Local Area Information
This is a place steeped in Celtic heritage, with its own language, its own bagpipe-style music and a charming array of village festivals and street fairs.
A place with more than 1000 kilometres of dramatic rocky coastline, it’s dotted with swathes of sandy beaches and age-old fishing villages. And what’s more, it’s pretty popular in the old tourism stakes, drawing in the crowds with its trendy holiday resorts, ancient cafe-lined cities and a countryside packed with castles, manor houses, chapels and rolling forests.
Car rentals are available at both Nantes and Brest airports.
Excellent motorway links (A11 and A81) connect Brittany with the rest of the French road network. Fast expressways (autoroutes N12, N164 and N165) connect all the major centers. There are no toll roads in Brittany.
Exploring the Region
Ty Hir is centrally located offering a large choice of activities and places to visit. A walking route, Circuit des Passerelles, runs directly past the cottage and the quiet lanes and roads provide excellent cycling. The River Elize is a 5 minute walk and in the summer provides shallow waters for a paddle on a hot day. We are also close to the village of Plouye which has two bars in the square including a tabac bar with a small shop and there is also the Welsh Pub, the Ty Elise which is quite famous in the area. We are also close to the village of Collorec which has a restaurant bar offering plate de jour at lunch time and a la carte in the evenings.
Whilst there are so many places to go during your visit the following information may give you some inspiration to plan your break.
HUELGOAT
The pretty lakeside town of Huelgoat is less than 15 minutes away where you will find a traditional square with bars and restaurants, boulangerie and patisserie together with the nearest supermarket, bank and the post office. There is a weekly market on a Thursday morning where you will find sellers of local produce, cheese and fish. Huelgoat is situated within the Armorique National forest and Huelgoat means ‘Tall Wood’ in Breton. Huelgoat forest is the birthplace of many Celtic legends due to the vast granite rocks is a chaotic arrangement within the forest which inspire many tales. You will find the Grotte du Diable (cave of the devil) which plunges 10m below Huelgoat’s lake and further on is La Roche Treblante (the trembling rock) a 137 tonne boulder which is pivoted and can be moved by pushing on a certain point. There are marked walks through the forest leading you to the various mysterious sites within. We can also put you in touch with a local tour guide who will be happy to explain the history of the forest.
Above the town you will find the Poerop Arboretum containing about 3600 types of plants, trees and shrubs from five continents including a collection of rhododendrons, roses and bamboos. It also contains a collection of medicinal plants from Nepal and Yunnan.
CHATEAUNEUF DU FAOU
Approximately 20 minutes away you will find the attractive town of Chateauneuf du Faou located on a hill rising from the Nantes-Brest canal backed by the Montagnes Noires. The bridge over the canal is known as ‘Old Kings Bridge’ and was built in 1638 when Louis XIII was king. Enjoy a walk along the banks of the canal before relaxing in one of the bars or restaurants that you will find. A further 10 minutes on from the town you will find the Chateau Domain de Trevarez which was built from pink granite over 100 years ago. The chateau was unfortunately bombed during World War 2 but is undergoing restoration and visitors can explore the restored areas and enjoy the fabulous views along the Aulne valley back towards Chateauneuf du Faou. Visitors can also explore the extensive gardens which are famous for its collections of camelias, rhododendrons and azaleas, hydrangeas and fuchias.
MORLAIX
Less than 45 minutes from Ty Hir is the town of Morlaix which is built on the slopes of a steep valley on the north coast. It was originally protected by an 11th century castle of which little remains but the old centre of the town remains in part medieval with cobbled streets and half-timbered houses and is brimming with art and history together with boutique shops, cafes and restaurants. Walk up the steep streets and be rewarded by views over the rooftops and gardens to the ruins of the old town walls. An impressive sight is the pink granite viaduct carrying trains from Paris to Brest high above the town centre.
Continue on to explore the beautiful Morlaix Bay and enjoy one of the sandy beaches in Locquirec, Plougasnou or Carantec or one of the many islands in the bay.
ROSCOFF
Roscoff is about a 1 hour drive from Ty Hir or perhaps worth a detour from the ferry port upon your arrival in Brittany. It is situated on a peninsula in Morlaix bay and has a historic 16th century centre and is labelled a ‘petite cite de caractere’. The stonework of the buildings exudes the past wealth of rich merchants from the trading of cloth, salt and wood and even onions exported to England. Roscoff is famous for its ‘Onion Johnnies’ being the nickname given to the French farmers who sold the distinctive pink onions. The onions are celebrated during the mid-August Fete de l’oignon Rose where there is music dancing and onions by the bucket load.
Roscoff has sandy beaches to enjoy and you can take a 15 minute ferry to the Isle de Batz with its white sandy beaches and dunes.
QUIMPER
Also about 50 minutes south west you will find Quimper (pronounced Campere) which is the capital of Finistere. Quimper was originally settled during Roman times and its name was derived from the Breton word ‘Kemper’ meaning the confluence of two rivers, the Odet and Steir. Stroll around the old town with its half timbered buildings and cobbled streets containing boutique shops and restaurants, creperies and patisseries selling the local speciality, macaroons. Wonder at the cathedral of Saint-Corentin with its Gothic style facade and two spires which are 250 feet tall. The town is best known for pottery, known as Falence which has been made here since 1690 and has its own dedicated museum.
CONCARNEAU
Concarneau is situated approximately 25 minutes from Quimper, on the coast and is well worth a visit if you are in the area. It is a town of two parts, the modern town is on the mainland and the old walled town, Ville Close, lies on an island which is linked to the mainland by a bridge. The old town, with its quaint narrow streets has plenty of restaurants, ice-cream parlours and shops and is home to the Marinarium laboratory museum. The ramparts were built between the 14th and 17th centuries to protect the town from the English.
The harbour is known for its trawler port where the catch of the day is thon (tuna) and is home to the third largest fish market in France. The town also has a marina a fine sandy beaches to explore.
BREST
Just over an hour away is Brest which is located on the western tip of the Brittany peninsular. Brest is an important port and naval base. The town was largely destroyed in 1944 by bombs but has been rebuilt and is now labelled a Town of Art and History. Visit the Chateau de Brest on the banks of the river which is home to the Naval Museum housing sets of wooden figureheads from warships, historic model ships and sculptures and paintings showing the development of the port is the 17th and 18th centuries.
Also located in Brest is Oceanopolis, a science and culture centre with over 50 different aquarium tanks housing marine wildlife in tropical, temperate and polar zones which is known as the biggest open air aquarium in Europe.
You will also find the Conservatoire Botanique which works to preserve the flora and natural environments from around the world in tropical greenhouses and 30 hectare garden.
CROZON PENINSULA
For spectacular beaches head to the Crozon Peninsular. Plage Pentrez near Saint Nic is the closest beach at approximately 45 minutes drive away but explore the peninsular and you will find craggy coastlines, seaside towns with beautiful beaches, turquoise waters and seafood restaurants.
CARNAC
Carnac in Morbihan is about 1 hour 35 minutes away and is known throughout to world for its unique rows of ancient standing stones and is one of Brittany’s greatest attractions. Three fields contain around 3000 aligned rows of megaliths which date from 4000BC. It is not known why they are there but it is thought they had a religious or cultural significance. The Museum of Prehistory in the town has artifacts from the areas Neolithic period. Also visit Carnac Plage which has a lovely wide sandy beach set in a family seaside resort.
ABBEY DE BON REPOSE
On the banks of the Nantes-Brest canal and near to Lake Guerledan approximately 1 hour away from Ty Hir you will find the Abbey de Bon Repose. The abbey was founded in the 12th century and sits in an idyllic setting in the heart of the Quenecan Forest. In 1986 a restoration project began by local enthusiasts and guided tours are available. It is also popular with contemporary art lovers as many exhibitions are organized here. Walking routes are set out to discover the surrounding nature and you will also find several restaurants and bars taking advantage of the idyllic setting.
Not far from the abbey you will find Guerledan lake which was formed by the construction of a hydro-electric dam and is the largest lake in Brittany. A trail goes all the way around where you will find tree lined coves, walking paths and views ideal for walking or mountain biking. Water sports such as kayaking, sailing, pedaloes and water skiing is available from the water sports centres.
GOLF
There is a 9 hole golf course in Carhaix-Plouger approximately 20 minutes away and nearer the coast you will find several 18 hole golf courses such as Blue Green l’Odet approximately 60 minutes away near Quimper, Golf de Kerbenez approximately 45 minutes away and Golf de Carantec also 45 minutes away on the North Coast.
Hopefully this has given you some ideas but there are so many interesting and beautiful places to visit whilst in Brittany. A couple of websites which may prove useful to you are www.finisterebrittany.com and www.brittanytourism.com both of which contain a wealth of further information.