paris railway, this colossal viaduct is unmissable. During daylight hours you can walk along the lower level for a great…
Rouen
Decorated with lurid woodcarvings of skulls, crossbones, gravediggers’ tools and hourglasses (a reminder that your time, my friend, is running out), this…
Église Notre-Dame-de-la-Tronchaye
Golfe du Morbihan
Originally dating to the 10th century, this handsome church is famed for (and named after) a statue of the Virgin Mary discovered by a shepherdess in the…
St-Malo
This 16th-century manor house was the home of controversial explorer Jacques Cartier (1491–1557), who mapped the St Lawrence River and whose explorations…
Golfe du Morbihan
Part of the grounds of the Château de Josselin, this quirky museum has a collection of more than 3000 vintage dolls and puppets amassed by Herminie de…
Honfleur
This museum displays model sailing ships, nautically themed engravings and watercolours, and a case that examines Honfleur’s role in the 17th- and 18th…
Caen
Doubling as a very useful tourist information centre, this medieval church within the Château de Caen has gorgeous stained-glass works as well as several…
Bayeux
This landscaped promenade, a joint project of the City of Bayeux and Reporters Without Borders (www.en.rsf.org), lists the names of over 2000 journalists…
Finistère
Right by the viaduct that arches over town, the magnificent form of this venerable and tranquil late-15th-century Flamboyant Gothic Église St-Melaine…
Finistère
This impressive building is an exquisite example of 19th-century architecture. Its intriguing Russian connections are revealed during a guided tour …
Musée Municipal d'Art et d'Histoire
Finistère
Situated next to the small town hall (off the main square near the church), this museum is largely dedicated to the history of the linen industry. It…
Mont St-Michel
Stop by the dam’s observation platform before you cross the bridge to the islet, from where you can see the workings of the dam over the River Couësnon…
Finistère
The ground-floor rooms of the town's main art museum are home to 16th- to 20th-century European paintings, and upper levels include a room dedicated to…
Musée International du Long Cours Cap-Hornier
St-Malo
Housed in the 14th-century Tour Solidor, this museum presents the life of the hardy sailors who followed the dangerous Cape Horn route around the southern…
Brittany
Anse du Verger, 4km west of the point, is a lush terrain of beaches, dunes and trails with a picturesque small church, Notre Dame du Verger, dedicated to…
Finistère
Closed for restoration till 2019, this museum showcases the area's history, archaeology and art, which also incorporates the beautifully preserved half…
Caen
The castle's vast 12th-century donjon (keep) was pretty much destroyed after the French Revolution in the late 18th century, so little remains today…
St-Malo
This 18th-century mansion and historic monument was once owned by corsair (privateer) François Auguste Magon. Guided tours are knowledgeably presented but…
Caen
An earlier 12th-century church stood at this site where this 15th-century church stands today, with its beautiful stained-glass windows. The church was…
Centre de Découverte des Algues
Finistère
Learn all about local seaweed harvesting at this enthusiastically run museum, which also organises guided walks and gives regular free lectures (often in…
Finistère
Outside the wall of Église St-Pierre et St-Paul, on the corner of place de L'Église and rue de L'École, you will find this 3m-long statue of Breton legend…
Rouen
The old city's main thoroughfare, rue du Gros Horloge, runs from the cathedral west to place du Vieux Marché, where 19-year-old Joan of Arc was burned at…
Caen
The 15th-century Maison des Quatrans is one of only two prewar buildings left in the city centre near Château de Guillaume le Conquérant, though it lost a…
Rennes
Highly popular with and chiefly aimed at kids, the Espace des Sciences is a fun interactive science museum arranged over two floors, situated in Rennes'…
Brittany
The town's museum is atmospherically housed in the keep of Dinan's ruined 14th-century château, showcasing the town's history, with information sheets in…
Caen
Inside the Château de Caen, the Échiquier (more fully the Salle de l’Échiquier) – or the Exchequer – is a venerable building dating from the 12th century.
Normandy
Inside a gorgeous medieval building that once belonged to a knight, this house in Neufchâtel-en-Bray contains a small but interesting museum of local…
