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Brittany

Holiday Property France - Self catering holiday property to rent in Brittany

Search the Rent-in-France directory for self catering holiday property to rent in Brittany. Holiday-makers can contact our property owners directly to find the ideal French holiday homes with pools, cottages, gites and houses to let in the region. Brittany occupies a large peninsula in the north-west of France, lying between the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. Its land area is 34,023 km².

Brittany is divided into five departments - Finistere in the west | Cotes-d'Armor in the north | Ille-et-Vilaine in the north-east | Loire-Atlantique in the south-east and Morbihan in the south on the Bay of Biscay. The capital of the region is Rennes. Rennes is located in the central eastern part of the region and it is through this large industrial city where most of the major lines of communication between Brittany and Paris pass. In January 2007 the population of Brittany was estimated to be 4,365,500. Of these, 71% lived in the Bretagne region, while 29% lived in the Pays-de-la-Loire region.

Take a Brittany self catering holiday home and explore one of the most popular regions of France. It is considered one of the most appealing regions for a number of reasons. Firstly, the region features rugged coastlines and some of the world's most breathtaking views. Secondly, the islands off the Breton coast and the historical architecture of some of the towns such as Morlaix and Quimper, along with several prehistoric landmarks are very popular with visitors. It features more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes. In addition, Brittany is considered a great location for water sports enthusiasts and lovers of fine cuisine and seafood. For these reasons, the region attracts many visitors to stay in Brittany Holiday Cottages and a lot of second-home owners from other parts of France and Britain.

Being the westernmost region of France, Brittany boasts around 3000km of attractive coastline. To the west the coastline is characterized by rock formations and dramatic cliffs, the south is home to some fantastic long sandy beaches and wide estuaries and the north boasts a number of tiny harbours along with some beautiful coves. Inland of the region sees a very different kind of landscape, from the forests, valleys and heathland to the large network of rivers and canals. There are a number of villages and farms scattered throughout the countryside with the Surrounding fields marked out clearly by the distinctive hedgerows and a cobweb of tracks and lanes. Located on the west coast of France, Brittany has a warm, temperate climate. Rainfall occurs regularly which has helped keep its countryside green and wooded, although sunny, cloudless days are also common. In the summer months, temperatures in the region can reach 30 degrees Celsius, but remain comfortable compared to parts of France south of the Loire. Brittany generally has a moderate climate during both summer and winter, and rain is neither uncomfortably common nor rare. There are both superb and affordable golf courses to be found in the area when staying in Brittany Gites. The region has a total of 34 golf courses to choose from!To the north of Brittany the people and their traditions are just as important as the regions geography. The Breton language is widely spoken throughout the area mainly due to the traditional ancient  celtic heritage, the language originates from the celtic languages of the regions cousins, the Welsh, Irish and Cornish. There are many wonderful towns, villages and attractions within the departments to enjoy during you self catering holiday rental in the region of Brittany these include: 

St Malo a walled port city from the 16th century. Surrounded by rampart walls which you can enjoy views across the town or out to sea. The town is full of atmosphere especially in the summer time where the streets are filled with entertainers and street artists, most of the restaurants and bars all have outdoor seating making it the ideal place to enjoy those summer evenings.

Dinan Located on the Rance river Dinan is a walled town that has maintained many of its medieval features.

Parame is bursting with colour with its large number  of boutiques and shops. The wonderful beach is overlooked by the Caravelle bar which is a beautiful bar that  offers a wide selection of drinks including late night cocktails in rather large glasses.You will be never be far from home during your stay in Parame as close by is a traditional fish and chip shop.

Dinard  A town which is full of character and gothic charm with its large number of pretty villas and rental accomadation. Venue for the British film festival Dinard boasts some magnificent  beaches with many walk marked out across the landscaped surroundings.

La Fôret de la Broceliande.  Only a short distance away from Dinan you will find what is know to many people as MerlinsForest. This is a magnificent forest is where many of the locals believe the mythology of Arthur and the Knights of the round table first originated from.

Pointe du Raz  - a promontory that extends into the Atlantic from the western tip of Brittany.Carnac - is famous as the site of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones. The stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany. Vieilles Charrues - This open air festival takes place each year in July near Carhaix, Finistere. It has rapidly established itself as the French equivalent of Glastonbury, and is now the biggest open air music event in France.

The annual Lorient Interceltiques one of France's biggest international festivals founded in Lorient, Brittany in 1971 by Polig Montjarret. This annual gathering takes place in the heart of the city every August and features Celtic traditional, classical, folk, jazz and rock musicians, singers, dancers, painters, sculptors, writers and other artists.

Quiberon Well known as a seaside resort for the French during summer, and for its history of sardine production. An attractive fishing port at the end of a long peninsula.The tidal power-station on the Rance - The power station opened in 1966 and is the world's first electrical generating station powered by the ebb and flow of the tide. It is located on the estuary of the Rance River.The Nantes-Brest canal - a meandering chain of waterways from Finistère to the Loire, linking the two cities of Nantes and Brest through inland Brittany.Brest - a city in the Finistère department. Located not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, it is an important seaport and naval base. 

The region boasts some fantastic food. Agriculture is one of the areas main industries and there are a number of markets that offer a fantastic selection fresh fruit and vegetables, poultry, cheese, meat and fish, there are also a number of farms in the region which you can buy eggs, milk and honey from directly. Enjoy some magnificent fresh fish, coquilles St Jacques and fruit de mer along the coast. Also be sure to try some of the delicious sweet and savory crepes or galettes, made from buckwheat flower these are often stuffed with a variety of fillings.

Boasting a large amount of attractive coastline mean that activities such as windsurfing, swimming, sailing and sea fishing are all available in Brittany and are very popular with the visiting tourists each year. Other activities such as cycling, walking, riding, golf and canal boating are also available in the area. Brittany as whole provides excellent activities and facilities for children making the region an ideal holiday destination for the whole family.

Due to its location along the west coast of France Brittany experiences a warm temperate climate. Rainfall is a common occurrence  but this only helps keep the region fresh and its green countryside and woodland, don’t let this put you off visiting though as many days per year see Brittany enjoy  cloudless sunny days.Overall the region experiences a relatively moderate climate during the winter and the summer. The summers months see the temperature reach around 30 degrees and the climate remains comfortable unlike some of the other regions in France south of the Loire. The winter months in Brittany rarely see the temperature drop below freezing especially in the south of the region.

Travelling to a self catering holiday in Brittany couldn’t be easier as there are various international and independent airlines which offer a great service to Paris. From Paris you can take a connecting flight to a number of airports in and around the region, these include Quimper, Rennes, Brest, Lorient and Nantes. British Airways, Ryan air and Flybe all offer budgets flights to the area direct to Nantes, Brest/ Rennes and Dinard respectively.Alternatively the TGV network provides a reliable train link to Brittany from Paris. From Gare Montparnasse, Paris there is a service that goes to Rennes via Vitre, from there you can take connecting services that will take you direct to Brest or Quimper.