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 Brittany Hotels
For carbon-conscious Brits, wary of spending too much on travel in the current economic climate, holidaying close to home has rarely seemed more appealing. Easy to get to from the UK, Brittany has ferry ports at Roscoff in the west, St-Malo in the east, and Normandy's ports close by as well. With its long coastline of sweeping beaches, rocky headlands, estuaries and inlets, Brittany has much in common with Cornwall, and the Breton people, like the Cornish, can trace their ancestry back to the Celts. In the North, glorious sandy beaches dot the Côte d'Emeraude and the Côte de Granit Rose, interrupted by bustling seaside resorts, fishing villages and oysterbeds. Families in search of bucket-and-spade country have also long favoured the fine, slowly-shelving beaches along the Golfe de Morbihan and the Côte d'Amour on the gentler southern shore. Windswept but picturesque fishing communities nestle in the wild, dramatic landscape of Finistère in the west, where you can sample some of the best of Brittany's famous seafood. Inland, the region also has much to offer, from the hilly, forested Parc Naturel Régional d'Armorique to the more serene wooded valleys of the south. |
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| Luxury: Cosseting hotel with a welcoming feel |
| Location: STE-ANNE-LA-PALUD; 4km west of Plonévez, beside the sea |
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| A traditional family seaside hotel that will appeal as much to parents as their children. A no-nonsense, white-painted building, it stands right on one of Brittany's gloriously unspoilt beaches. It's a Relais et Chateaux, so no bargain prices, but the facilities are excellent and standards assured. Views over the bay are spectacular, so try for a sea-facing room; most of the public spaces are designed to enjoy it too. Tennis courts, sauna, heated outdoor pool, and an unbeatable location for bracing walks along the cliffs. |
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| Mid Price: Refined waterside château hotel |
| Location: HENNEBONT; off the D781, on the Blavet estuary |
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| An elegant 19th-century château set in a large wooded park beside the Blavet estuary, Locguénolé is a very grown-up establishment. Polished parquet and antique furniture lend reception rooms a dignified air. Bedrooms range from the grand to the atmospheric; some with splendid views; all with luxurious bathrooms. The swimming pool is protected by walls of rhododendrons and azaleas, and walled gardens provide perfect suntraps. The hotel has a private pontoon, from where guests can sail or fish. Gastronomic restaurant. Guaranteed peace. |
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| Mid Price: Restaurant-with-rooms with an excellent kitchen |
| Location: LA ROCHE-BERNARD; in the town centre |
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| Owned and run by Jacques and Solange Thorel since 1980, this charming auberge, stone-built with blue painted doors and window frames, has a loyal clientele who return year after year. The main draw is chef Jacques’ sublime, Michelin-starred cooking. Eating here is a serious business, and there’s a remarkable list of fine and rare wines to accompany the food. The Thorels grow vegetables for the kitchen in a small garden, around which stretches the sunny dining room, and upstairs are eight thoughtfully and stylishly decorated bedrooms. |
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| Inexpensive: Excellent, characterful two-star hotel in a glorious position |
| Location: PLOUER-SUR-RANCE; on the Emerald Coast, overlooking the Rance Estuary near St Malo and Dina |
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| Set around an expansive hilltop courtyard with marvellous views over the Rance Estuary, this formerly ruined manor has been lovingly restored by its owners Patrick and Anne-France Van Valenburg to provide simple, airy bedrooms with Persian rugs on carpets, bright colours, some antiques. There's also a lofty, beamed breakfast room and billiards room, and six bedrooms have private terraces. Friendly, calm, very good value, especially with that view on which to gaze. |
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| Inexpensive: B&B in a well-preserved 19th-century château |
| Location: ARZANO; 6km east of Quimperlé on the D22 |
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| Maison d’hôtes in a handsome, 19th-century château, which has successfully evaded architectural mutilation. The interior has been sympathetically refurbished and remains full of character, with antique furniture, pictures and objets arranged artistically in every room. Bedrooms borrow their names from literature or history; so you might find yourself sleeping in 'Victor Hugo', ‘George Sand’ or 'Jeanne d'Arc'. The breakfast fare is homemade and varies from day to day, and for other meals, there’s a good choice of restaurants in nearby Quimperlé. |
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