Oysters are farmed and served here year-round, with the harvest often considered best in the cooler months, though the quayside stalls operate for most of the year.
Discover Authentic Brittany Coasts: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Brittany Coasts, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Saint-Cado in the Ria d'Étel, the Cité de la Voile in Lorient and Cancale's hidden natural pool.
Top 5 Things to Do in Brittany Coasts
Saint-Malo
A walled corsair city with intact ramparts you can walk almost the whole way around, looking out over the English Channel.
Dinard
Belle Époque villas and striped beach tents line the shore here, a resort town that still feels like a step back into the 19th century.
Cancale
A fishing port built around oysters, with tastings served straight off the quay and a reputation that draws visitors from well beyond Brittany.
Perros-Guirec
Thirteen kilometres of coastline and three sandy beaches, on the edge of the Pink Granite Coast.
Ploumanac'h
Home to the pink granite boulders that give this coast its name, shaped by wind and sea over roughly 300 million years.
Explore Brittany Coasts's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Brittany coasts
We've mapped local spots along the Breton coast.
Coastal wonders
Abri des Flots natural pool, Cancale
Facing Les Rimains island in Cancale, Abri des Flots beach keeps a natural seawater pool at low tide – quieter than Saint-Malo and Dinard. Bring a crab net, or just dive in.
Cancale · Beach and tidal pool · Perfect for families
Saint-Cado and the blue-shuttered house
In Belz on the Ria d'Étel, a stone bridge leads to the islet of Saint-Cado. Opposite, the former oyster keeper's house with blue shutters on Nichtarguér – one of Brittany's most photographed views.
Belz · Islet and village · Great for photos
Cité de la Voile zipline, Lorient
In Lorient's former submarine base, the Éric Tabarly Cité de la Voile has a giant zipline. Climb the 28-metre tower for views of Groix and Belle-Île, then fly over the water at 60 km/h.
Lorient · Zipline and sailing centre · Made for thrill seekers
Château du Taureau
A sea fort built 1690–1745 on an islet in the Bay of Morlaix, the only seaside fort in Brittany open to the public. Take the boat out for a 360° view.
Bay of Morlaix · Fort · Ideal for a boat trip
Océanopolis
One of France's largest aquariums: 10,000 animals from 1,000 species across themed pavilions. Dive in, without getting wet.
Brest · Aquarium · Great for families
Brest National Botanical Conservatory
A 30-hectare garden in the Stang-Alar valley protecting endangered plants from around the world, with tropical greenhouses.
Brest · Botanical garden · Perfect for a peaceful walk
Tour Tanguy
A 600-year-old tower on the Penfeld, home to the Musée du Vieux-Brest and its dioramas of the old city.
Brest · Museum · Ideal for history
Ateliers des Capucins
Former naval workshops turned Europe's largest covered public square – and you get there by cable car.
Brest · Cultural venue · Great for families
Chantier du Guip
A renowned wooden boatyard restoring heritage boats and yachts. Smell the timber.
Brest · Boatyard · Made for sailing fans
Food, crafts & evenings
Le Piano Barge, Vannes
Moored in the port of Vannes, a restored 1930 Dutch barge for lunch, dinner, a glass of wine or a concert.
Port of Vannes · Bar-restaurant · Perfect for an evening out
Route Mandarine, Lanildut
At the tip of Finistère, a workshop hand-making cold-process soaps and cosmetics with organic vegetable oils. Join an hour-long tour of its techniques.
Lanildut · Cosmetics workshop · Great for souvenirs
Auberge du Crec'h Bec
Near the Radôme of Pleumeur-Bodou, a red-roofed Breton inn serving seasonal local food in a two-hectare wild garden, with concerts in summer.
Pleumeur-Bodou · Restaurant · Ideal for a garden lunch
Memes Tra
A short menu of seasonal, local dishes 'between land and sea'.
Restaurant · Perfect for local produce
Hinoki
Gourmet sushi by Breton chef Xavier Pensec, with local fish, prepared right in front of you at the counter.
Brest · Japanese restaurant · Made for sushi lovers
Les Filets Bleus
Held every August since 1905 in Concarneau, one of France's oldest festivals of Breton music, dance and costume.
Concarneau · Festival · Perfect for August
Douarnenez maritime festival
Every two years since 1986, sailing ships from around the world gather at the port of Rosmeur.
Douarnenez · Festival · Made for sailing fans
Festival du Bout du Monde
World music every August on the Crozon peninsula, in the Armorique regional park.
Crozon · Festival · Great for music lovers
FAQ
A passenger ferry crosses the estuary between the two in a matter of minutes, a quicker option than the drive around the bay.
Yes — this stretch of the GR34 is one of the most striking parts of the Pink Granite Coast, winding past rock formations shaped over roughly 300 million years.
At Abri des Flots beach in Cancale, which keeps a natural seawater pool when the tide goes out.
The former oyster keeper's house on the islet of Nichtarguér, opposite Saint-Cado in Belz, on the Ria d'Étel.
Visit the Cité de la Voile Éric Tabarly in the former submarine base and ride its giant zipline over the water.
Where to Sleep in Brittany Coasts
See our Mercure hotels across Brittany Coasts, ideally placed to explore these picks.