RAVEL LITTLE BRITT Let time stand still as you enjoy Gallic treats in the home of Asterix
IF you have a penchant for crêpes, more crêpes and large stones then Brittany is the region of France for you.
Day-tripping wine fans will be familiar with the big beach towns of the north coastline, but venture further south and you’ll discover a world of ancient wonders.
With a new baby in tow, I was heading to a holiday village in Quiberon, located on a beautiful nine-mile peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic.
Not to disrupt the little one’s sleep, we booked an overnight Brittany Ferries departure from Portsmouth – and the slick boarding ensured bedtime went just as smoothly.
A travel cot awaited us in our wellequipped cabin, which also had a shower, desk and porthole.
The early wake-up call meant we were rolling through Gallic countryside by 8am. It’s a four-hour drive on straight and congestion-free roads.
But Brittany’s largest city, Rennes – voted the best place to live in France – is a good half-way break for a decent lunch surrounded by incredible architecture.
As we approached Quiberon, our surroundings became evidently more “seaside” – always an exciting feeling when travelling by car.
The town is practically on an island, connected only by a few metre-wide tombolo, or mounds of land, which gradually opened up to reveal lovely beaches on both sides as we crossed.
There was plenty of history to take in along the way, too – ghostly remnants of two world wars and past industries all reclaimed by creeping nature.
Siblu’s Le Conguel holiday village is at the very southern tip, between a typically French cluster of pine trees, and flanked by coastal views.
Check-in was a doddle, and we were soon pulling up alongside our caravan, with its adjacent parking space.
Spacious and thoughtfully laid out, our Elegance mobile home included a dishwasher and a pleasant covered veranda for grazing on over the inevitable cheese and wine marathons.
Activities on site range from aqua aerobics to football, and there is a reassuring sense of safety. Children can form friendships with neighbours and cycle around independently.
Kids’ clubs and child-minding services are available too, and there are two pools. The indoor one is perfect for waddling toddlers and unpredictable weather.
The on-site restaurant delivered the peninsula’s best moules-frites next door to the well-stocked shop – just ensure you reserve your baguettes and croissants each morning or you will get an indignant French response. Outside camp there are many beautiful things to discover. Stroll along the more sheltered east coast to find softer sand and safer swimming.
One of the closest restaurants, the Café du Midi, serves crêpes and galettes pretty much exclusively, but they do stretch to a delicious boeuf bourguignon on Sundays.
Take the western coast path to feel the Atlantic breeze and see birds of prey hover over rugged bays and coves. A 20-minute stroll this way takes you to the main market town, with pretty beachfront bistros, all manner of shopping and ferries to nearby islands.
One of the standout eateries,
La Criée, specialises in fresh local seafood, specifically smoked fish – don’t forget the Champagne sauce.
Brittany is also Asterix country, which means it is littered with Neolithic stones known as menhir.
We took a day trip to Carnac, noted for its abundance of standing stones dating from 4500 BC, predating Stonehenge. Walk or take a tour through hundreds of them in perfect straight lines. When the weather took a turn for the worse, the walled town of Vannes a few kilometres away had plenty to offer. The aquarium and butterfly house aside, there are beautiful cobbled streets with boutiques, a fine art museum and a Gothic cathedral. Prettier still is the town of La Trinité-sur-Mer, just east of Carnac. It is known for watersports contests, and the seaside quay is dotted with lovely seafood restaurants.