How to spend the summer exploring Brittany without a car

Rebecca Crowe

Rebecca Crowe

With dramatic coastlines, a vivid history and great transport links, this summer is a great time to explore the beautiful region of Brittany, France, and leave the car at home.

The pretty port of Sauzon, Belle Île en Mer, Brittany
The pretty port of Sauzon, Belle Île en Mer, Brittany © Alexander Demyanenko - Adobe Stock Image

If you're seeking out a summer getaway that has wonderful beaches, quaint towns that transport you into fairytales, and an outstanding food and drink culture, few places combine these aspects like Brittany in northwest France.

Known for its history, culture and windswept coastline, it's often overlooked in favour of the French big-hitters like Paris or the Côte D'Azur. However, with the hordes descending on Paris for the 2024 Olympics, and the scorching temperatures hitting the southern coastline, summer is the ideal time to visit Brittany.

Thanks to a network of affordable trains, buses and metros, it's also a delightful place to explore without a car. Whether you're hopping from place to place, or want to indulge in a series of public-transport-fuelled day trips, Brittany in summer is full of accessible sights.

Getting there: check out the latest offers from Brittany Ferries*, which promises a fast, efficient and greener way to travel to France.

Historic towns & cities

One of the most iconic sights of many Breton towns and cities has to be the timber-clad buildings that have stood for centuries. These windows into a quaint European fantasyland of time gone by are also incredibly photogenic.

As one of the key city hubs of the region, Rennes has a huge range of colourful buildings that accompany cobblestone streets and winding alleyways. Place Sainte-Anne, with its al fresco eateries, second-hand book markets and old-world architecture takes you back in time.

The medieval walls of Vannes, Brittany
The medieval walls of Vannes, Brittany © Cezary Wojtkowski - Shutterstock.com

A short jaunt to the southwest of Brittany brings you to the medieval port town of Vannes. Spy bright timber houses of Place des Lices, the Gothic and Romanesque cathedrals or head to the impressive medieval walls. The historic beauty of Vannes makes you believe that at any moment, a fairytale character may very well burst into song.

Intriguing festivals

In summertime, Brittany is filled with festivals. Of course, with this being coastal France, it would be impossible to let the season pass without a foodie experience or two. With both the Festival Saumon in Port Scorff and the Fête de la Crêpe in Gourin happening in July, you can enjoy some of the best local cuisine that Brittany has to offer, accompanied by live music, dancing and cultural entertainment.

Away from the delicious food-filled events, there's the stunning contemporary art trail of Le Voyage à Nantes, the majestic boats and nautical activities of the Brest International Maritime Festival and the high-energy Route du Rock, among others.

Where to stay: find fabulously fun accommodation at one of the many Eurocamps in Brittany* or plump for a great value private stay at a VRBO property*.

Great transport connections

One of the best things about spending summer in Brittany has to be the ease and affordability of travelling around without a car. The SNCF app will become your best friend as you navigate trains, buses, private coach companies and even BlaBlaCar rideshares.

A regional TER train at Rennes station, Brittany
A regional TER train at Rennes station, Brittany © EQRoy - Shutterstock.com

Basing yourself in a larger city like Rennes or Nantes gives you ample opportunities to take day trips to coastal favourites like Quimper, Saint-Malo and Vannes, or head up to neighbouring Normandy for a visit to the iconic Mont Saint Michel.

Within an hour or two, you can easily be in a new Breton destination with a different vibe from the last. From nights out in the student haunts of Rennes to wandering around the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Vannes to muscling through tourist hordes to get mussels on Mont Saint Michel, travelling by public transport around Brittany is as close to effortless as it gets.

Natural beauty

Brittany is awash with natural playgrounds. The most famous is probably Parc naturel régional d'Armorique, or Armorica Regional Natural Park, which covers an incredible 125 hectares of forest landscape, coastal cliffs, moorland and expansive views out across the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Trekking on the Quiberon peninsula, Brittany
Trekking on the Quiberon peninsula, Brittany © Aquaphoto - Adobe Stock Image

If you're looking for a more wildlife-centric outing, the Parc naturel régional de Brière, or Brière Regional Natural Park, near Nantes specialises in birdwatching experiences and wetland adventures by barge.

Similarly, the Parc naturel régional du Golfe du Morbihan, or Golfe du Morbihan Regional Natural Park, on the outskirts of Vannes offers beautiful kayaking and twitching opportunities in the scenic Gulf of Morbihan.

Sporting experiences

France is going to be a little sports-crazy throughout the summer of 2024. While the only Olympic event near Brittany includes some football matches in the region's former capital, Nantes, there are so many opportunities to get stuck into outdoor recreation while you're in Brittany.

Of course, with miles upon miles of dramatic coastline, aquatic adventures are high on the list. With the summer bringing warmer temperatures and less wind, it's also the perfect time to get out on the water.

On the water at Langrolay in the Rance Estuary, Brittany
On the water at Langrolay in the Rance Estuary, Brittany © Emmanuel Berthier - courtesy of Tourisme Bretagne

Whether you want to try kayaking, sailing, windsurfing or canoeing, you'll find sailing schools and hire opportunities all around Brittany's coast. It's the ideal way to see the region's shore from a different perspective while you soak up the elusive northwestern French sunshine.

Climate in Brittany

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Maximum daytime temperature °C
Hours of sunshine (daily)
Days with some rainfall
Sea temperature °C

The above guide shows the climate in Vannes. Find out more about conditions across the region in our complete guide to the climate in Brittany and wider France.

Ready to explore? Don't miss the current offers on sailings to France with Brittany Ferries.

More about Brittany

Brittany by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rebecca Crowe

Rebecca Crowe

Posted on Wednesday 24th July 2024 in: Europe Excursions Summer

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