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Out and
About
This is a fascinating area of Brittany giving you the choice of wonderful inland valleys
and hills to explore but also being within easy driving distance of the 3 very
different Brittany coasts: west Brittany coast for surfing, north Brittany
coast for rock pools and south Brittany coast for
glorious sandy beaches. Whatever you enjoy doing you can find it in this
area. Brittany’s mild weather means that often the best time to visit is in
Spring and Autumn when it is less crowded; this Autumn there was a stunning
display as the forests turned golden and red, and all was gloriously hued as
the sunlight played across the leaves.
Within our grounds there is the swimming pool (new for 2004) of course, and
there are various outdoor and indoor games, such as swings, boule, croquet,
paddling pool, etc. There is also a small barn for 'al fresco' style dining
in the cool of the evening which is equipped with a barbeque and table and
chairs.
Gouarec, Brittany.
The Gites are walking distance (about 1 kilometre) from Gouarec, which is
situated on the junction of the River Blavet and the Nantes-Brest canal,
where there are shops, restaurants, bars, an indoor swimming pool and
mini-golf. Gouarec was once home to the Dukes of Rohan who built a castle
there but sadly this is now gone. There are still some lovely old buildings
in the town which becomes a mass of floral displays during the summer.
Abbaye Bon Repos, Brittany.
The abbey was originally built in 1184 and has
been successively ruined and rebuilt over the centuries. Its superb setting
next to the River Blavet and the
Nantes-Brest
Canal is well worth a visit: there are weirs, salmon stairs, a former water
mill, a mediaeval stone bridge over the river, a restaurant, a fossil shop
and a brocante (antique/junk shop!). Opposite there is a creperie/bar where
you can sit and drink watching the world go by. On Sunday mornings there is
an interesting local market where traders sell organic produce and crafts -
it’s not just for tourists and is also popular with locals in Brittany.
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The abbey is now being restored and to raise funds for this a grand ‘Son et
Lumiere’ is presented around the second weekend in August when around 400
local people, horses, dogs, etc, enact the history of the abbey and the
area. It is a fantastic event starting around 10.30pm and ending around
12.30am with a firework display: more details can be found on
www.gitemusic.com/abbayebonrepos/ Having seen a number of such ‘grande
spectacles’ including beside the Pyramids in Egypt we can honestly say this
one in Brittany is the best!
Lac de Guerledan, Brittany.
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Our Gites in Brittany are
only 8 kilometres from Lac de Guerledan where you can enjoy various
water sports such as water ski-ing and swimming, or hire a motor boat,
canoe, kayak, rowing boat, dinghy or pedalo, or enjoy a lake cruise, or
take dinner one evening on a floating restaurant. There are several free
public slipways if you want to bring your own boat. Hire charges are very
reasonable whether by the hour or the day and booking in advance is seldom
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Fishing near our Gites in Brittany.
You can fish for pike, zander, carp and trout in Lac de Guerledan and with
the purchase of a cheap 10 day permit you can also fish in many local
rivers, and keep what you catch, including salmon. A carp night fishing
tour is a regular event and open fishing competitions take place throughout
the season.
Equestrian Activities in Brittany near our Gites.
There are a number of ‘poney clubs’ in the area where you can hire a hack by
the hour, around 15 euros, or for the day at about 75 euros, or you could
have lessons and learn to ride. There is a horse museum in Corlay,
Brittany which
also has a ruined castle surrounded by water. Bulat-Pestivien hosts an
annual 3 day horse fair in September for which people come from miles
around; and the Hippodrome at Petit Paris holds race meets throughout the
year.
Golf in Brittany near our Gites.
There are a number of golf courses in Brittany and these tend to be closer
to the coasts but well within comfortable driving distances of 30 - 60
minutes or so. If you just fancy trying your hand at golf but don’t have,
or don’t want to bring your golf clubs, then we have a couple of basic sets
available to borrow! But if it’s just for fun then you can play mini-golf
in Gouarec or crazy golf in Mur de Bretagne - both quite challenging for the
beginner!
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Les Landes des Liscuis near our Gites
Les Landes des Liscuis is a stunning moor land of a
Schist crest which dominates the Nantes-Brest Canal to the South and the
Gorges of the Daoulas stream to the East. It has exceptionally rich flora of
moss and lichens, the sea campion and the flaxen leafed St. John’s Wort.
There are three covered alleys on the heath, les allees couvert, and long
barrows which are historic monuments in Brittany. There is a wonderful footpath which
goes through the forest and then up along the crest giving wonderful views
of the gorge and the lake. |
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There are many interesting standing stones, menhirs and megaliths, which
take on strange shapes depending on the way in which you look at them!
For those who enjoy
history and sightseeing, there are a number of churches particularly with
parish closes, castles, etc, within easy reach for you to explore in
Brittany. Pontivy
was the seat of the Dukes of Rohan and their castle still stands and is
worth visiting. It has a moat which has never had water in it!
The town of Pontivy has a mediaeval centre, a traditional main street of
individual shops and also the ‘new town’ of Napoleonville which was laid out
according to his instructions and was intended to become the capital of
Brittany. |
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The north
Brittany
coast close to St Brieuc is about 35 minutes by car where there are not just
lovely sandy beaches but also fascinating rock pools for children to try
their hand at crabbing! |
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Brest is host in July 2004 to the ‘Fete Internationale de la Mer et des
Marins’. For details visit
www.brest2004.fr
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Whatever your interests, there are loads of fantastic activities near our
Gites in Brittany. |
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