Wondering where to stay in Brittany? France’s most popular region for British tourists certainly has a lot to offer for holiday-makers. But it can be quite the conundrum when faced with the decision of where to stay in Brittany when the area is so vast. 13,000 square miles of dramatic coastal walks, white sandy beaches, many beautiful towns, and a vibrant history that generates countless day-trip opportunities and fascinating places to visit.

And choosing the best place to stay in Brittany for you also depends on what you want out of a holiday. If you’re travelling with the family – where are the best places in Brittany for kids? Are there any romantic spots for couples? Where are the best beaches in Brittany? And, what’s the best location for day trips to pretty towns and villages.

We will endeavor to answer all of these question and more, along with the pro’s and con’s of each place. And, as usual, we have some great hotel recommendations for you as well. So buckle up, you’re about to plan your next Brittany holiday!

The Best Places To Stay In Brittany

Brittany, France, covers a vast area. However, the roads are good in most places and driving across most of the region can be quick and easy. This makes it a great area of France for a summer holiday if you like to visit places or explore multiple beaches. The roads are also relatively quiet compared to the UK, even in the height of Summer. There are just a few towns to watch out for that can get gridlocked at certain times of the day but we will mention them when necessary.

This post covers the best places to stay if you’re travelling with kids, the most romantic places in Brittany, the best area’s to stay if you’re visiting Brittany without a car, good locations for making lots of day trips, and finally our favourite hotel in all of Brittany that ticks so many boxes and is especially great for first-timers just wanting to dip their toe into Brittany and have the perfect break. We hope you find it useful…

Brittany Family Holidays

When it comes to booking that France family holiday, Brittany is definitely a good choice. Gorgeous beaches, a laid back vibe and the perfect summer temperatures make the decision a no-brainer!

As most of the car-ferries arrive in the north of Brittany, this coastline is certainly geared up for families who like to drive over, and we do have some good recommendations. However, you mustn’t rule out the Southern coastline too – Saint Malo to Vannes is only a 2 hour drive, which places you right in the middle of the Quiberon Bay area, a definite favourite spot with our family.

Here are some of our favourite places for family holidays in Brittany…

SAINT-BRIAC-SUR-MER

Whilst the holiday-makers of yesteryear, with their Punch & Judy’s and floral swimming caps, loved the nearby towns of Saint Malo and Dinard, we prefer the quieter towns of Saint-Briac-Sur-Mer and Saint Lunaire. The beaches are more sheltered, the towns are quieter and more quaint, and the prices are moderately lower. And you’re only a stones-throw to both Saint Malo and Dinard for day trips.

We found a beautiful apartment right on the beach, but also with a shared pool and sauna, with 2 bedrooms that was ideal for our family. It had a well-equipped kitchen, private parking, and 3 gorgeous beaches to choose from – 1 with a surf school for the kids.

For the best deals at Appartment Kermael, click here.

PROS:

• This section of Brittany has relatively sheltered beaches with vast expanses of sand, perfect for families with kids.
• If you’re taking the ferry from Portsmouth to Saint Malo, it’s only 25 minutes to your apartment.
• Even if you’re driving all the way from the UK, this area is still one of the best holiday destinations within a short drive of the Euro-tunnel.
• This is definitely a France family holiday destination and as such the restaurants are more geared up to feed fussy eaters than other parts of Brittany.
• There is plenty to do in the area. Day trips to Saint Malo, Dinard, Chateau du Guildo, Mont Saint-Michel, Saint-Suliac and Combourg should definitely go on your bucket list.

CONS:

• Because the area became popular during the Belle Epoque era when the wealthy recognised the benefits of the sea air, this area of Brittany is far less French-feeling. The towns have a distinctly Victorian sea-side ambiance about them. They are quite lovely in their own right, but not necessarily French authentic, so if that is what you were hoping for you’d be better visiting the South of Brittany.
• Accommodation in the north of Brittany on average is more expensive than in the south of the region.

CARNAC PLAGE

As we’ve already mentioned, the north of Brittany has a distinctly English seaside feel to the area, whereas in the south of Brittany you really know you’re in France! We love this area for that, and also for all the gorgeous little sheltered ports that can be found in the Quiberon Bay and Gulf of Morbihan too. If you want a clue as to how old and culturally rich this area can be, check out a post we wrote about our favourite little ancient harbour…

Visit Auray-Saint-Goustan – The Port That Time Forgot

When it comes to Brittany family holidays though, this particular area is great because the beaches are so sheltered and you really can relax when your kids are playing in the sea. The Gulf of Morbihan has some incredible white sandy beaches and if your holiday in Brittany involves a few families this is the area where it’s relatively easy to find large houses to rent, a lot of them with pools too.

But we also want to recommend the seaside town of Carnac Plage (near the very famous Neolithic Carnac Stones). It’s in a great location (a bit easier for day-trips than the Gulf of Morbihan) and easy to reach places such as Auray, Vannes, the Carnac Stones, La Trinite-sure-Mer, Saint Cado (one of my favourite places in Brittany), Rochefort-en-Terre and Locronan. Carnac Plage itself is a little seaside resort with all the amenities you need for a lovely holiday – equipment rentals, plenty of restaurants, and it has a great holiday vibe to it. For the best deals in the area, check out Booking.com…

PROS:

• This really is a beautiful area of Brittany.
• There are loads of easy day trips.
• Accommodation is cheaper in south Brittany than in the north.
• The area has a rich heritage and feels more French than the northern coast of Brittany.
• Has some of the best beaches in Brittany.
• If you’re flying to Brittany, Rennes airport is only an hours drive.

CONS:

• If you’re driving from the UK, it’s slightly further than the area around Saint Malo.
• Accommodation often requires you to book a whole week.
• The coastal roads can get very busy around 10am and 5pm as beach-goers head to and from the sea.

Best Places To Stay In Brittany For A Romantic Break

Brittany is sooo romantic! After all, it is the place where the famous wizard Merlin fell in love with the enchanting Viviane. Flower-filled villages, medieval towns, scenic coastal walks, Michelin restaurants and villages that inspired the likes of Gaugin and Boudin. There’s no shortage of places to stay for romantic short breaks in Brittany!

VANNES

Our favourite choice would be Vannes. It’s just over an hour by train from Rennes airport, or 2 hours from Saint Malo if you’re catching the ferry.

This historic walled city, full of half-timbered houses and narrow streets is right out of a fairytale. Colourful boats line the scenic waters of the Gulf of Morbihan and the rampart gardens at the Chateau de l’Hermine is an elegant backdrop for evening walks. There are dozens on award-winning restaurants, cafe’s and wine-bars and plenty of cosy little boutique hotels.

Although not small and cosy we do love the boutique hotel Le Maury. It has a spa, beautiful rooms and is across the road from the best boulangerie in town – Lyautey – for your morning croissants. There’s a great restaurant down the street called L’antidote with a beautiful courtyard setting which we think is the cutest hidden gem, with a cute little owner too.

For the best deals at Le Maury click here.

AURAY-PORT-SAINT-GOUSTAN

The medieval port town of Saint Goustan is one of those places where day-trippers wished they didn’t have to leave. So, for those in the know, it’s absolutely one of the best villages in Brittany for a romantic break.

Through the summer you can take boat trips from the harbour, watch the local couples dancing in the square, and work your way through the handful of great restaurants.

We have recommended Maison de Charme for a lot of years here at MyLifeLongHoliday and people regularly contact us after their holiday to say how lovely it was. It’s a romantic apartment in the perfect location and really good value too.

For the best deals at Maison de Charme, click here.

SAINT PHILIBERT

We also have another great Brittany hotel recommendation in this area too, especially if you are wanting a peaceful serene setting. La Villa Bel Ange (only 15 minutes from Auray-Saint-Goustan) is a small spa hotel right on the water on the St Philibert peninsula. There are a dozen tiny beaches you can walk to from the hotel, stunning coastal walks and the hotel’s terrace is one you will find it hard to pull away from. Plus, the owner will take great care of you.

For the best rates at La Villa Bel Ange, click here.

Best Towns In Brittany For A Base For Great Day Trips

There are so many great places to visit in Brittany. From castles and museums, to national parks, beaches, pretty towns and markets. And from east to west it’s almost 200 miles so you’re never going to see every thing. However, there are a few spots that win out for us, especially if you’re the kind of people who want to see as many places to visit in Brittany as you can.

NORTH BRITTANY

If you are sticking to the north of Brittany, and want to visit places such as Mont Saint-Michel, Dinan, Saint-Malo, Dinard, Saint-Suliac, Combourg and Moncontour, then we would recommend staying somewhere in outer areas of Dinan (note: not Dinard – the two are often mixed up). The road network here links all of the above places in under an hour and this piece of countryside is very picturesque.

Dinard and St Michels Mount

We once stayed in this cute little chambre d’hotes on the outskirts of Dinan and can thoroughly recommend it. However, you can’t go wrong in this area.

CENTRAL BRITTANY

In our experience, it’s always been trickier to find nice hotels or chambres d’hôtes in the central area of Brittany so we don’t have any to recommend. But due to the road networks and the main tourist attractions you will probably want to visit, the area around Josselin Castle is a good place to start. The D166 is the quickest route to link the north to the south, so bear this in mind when searching

SOUTH BRITTANY

The E60 is the fastest road in the south to link you to all of the places you will want to see in this area. We personally prefer staying further west in this region, around Auray, because we think it’s prettier and less remote, and you can see our hotel recommendation above in the Romantic Break section. However, if you were wanting to concentrate your day-trips further west on places such as Rocheforte-en-Terre, Concarneau, Locronan, Douarnenez, Pont-Aven and the Black Mountains we have a lovely recommendation for you on the outskirts of the old city of Quimper.

Rocheforte-enTerre and Pont Aven

Manoir des Indes is a beautiful hotel in an old manor house. The details in the decor are all far-east themed; lots of wood, flowing fabrics and some very lovely gardens to wander in. There’s a small spa under the hotel which is a welcomed extra after a day exploring. And, whilst the hotel doesn’t have an official restaurant you can pre-order a meal in their dining room and the food is great. That said, we found the town of Quimper was a lovely place to go in the evening for food.

For the best deals at Manoir des Indes, click here.

Best Places To Stay In Brittany Without A Car

Obviously the best places to stay in Brittany without a car are the towns around the airports, of which there are two. Rennes-Saint-Jacques (RNS) in the east, and Brest (BES) in the west.

BREST

As we mentioned earlier, the west of Brittany can be quite remote and rugged. Brest itself is a very interesting city with a strong maritime heritage and would make for a very pleasant weekend break. There’s also a decent train route from the city which could take you to some other pleasant towns for day-trips. You might like to see Morlaix and Landerneau, two pretty towns on this route.

For the best deal on hotels in Brest, click here.

RENNES

Rennes is definitely the better connected city though. You can catch the train to Saint-Malo in under an hour, Nantes just over an hour and Vannes similar. Plus, the Ille-et-Vilaine region where Rennes is located is home to numerous castles and there are plenty of coach trips available. It’s very easy to take day trips from Rennes.

Our favourite place to stay in Rennes is always Le Nemours. Depending on the length of our stay there’s a choice between an apartment room with a kitchen or just a plain hotel bedroom, but they’re both great. The hotel is only a 5 minute walk to the train station for day trips and a 5 minute walk into the old town so is perfectly located.

For the best deals at Le Nemours, click here.

And, if you are still in the planning stages of your Brittany holiday, check out Skyscanner for all of the best flight deals. They scrape all of the airline websites ensuring you get the cheapest deals around…

Our Favourite Hotel In All Of Brittany

If this is your first time to Brittany and you just want a gorgeous hotel in a gorgeous town with plenty of gorgeous places nearby to explore, and you don’t want to put too much thought into it, then here you are…

Le Nessay – Saint-Briac-sur-Mer

Le Nessay in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer. This amazing hotel made it onto the Mr & Mrs Smith Hotel list and that’s where it first caught our attention, and once we arrived it was easy to tell how. Days at Le Nessay are gentle and dignified and your holiday will take on a pace that gives you breathing space. The place has a real luxury to it and you’ll have no problems surrendering your stresses and giving in to the sun terrace.

Nearby there are several glorious beaches to try, some where you could be the only people there. And you must have a seafood platter out in the garden at Le Rusty. The town of Saint-Briac is a gem of a town on the Emerald coast of Brittany and has been a bolthole for artists and painters for centuries. The maze of flower-lined streets and stone cottages are a joy to wander, especially on market days, and there are dozens of bakeries and cafes to try.

To make a booking at Le Nessay, click here.

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So there you have it, our top recommendations for where to stay in Brittany regardless of your circumstances or criteria’s. Ultimately though, where ever you choose to stay in Brittany we know you’re going to have a great time – this part of France is amazing! Bon Voyage.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our readers. Every booking you make through one of our links makes us a small commission, at no extra cost to you, which helps immensely with the expenses of our little blog and means we can keep writing. So, thank you.