Things You Should Know About Brittany
Brittany is way, way far west.
Brittany is that peninsula sticking out of the western coast of France – way out. The “bad” part of this is that it’s not a day trip; it’d be better over a couple of days – to get from Paris to Quimper, a popular town on the coast, takes 4.5 hours by train and 7 by car. I mean, it’s not America-far, but it’s far for France.
The good thing about this, however, is that it’s farther west than even London, but is still on Central European Time (CET). That means it stays light ridiculously late there, giving you plenty of time to get in all your fun before the sun goes down.
Brittany has a culture all its own.
Brittany’s coast is different from that of the Mediterranean, or even of farther north in Upper Normandy. It’s a bit more savage, undeveloped, rugged. Oh, don’t worry; there are plenty of AMAZING little coastal towns to visit that have everything you need and enough cuteness to knock you over. But if you are ready to get out of crowded Paris and really feel like you’re getting away from it all, then definitely head to Brittany.
Oysters, oysters, oysters.
Oh my goodness you guys, these oysters. Even if you maybe don’t love them, at least try one here. They are so, so good. And so cheap. And go down so easy with a nice chilled white wine. All the seafood is great in this region, but the oysters are the star. Oh, and there’s other yummy food as well:
Saint-Malo is in Brittany.
And man, is it gorgeous. If you’re already in the southern tip of Normandy to see Mont Saint-Michel, head over to Saint-Malo. It’s a walled city dating back to the Middle Ages that is a real treat that no one ever seems to talk about. Please add this to your itinerary; you won’t be sorry.
Photos: Tc7, JL62, lavillautady