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"I was born in this corsair’s house, where I have gone on to cook for nearly thirty years. Today it is a charming hotel and a spice workshop, where we create our own powders and mixtures. I never needed to put a shell to my ear to hear the sea; all I had to do was tear down the little road in front of our house. Here we learn to row a boat before learning to ride a bike. As a child, I was even lucky enough to play in an attic where Robert Surcouf himself had played. The Sentier des Douaniers passes just a few metres from our door. This trail tells our history, from the Gallo country to the Bigouden, and narrates all the sufferings and all the joys of the people. Over to you to discover it…"
To give you inspiration, Relais & Châteaux presents the Routes du Bonheur: suggestions for travel itineraries that you can fully personalise according to your wishes and the experiences you would like to discover. Our consultants are available to help customise your route and assist you in making reservations at our properties. It is up to you to reserve any recommended activities on-site or nearby that might interest you.
*Total price provided for information only, based on accommodation for two people in a double room for the number of nights per property as indicated on this page, exclusive of recommended activities, properties that cannot be reserved online and restaurants.
Restaurant and hotel on the seafront. At Les Maisons de Bricourt there are breathtaking views of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and, at your feet, the oyster farms and the little port of Cancale. In this world of the seafarers of Saint-Malo, the spirit of the restaurant Le Coquillage is one of elegant simplicity. The cuisine with produce from the bay of Cancale reflects the maritime adventures of this pirate country by using more than 120 spices from the East and West Indies. You will find two residences; the château Richeux and the cottage Les Rimains, as well as Les Gîtes Marins for families. The Roellingers’s joie de vivre is evident in the patisserie-tea room Grain de Vanille and the Épices-Roellinger warehouse.
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Also known as the “black widow”, this is a replica ship which was launched by the great Éric Tabarly. The ship, which has many sails and is very powerful, was formerly used to dredge for wild oysters. As one of the fastest fishing boats on the continent, it has been able to challenge yachtsmen on the Solent in England. Two examples remain, one in Cancale, La Cancalaise, and another across the way, La Granvillaise. But during regattas, it is often our ship that wins…
Annick Prod’Homme’s oysters
I knew Annick as a child, we grew up together. She naturally became the oyster farmer of the family. I should mention that she comes from a family of oyster farmers, a tradition handed down from generation to generation. Annick is a true Cancalaise, a woman with a strong and determined character, whose work is remarkable. Her oysters, available to purchase at Le Vauhariot, are absolutely delicious. My favourites? The wild flat Cancale oysters – the truffles of the sea!
On the route
La Touesse beach
It was at this superb beach that I learned to swim. It’s got the lot: a unique current, an incredible soundtrack and intoxicating aromas. The wind blows off the sea, you go down without ever seeing the beach. First of all, you smell the sea, then hear it, and then, finally, you see it. The beach opens up like the doors of a cathedral. It is incredibly beautiful. This is also the site, at Rozven, of Colette’s house. This is where she wrote Le blé en herbe in 1923.
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Surrounded by the immense sea and the reefs of the Pink Granite Coast, the Manoir de Lan-Kerellec in Trébeurden is a jewel in Brittany’s crown. From your balcony, drink in the magical panoramic view of the islands of Milliau, Molène and Losquet. Then you might want to take a walk along the coastal "path of the customs officers" to taste the sea spray, or scuba dive for a closer look at the underwater nature reserve. Enjoy your dinner showcasing the produce of the sea in the dining room built in the shape of an upturned boat, a masterpiece by the Compagnons du Devoir.
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Île Milliau is a small island which seems to float in the sea, a stone’s throw away from Trébeurden. It can be reached at low tide via the Passage du Gois (watch out for the tides!), a walk of which I’m particularly fond. I love the pink granite, and these sites which have an almost druidic atmosphere, abounding with telluric energy. With a little luck, you might find some wild orchids on the island.
On the route
The Calvary of Saint-Thégonnec
A few kilometres from Morlaix, take a brief detour from the Sentier des Douaniers to discover the magnificent parish close of Saint-Thégonnec. Completed in 1610, its impressive calvary illustrates the Passion and the Resurrection of Christ. The sculpture was made possible by donations from villagers who had made their fortunes in horse breeding and fabric production.
Morlaix and its half-timbered houses
Morlaix is the only town in Brittany where you can still find these half-timbered houses, which were built in the 16th century by rich linen merchants. The Maison à Pondalez at number 9 Grand rue, with its street-facing corbelled facade, is a rare surviving illustration of the golden age of the town.
The Sentier des Douaniers, an enormous herbarium
The Sentier des Douaniers is a gigantic herbarium: campion, wild sorrel, burnet, wild fennel, anise, glasswort, saltbush and sea purslane. You can find all kinds of smells and flavours. On the shore you can also collect seaweed, from laver to dulse and sea lettuce. This marine garden is incredibly rich, but most people are unaware of it…
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Formerly a smuggling port and refuge, Roscoff has remained a unique destination, with its waves of emerald, granite cottages and manor houses nestled amongst the cliffs. This hideaway is an ancient trader’s property with a swimming pool, spa and direct access to the beach. The chef will treat you to an exceptional quality of fish and seafood, directly sourced from the local fishermen. His cuisine is a reflection of modern Brittany; it is a real pleasure to see, to feel, to taste! A 15 minutes boat trip is all that is needed to discover the island of Batz, a “tropical” pearl with palm trees and beaches of fine sand that has been magically misplaced in the English Channel.
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There’s no need to go all the way to the Scandinavian fjords: the adventure starts right here. I have many memories of sailing in the rias abers, [in Breton] of Brittany. I have often dragged the anchor in these waters which are not always easy, but are so wild and exciting. Many times I have sought refuge from the northwest wind in the rias, and I’ve also had a few scary moments here. That’s the price you pay to experience such beauty.
The Sentier des Douaniers… at the full moon
Walking along the Sentier des Douaniers on the night of a full moon might well be the most enchanting experience there is. On the one hand, there is the moon, sparkling on the sea, on the other, waves crashing on the rocks, creating strange fluorescent effects. It is then that you understand this land of magic and legends, and you discover bright black, true black, the black of Soulages – reminiscent of the black of the finest vanilla in the world.
Hotel and restaurant in a village. It began as a blacksmith’s forge, then an inn stocked by the adjoining farm where workers and villagers met. Today, it is where Olivier Bellin, who took over from his grandmother and mother, interprets his “modern” version of a “land and sea” cuisine steeped in history. The fish are wild varieties, the vegetables are organic and the meat comes from small producers. Magnified in dishes boasting intense flavours, they continually seduce local Bretons and attract travellers who enjoy staying in the rooms adorned in highly contemporary decor. On sunny days, the magnificent view over the Bay of Douarnenez adds the final touch.
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Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Refined dishes such as lobster ravioli, croustille of tourteau, suckling veal and lamb from the Ponclet farm, white of turbot… take on a special flavour when they are served on the seafront in a wonderful place like Hôtel de la Plage. The panoramic restaurant overlooks the ocean and the vast beach of fine sand, only separated by a unique dry stone wall. There are similar views from the rooms, where you can hear the gentle lapping of the waves. Guests with families will enjoy the beach entirely dedicated to children, the water-based recreational activities and walks offered by the Bay of Douarnenez and the Finistère.
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Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Locguénolé is located next to the dark waters of a sea inlet in the heart of a land of legends. The Château and the small Manor House overlook a wide estuary where the light and landscape change with the tides. These buildings from the 18th and early 19th centuries are set in wooded parkland and have remained in the hands of the same family for centuries. They boast a combination of modern comfort and tradition with classical décor and period furniture. The creative cuisine is based on a subtle pairing of ingredients from the Morbihan terroir and the ocean. A private pontoon permits sailors travelling up the Blavet from Lorient harbour to dock at this delightful haven.
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Through model ships, old maps, prints and porcelain, this museum describes the splendid history of the trading companies which unloaded their wares, direct from Africa and Asia, onto the docks of Lorient in the 17th and 18th centuries. A visit to the museum is also a voyage into the world of spices...
Île de Groix
Known to Bretons as “Witch’s Island”, this little island has long been a productive spot for tuna fishermen. The evidence: take a look at the top of the church tower in Saint-Tudy, and you will see that the weathervane is a tuna and not a rooster! The island retains its wild side, with a nature reserve on its north-west tip.
On the route
The Carnac Stones
Who has never heard of Carnac? The three big groups of menhir alignments are known all over the world. These megaliths, of relatively modest size – the largest are less than 4 metres tall – have still not given up all their secrets…
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Bertrand Jaquet, owner of Domaine de Rochevilaine, has a genuine passion for Brittany and his desire to share that love with his guests is evident. Be seduced by the breathtaking, typically Breton setting on the Vilaine estuary with its jagged cliffs and blue waters. Savour a Breton lobster like none other at the seaside restaurant, where dining feels a bit like being on the deck of an ocean liner. Listen to the sound of the waves during a restorative treatment at the spa, perhaps “la table phénicienne” (the Phoenician table), a massage patented by the property. Another one of Bertrand Jaquet’s passions is art, as can be discovered in the hotel’s wonderful art gallery.
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The cannery founded in 1932 by the grandfather of Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu became a real institution in the Quiberon area. Located close to the fishing harbour, formerly the stronghold of sardine fishing, the company has preserved a very particular craft: they still process the sardines, tuna and mackerel by hand. Today, you can visit the cannery and admire the small hands at work on the gutting and packaging lines.
Sailboat trip, La Roche Bernard
Step on board this superb ketch and discover the Vilaine in a truly new light. This boat built in 1968 using rare iroko wood and based on plans from 1923 provides an unforgettable journey departing from La Roche Bernard. Sailing with the wind, Skipper Bruno Denis tacks while you enjoy a cocktail – or a night's stay on board. Sailing on the river and much farther back in time ...
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