Motorhoming in France | The Ultimate Brittany Roadtrip

Many consider Brittany one of the most scenic stretches of coastline in France (perhaps only rivalled by the famous Cote d’Azur). You’ll find over 1,780 miles of amazing coast, sandy beaches, hidden coves and oodles of French myths and heritage. Because it’s one of the few areas in France without a toll motorway, Brittany is perfect for a driving holiday. So with a fair-weather forecast and our hopes high after our scenic trip through Normandy, we set off to discover the ultimate road trip in Brittany.

So if you long to find that perfect beach with it’s scenic coastal footpath to your very own secluded cove. Brittany might just be the perfect spot for you. Imagine afternoons spent lounging on  expansive beaches, snorkelling for mussels in small coves or watching your children playing in the rock pools. Before visiting the traditional ports and villages such as Dinan or Dinard.

over 1780 miles of coast to explore

Explore a little further and you’ll find even more quaint villages (try Auray, Carnac or Paimpont) .However its Brittany’s rugged coastline that is simply stunning. So much so, we found it hard to drag ourselves away from some areas, in particular that stretch around St Malo. For the outdoor enthusiast, there are miles of coastal space hence why Brittany is also renowned for having the best sand yachting spots in Europe. Of course there are umpteen scenic drives or nearby Normandy highlights like  Mont St Michel or the idyllic Brittany beaches of Morbihan!!

Grabbing a bike is perhaps one of the best ways to stop and explore Brittany in more detail. The interesting Pink Granite coast (part of the Côtes d’Armor) has some stunning pink rock that has been eroded into fantastic shapes whilst easily accessible bike paths run the length of the coastline.  Taking you past grey granite houses, windmills and oyster farms which allow afternoon tastings that undoubtably made our roadtrip even more memorable.

So where would we suggest you visit first? 

Having focused on the beaches, islands and coastline for the first few days of our roadtrip, there’s plenty in Brittany to encourage those who love nothing better than wandering around French towns/villages. Perhaps the pick of these include : ​

• La Baule (centuries-old chic and upmarket seaside resort in southern Brittany)
• Roscoff (thriving Channel port and seaside resort in Finistere)
• Brest (France’s premier Atlantic Naval port with a rich maritime history)
• St Malo (fascinating old citadel with delightful narrow streets and summer street entertainers)
• Le Conquet (quaint fishing village has a gorgeous sandy beach)
• Morbihan (beautiful bay from Locmariaquer to the Rhuys Peninsula in the east)
• Cancale (picturesque little harbour east of St Malo, famous for oysters)
• Concarneau (Frances third largest fishing port with a lovely old quarter enclosed by granite ramparts)

Others might prefer the ‘wild’ heather on the Pointe du Van with it’s cackling seabirds, rolling waves and booming surf at Finistère but for us we’d opt for the ‘Opal Coast’ and it’s amazing collection of idyllic beach/coves and plentiful supply of campsites.

jam packed full of history and intrigue

If you’re looking for things to do with kids, you’ll love the tucked-away inlets. Places where smuggling was rife and fishermen braved the rough seas in small wooden boats, landing crates onto the old granite slipways. Some have retained so much of their original character whilst others boast a fascinating and unexpected history

Others offer broad sandy beaches with plenty of caves and rock pools to explore. Whatever your preference, we hope you find the right one for you but with so much choice we opted for the hidden coves of Plage d’Herlin or Plage de l’Anse du Croc (see above) for afternoons spent on the beach or walking the purple heather cliffs.

visit across the year

Brittany’s cool, laid back vibe belies its world class beaches, illustrious history and irresistible charm. So for those searching for sun, sea and sand then you’ll head for the ‘Opal Coastline’ whilst others will head for cultural highlights like Carnac. But here’s our route map below to show you the places we reached this July.

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