Brittany family holiday – Carnac and Morbihan, France
After a tortuous drive across France last summer, we decided our next family trip would involve exploring some regions of France a little closer to the UK. We combined a stay in southern Brittany with a few days at Puy du Fou, and a week on the island of Noirmoutier in the Vendee. We stayed in the Morbihan area for our Brittany family holiday, just outside the little village of Baden, within easy access of interesting towns, pretty countryside and lots of islands and beaches.
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Gulf of Morbihan, Southern Brittany
Morbihan means “small sea” in Breton. It didn’t feel particularly small when we were paddling our board across the water, exploring tiny wooded islands and visiting waterside villages – there is so much to see and do in this part of Brittany. The Morbihan gulf is a stunning stretch of water – home to around 40 islands. Some of the islands consist of just a few rocks, others are rather desirable – and exclusive – places to live.
Houses are full of character – stone walls, thatched or slated roofs, surrounded by lush gardens amid an equally lush landscape. You can tell that this part of France receives more rain than regions further south. Hydrangeas and agapanthus bloom in the flowerbeds, the hedgerows are dense with ferns and bracken, fig and chestnut.
The towns and villages of Morbihan are peaceful, with few tourists – even in August. There are markets selling delicious local bread and cakes – I loved the buttery kouign amann cake. Writing this reminds me that I’d like to try making some but I’m worried there will be a disconcerting volume of butter in the recipe.
Beaches in the Morbihan Gulf in Brittany
The beaches were also quiet – we were always able to park right next to the sand. We even found plenty of spaces at the car parks at the beaches on the more popular Quiberon Peninsula.
We did discover, however, that you need to keep a very close eye on the tide in the Morbihan. When the water recedes in the Gulf of Morbihan, at some beaches you’re left with a rather muddy expanse of sand and it’s quite a slippery operation negotiating the mud and rocks to reach sufficiently deep water for swimming or paddling.
We bought a paddle board last summer and found that both of the destinations we picked in France – Noirmoutier and Morbihan – were ideal for paddle-boarding. The Morbihan Gulf is sheltered and the water was completely flat during our visit so we spent hours out on the board exploring the islands and coastline.
There are lots of quite small beaches in the gulf. This isn’t the place for big expanses of sand (you need to head west towards Carnac for decent sand). But there were still sandcastles being constructed and plenty of swimming – provided you picked the right beach.
Plage du Berchis
This little spot is perfect for paddle boarding. The islet of Radenec is within paddling distance of Berchis beach – it took me around 15 minutes without too much effort on a very calm day.
Plage de Locmiquel
This is the best beach in the area for swimming (as well as paddle boarding). There’s a decent strip of sand and the water is calm and serene for a dip. It’s backed by Ker Eden beach so it sometimes goes by this name.
Plage des Sept Iles
This is a really scenic spot. Once the tide recedes a little, you can walk across the sand to the small island (there’s just one, not seven) – there’s a path which runs around the edge of the isle which has stunning views of the gulf.
Sept Isles is definitely a walking destination, rather than a swimming or paddling beach. As the tide recedes, the beach becomes quite muddy and there are oyster trestles to navigate around not far off the shore. However, our kids loved squelching through the mud and exploring the rocks.
Beaches on Ile aux Moines
The island’s main beach is Le Grand Plage which is backed by colourful beach huts. However, there are plenty of smaller beaches along the island’s coast which you might only share with one or two other people – we had some really lovely swims from the beaches there.
Ile aux Moines
We enjoyed a brilliant day on the Ile aux Moines, it’s reached by a five minute ferry journey from Port Blanc. The island has one village from which a series of pathways wind their way across the island. We hired bikes and disappeared off along peaceful lanes, past beautiful houses.
The island has an impressive circle of Neolithic stones as well as a burial chamber set on a slight hill overlooking the sea. There are tiny hidden beaches for a refreshing dip and a lovely village for coffee or lunch. We loved this island and I really want to return for a few nights – Ile aux Moines was one of the highlights of our holiday.
Auray-Saint Goustan
You get two towns for the price of one here. We only visited the port area – Saint Goustan, a picturesque spot we spied from the elevated dual carriageway which crosses the Auray river a little further downstream. With its cobbled streets and timber framed inns, Saint Goustan is a victim of its quaintness – quite a few of the 15th and 16th century buildings are now cafes, restaurants or tourist shops but it’s still a lovely spot to visit.
If we’d had longer, we all agreed it would have been fun to hire a boat and explore the river from Saint Goustan – there are electric boats available for hire at the quayside.
Vannes
We visited Vannes in the late afternoon and had a wander around before dinner. Its cobblestone old town – mostly pedestrianised – is packed with chic shops and enticing bars and restaurants.
With timber-framed houses leaning into the narrow alleyways, the old town is a real tourist magnet. Parts of the stout city walls remain and you can walk along them – this is a good place to exercise the kids whilst you’re waiting for the restaurants to open.
Carnac
Carnac is made up of two distinct towns – the older inland town and the newer, and much livelier Carnac Plage. The famous standing stones of Carnac are located 1.5 kilometres north of the old town.
It’s worth visiting both the old and new towns of Carnac – the old town is appealing for a wander while the new has the usual seaside attractions. We had a good lunch at Le Bisetro in the inland older town and then enjoyed ice creams at Carnac’s seaside setting. Families with teens will enjoy the lively new town with its cafes and shops, it has more of a youthful, surf town vibe (although there isn’t really any surf – sorry!).
The beach at Carnac is stunning – several miles of fine sand and calm waters, great for swimming or water sports.
The standing stones at Carnac
If you’re keen to visit Carnac’s standing stones, head to the Carnac Alignments visitor centre – entry is free and there’s a short video introducing the history of the stones (perfect for impatient children) along with various exhibits.
Visitors can climb onto the roof of the centre for a view of the field of stones. There are guided tours should you need one – the stones are behind a fence so you can’t get up close without paying – but we found the views from the road and the roof were sufficient.
There are actually standing stones throughout the region. Hop on the ferry to Ile aux Moines and you can visit an ancient burial chamber as well as wander among a semi circle of standing stones – and you might well have it to yourself.
And if you’re hoping to find the answer to why the stones are standing, you might be disappointed. There’s lots of conjecture but no hard facts I’m afraid. We enjoyed reading about the various legends surrounding how the stones came to be there – some folk believed they simply fell from the sky.
Quiberon Peninsula
If you find the waters in the Gulf of Morbihan too tame and you fancy some swell, it’s a drive of around 45 minutes (depending on where you’re based) to reach the far side of the Quiberon Peninsula.
This strip of land, with the town of Quiberon at its far end, has long sandy beaches along its length and receives the full force of the Atlantic Ocean on its western coast. We spent an afternoon at one of the many beaches, riding waves on our bodyboards. It was such a contrast to the sleepy little beaches in the Morbihan.
Where to stay in the Gulf of Morbihan for a Brittany family holiday
We stayed on a big campsite for our family holiday in southern Brittany. Having explored the region, I’d be very tempted next time to stay in a gite or similar self catering holiday accommodation – the houses and gardens are so pretty and characterful in Brittany.
Look for places to stay in Morbihan on Booking.com
Mané Guernehue campsite
We picked Mané Guernehue for its rather extensive water park. There are slides galore and a lazy river so it kept our kids entertained for many hours. I have never been on so many water slides in all my life. And, I probably never need to go on another one again.
The campsite also has a big soft play area and various other play spaces. There’s a pretty good high ropes course in the woodland with a brilliant net for the kids to bounce around on amid the trees. There were lots of people – adults and children – zip-wiring through the forest.
The campsite is in a great location on the edge of the sleepy village of Baden – there’s a couple of shops, a brasserie and a church. The campsite is all-singing and all-dancing – quite a contrast to its peaceful neighbouring village.
Although the campsite has excellent facilities, its central space felt a little tired and badly designed. Unlike campsites further south in France where the evening entertainment is outdoors, here the evening shows took place in a cramped indoor space and felt rather old fashioned (in a bad way). However, our Eurocamp lodge was in a really peaceful location so enjoyed hanging out there.
Camping Ker Eden
This is a smaller campsite, in a really good location next to a pleasant sandy beach. Camping Ker Eden has a choice of tent pitches or static units. The campsite has a heated outdoor pool and a play area. You can hire paddleboards for use at the beach – just a few steps away .
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Have you enjoyed a family holiday in Brittany? Let me know in the comments below.
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