Though it lacks significant museums and monuments, the small peninsula of Quiberon (kee-buh-rahn; pop. 7221) has more than its fair share of beaches and sunshine. Besides ample opportunities for sunbathing, surfing, kayaking, and sailing, the town also makes a good base for daytrips to the stunningly beautiful Belle-Île-en-Mer and the mysterious menhirs of Carnac.
The traditional Quiberon cure for a sweet tooth is the lollipop-like niniche, available by the beach. For groceries, there’s a Marché Plus, 2 rue de Verdun. (Open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 9am-1pm.) Produce markets appear on place du Varquez, behind the town hall (open Sa 6:30am-1pm), and on rue de Port Haliguen (open from mid-June to mid-Sept. W 6:30am-1pm).
In early April, the Semaine Océane takes the town by storm with dance, music, and plays along the waterfront; ask at the tourist office for more info.
Heed signs marked “Baignades Interdites” (Swimming Forbidden)—rip tides are particularly dangerous in these waters. Green flags mean safe supervised swimming; orange/yellow means dangerous swimming; red means swimming prohibited. The aptly named TCôte Sauvage stretches a wild, windy 10km along the western edge of Quiberon. The views from the road are amazing, but coastal footpaths give you an even better look at the waves and jagged rocks—be careful in the slippery tidal zone. Make the trip at low tide to witness the coastal rocks and formations at their finest. For a safe beach day near the centre-ville, follow sun-worshipping tourists, frolicking families, and carefree teenagers to Grande Plage. Smaller beaches on the east side of the peninsula offer more tranquil spots for sunbathing.
SMN, in Quiberon, sends ferries to Belle-Île (45min.) from the gare maritime of Port Maria (☎08 20 05 60 00; www.smn-navigation.fr). 5-13 per day; round-trip €26-27, under 25 €16, seniors €20-22. Bikes €16. Renting a car or taking the bus shuttles are the easiest ways to get around. Taol Mor Buses run from Le Palais to Belle-Île’s other main towns 4-7 times per day: Bangor (30min.), Locmaria (25min.), and Sauzon (20min.). Tickets are available on the bus or at Point Taol Mor, quai Bonelle, in Le Palais (☎02 97 31 32 32). €2.50, ages 4-12 €1.70; 2-day pass €11/7.
This island’s name—Beautiful Isle in the Sea—is a simple statement of fact. With its unique rock formations, crashing seas, and fields of green and gold, Belle-Île-en-Mer (bel-eel-ahn-mare) is naturally breathtaking. A few scattered menhirs date man’s presence on the island back to prehistoric times; since then, monks, sailors, pirates, and German POWs have all been temporary residents. Although the island is a convenient daytrip from Quiberon, it is quite large (20km long) and can warrant an overnight stay.
The island’s best-known wonders are the Aiguilles de Port Coton, pinnacles of stone memorialized by Monet in several paintings. Around their bases, the water foams against the rocks; the port owes its name to these waves, which are whipped by the winds to be as fluffy as cotton. Ferries from Quiberon dock in Le Palais, the island’s biggest town, under the shadow of the massive Citadelle Vauban. Built in 1549 by Henri II and expanded under Louis XIV, the fortress was only captured twice—by the English during the Seven Years’ War and by the Germans in WWII. Today, its walls protect a museum of memorabilia from Belle-Île’s celebrity visitors and residents, including Sarah Bernhardt and Claude Monet. Don’t miss the great view of the port and the ocean from the ramparts. The arsenal, a large rectangular building, often hosts concerts and temporary exhibits; its top floor showcases nautical artifacts. (☎02 97 31 84 17. Citadel open daily July-Aug. 9am-7pm; Sept.-Oct. and Apr.-June 9:30am-6pm; Nov.-Mar. 9:30am-noon and 2-5pm. Tours in French July-Aug. M-F 3 per day, Su 1 per day. €6.50, ages 7-16 €3.50, under 7 free. Tours €8/5/free.)
Belle-Île’s natural treasures lie scattered along the coast. Plage de Donnant, on the windy western coast, is the most popular beach. Equally gorgeous is the secluded plage Port Maria —by the town of Locmaria on the southeastern shore—and the much larger powder-white plage Grands Sables, the longest beach on the island, southeast of Le Palais. Head 6km northwest from Le Palais to the postcard-worthy portside town of Sauzon. Pastel-hued houses line the port, facing rock cliffs on the other side. Across the island, waves crash inside the Grotte de l’Apothicairerie, surrounded by cliffs on three sides. While access to the grotto is currently restricted, the site still offers a spectacular panorama of the rocky coastline; just be careful to stay well back from the unguarded cliff edges. From late July to mid-August, Lyrique-en-Mer brings classical concerts and opera to the island. (☎02 97 31 59 59; www.belle-ile.net. Tickets €8-50 for operas, €5-10 for concerts. Master classes free. Buy tickets online.)
There is a Super U supermarket in Le Palais. (Open M-Sa 8am-1pm and 3:30-7:30pm, Su 8am-1pm.) Several companies in Le Palais offer bike rental, including Cyclotour, quai Bonnelle, near the tourist office. (☎02 97 31 80 68. Bikes €8 per ½-day, €10 per day; check, ID, or passport deposit. Open daily July-Aug. 8:30am-7pm; Sept.-Oct. and Mar.-June 9am-noon and 2-7pm.) The Palais tourist office, quai Bonnelle, is on the dock’s left end. The staff offers a guide to the island, which includes info on sailing and kayaking, and a helpful map (both free). Hiking and biking guides (€7 each, €10 for both) in French are also available. (☎02 97 31 81 93; www.belle-ile.com. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 8:45am-7:30pm, Su 8:45am-1pm; Sept. and Apr.-June M-Sa 9am-12:30pm and 2-6pm, Su 10am-12:30pm; Oct.-Mar. M-Sa 9am-12:30pm and 2-6pm.)
TIM buses (☎08 10 10 10 56; www.morbihan.fr) run Sept.-June from Quiberon to Carnac 7 times per day (45min., €3.80); July-Aug., the bus runs only once per day, making it easier to take the train from Quiberon to Plouharnel-Carnac (30min.; 6-10 per day; €2.80, round-trip €5) and then bus #1 or 18 from Plouharnel-Carnac to Carnac (7min., 12 per day, €2). 2 bus stops serve Carnac’s 2 tourist offices: Carnac-Ville, in the old centre-ville and closer to the menhirs, and Carnac-Plage, by the main tourist office and the beach. The offices are about a 15min. walk apart; La Carnavettte, a free local shuttle, connects them (5min., every 15min. July-Aug. daily 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-8:30pm).
The fields of ancient megaliths in Carnac (kahr-nak) are the largest and best-preserved prehistoric site of their kind in Europe. These lines of tall stones, erected by Neolithic man between 5000 and 2200 BC, run 4km along the edge of this summer vacation town. Though their original purpose is still unknown, today they make a great break from the beaches as a daytrip from Quiberon.
Carnac holds just under 2800 menhirs (the 18th-century term invented to describe these curious standing stones). The closest to town are the Alignements du Ménec, a 2km plot of over 1000 stones up to 4m tall that neatly parallel the adjacent highway. A few hundred meters east, the Alignements de Kermario has another 1000 of Carnac’s impressive menhir specimens as well as a dolmen (stone-roofed communal tomb). Farther east, a trail off the main road holds Quadrilatère, a tight set of rocks arranged in a rectangle, and the Géant du Manio, the largest menhir at Carnac. From October to March, visitors are allowed free access to all of Carnac’s sites; from April to September, access is allowed only on guided tours to prevent soil erosion. Get tour info and tickets at the Maison des Mégalithes, route des Alignements, across from the Alignements du Ménec; to get there from the Carnac-Ville tourist office, take a right onto rue St-Cornély in front of the church, another right on rue de Courdiec, and a left at the menhirs onto route des Alignements (10min.). Be careful, as there is no sidewalk at some points. Tours begin 2km from the Maison des Mégalithes, so be sure to allow time to walk to the start site and bring sturdy shoes. (☎02 97 52 89 99; http://carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr">http://carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr">http://carnac.monuments-nationaux.fr. Open daily July-Aug. 9am-8pm; Sept.-Apr. 10am-5pm; May-June 9am-7pm. 1hr. tours in French July-Aug. 3-8 per day; Sept. and June 1-2 per day. 1hr. tours in English from mid- to late July W-F at 3pm; from early to mid-Aug. W-F at 11:30am. €4, ages 12-25 €3, under 12 free.) The Maison also has brochures in several languages and a 10min. film in French about the monuments (both free). Behind the tourist office in the town center, the Musée de Préhistoire, 10 pl. de la Chapelle, provides good background information for a visit to the megaliths, with informative exhibits on cultural evolution from the Paleolithic Age to the Roman Empire. (☎02 97 52 22 04; www.museedecarnac.com. Open July-Aug. daily 10am-6pm; Sept. and Apr.-June M and W-Su 10am-12:30pm and 2-6pm; Oct.-Mar. M and W-Su 10am-12:30pm and 2-5pm. 1hr. guided tours of museum in French July-Aug. daily at 11am and 3pm. Wheelchair-accessible. Written guides available in 6 languages. €5, ages 6-18 €2.50. Tours €2.50/1.70.) To return to modern times, head to the beach; from the tourist office in the historic center, take av. de la Poste, which becomes av. de l’Atlantique, and follow signs to the plages (15min.).
The Carnac-Plage (74 av. des Druides) and Carnac-Ville (pl. de l’Église Carnac-Ville) tourist offices offer a free visitor’s guide and a free map of the town. (☎02 97 52 13 52; www.ot-carnac.fr. Carnac-Plage open July-Aug. M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 3pm-7pm; Sept.-June M-Sa 9am-noon and 2-6:30pm. Carnac-Ville open July-Aug. M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-1pm; Sept. and Apr.-June M-Sa 8:30am-noon and 2-5:30pm.) There are several supermarkets, including a Proxi, 15 rue St-Cornély, in the old city center (open July-Aug. M-Sa 8:30am-1:30pm and 4-9pm, Su 8:30am-1pm and 5-9pm; Sept.-June Tu-Sa 8am-1pm and 3-7:30pm, Su 8:30am-1pm and 5-7:30pm), and a Marché U, 68 av. des Druides, by the Carnac-Plage tourist office (open M-Sa 8:30am-8pm, Su 8:30am-1pm and 5-8pm).
Vannes is connected by TIM buses (☎08 10 10 10 56; www.morbihan.fr) to Quiberon (2hr.; July-Aug. daily 1 per day; Sept.-June M-Sa 7-9 per day, Su 1-4 per day; €9.10) and other local towns. To get to the tourist office and centre-ville from the train station, turn right on av. Favrel et Lincy, then left at the roundabout onto rue Victor Hugo. Take a right onto rue Joseph Le Brix, then a left onto rue Thiers; continue downhill to the tourist office on the right (15min.).
With carefully tended gardens sheltered by medieval ramparts, half-timbered houses overlooking cobblestone streets, and an architecturally eclectic cathedral, Vannes (vahn; pop. 53,800) is as enticing now as it was when the dukes of Brittany chose it as their capital. The city’s major attractions can easily be enjoyed in a single day, and regular train service makes it a convenient and relaxing daytrip from Nantes, Quimper, or Rennes.
The city centers on the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, on pl. St-Pierre; the structure’s constant reconstructions and renovations since the 12th century have left it an architectural hodgepodge. Its most curious feature is the Chapelle du Saint-Sacrement, which juts out of the left side of the building. In July and August, knowledgeable volunteers offer free tours of the cathedral in French; a free brochure available in several languages provides some history. (Open daily 8:30am-7pm except during services. Tours July-Aug. M-F 9am-6pm, Su 1-6pm.) Across from the cathedral is La Cohue, pl. St-Pierre; formerly the town’s covered market and courtroom, it is now home to the Musée des Beaux-Arts. The small permanent collection includes Romantic and Impressionist depictions of Brittany. However, the temporary exhibitions that fill more than half of the museum’s space are the main attraction. (☎02 97 01 63 01. Open daily from mid-June to Sept. 10am-6pm; from Oct. to mid-June 1:30-6pm. €6, students €4, under 18 free.) The nearby Château Gaillard, rue Noé, showcases anthropological artifacts and temporary exhibits. Hidden away at the back of the second floor is the museum’s real treasure: the Cabinet des Pères du Désert, a 17th-century wood-paneled room covered with paintings of famous hermits. A single ticket, valid for several months, allows admission to both museums. (☎02 97 01 63 00. Open daily from mid-June to Sept. 10am-6pm; from mid-May to mid-June 1:30-6pm.) Don’t miss the comical Vannes et Sa Femme (Vannes and His Wife) across from the entrance to the château; the medieval carved wood figures, hanging from a half-timbered house, are an unofficial emblem of the city. Exit the city walls by the 17th-century Porte St-Vincent and turn left to visit the Jardins des Remparts. With the medieval ramparts and turrets in the background, these neatly arranged flower gardens by the Marle River make the perfect place for a picnic. Behind the gardens and up the hill lies a larger park, the Jardin de la Garenne, with a monument to Vannes residents who died in battle. Every year, Vannes chooses a different period of its history to celebrate during the Fêtes Historiques, held on the weekend nearest July 14. The small city comes alive with free street performances, concerts, and historical reenactments.
There’s a Monoprix on pl. Joseph Le Brix. (Open M-Sa 8:30am-7:50pm.) The tourist office, 1 rue Thiers, offers a reservations service (€1) and a city guide, which includes a walking tour of the centre-ville. (☎08 25 13 56 10; www.tourisme-vannes.com. Internet €3 per 30min., €5 per hr. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 10am-6pm; Sept.-June M-Sa 9:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-6pm.) Other services include police, 2 pl. de la Libération (☎02 97 54 75 00), and a hospital, rue du Docteur Joseph Audic-Le Tenenio (☎02 97 62 56 56).
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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