Brittany is beautiful right down to the earth. To convince yourself, all you need to do is make a charming stopover in the village of La Gacilly, in the heart of Morbihan. Here, the green of the meadows and gardens will outshine the blue of the ocean, the scent of flowers replaces the sea spray and the arts and crafts, visible at the end of each alley, are as invigorating as the seaside. We're taking you on a 100% Brittany plant odyssey!
Floral immersion at La Maison Yves Rocher
Set in a bucolic setting, an old stone mill on the banks of a river, La Maison Yves Rocher celebrates a local child. A native of La Gacilly, Yves Rocher began betting on nature in the 1950s, long before ecology became fashionable, to imagine cosmetic treatments based on plants and flowers. This immersive museum retraces its history through a 45-minute multi-sensory scripted journey that takes you to the heart of the plant world.
In a cocoon at La Grée des Landes
Cornflower, chamomile and calendula... The three emblematic plants of the Yves Rocher brand have given their name to the new suites of La Grée des Landes. Perched on a hill on the outskirts of the village of La Gacilly, this 4-star 29-room eco-spa hotel was designed like a cosy cocoon. Oak wood parquet flooring, light linen curtains, organic cotton duvet and even a green roof! Nature gives the best of itself to the gourmet restaurant Les Jardins sauvages. A "sentinel" vegetable garden ensures that vegetables, fruits and herbs put on the plates are always exclusively in season, locally grown or not too far away. It's beautiful, healthy and organic, a real 100% Breton cuisine, all the way to the end of the vines!
Going green at the Botanical Garden
An herb gardener, a botanist expert or a simple visitor, Yves Rocher Botanical Garden will bring you joy. More than a thousand plant species are arranged in an extraordinary colour palette. Originally an open-air laboratory for the beauty brand, it has grown over the years mixing English trails, adding French flowerbeds and even a bamboo grove. The collections of plants dedicated to cosmetics and perfumery flourish there in beauty. During informative guided tours, you will learn all about their benefits!
A life-size photography festival
About forty craftsmen working with flowers, wax, wood, earth... welcome visitors all year round to La Gacilly. But in the summer, the small Breton village looks even more like an open-air gallery. For four months, photos of the 5 continents are exhibited on its old walls, facades and alleyways. In this green museum, the fragile union between man and nature is the main theme of each of the (free) exhibitions. The best of contemporary photographic creation knows how to move and challenge an audience. In colour or black and white, some photos are exhibited on canvases approaching 70 m²!
Happiness is in the meadow
After strolling through the flowered streets of La Gacilly, let's have a tour in the surrounding fields. Across meadows, from one hill to another, along the small river Aff, the Roman road or in the foamy undergrowth of the Black Forest, enchanting walks are available to you. Several marked trails offer a loop from the village. On the way, the small chapel of Saint-Jugon, old windmills and charming hamlets, such as Brozéas or La Corblaie, with their beautiful dry-stone residences, invite you to slow down. Chic, it's picnic time!
For more information:
Visit La Gacilly Prepare your journey to le Morbihan Visit Brittany To read also : From lighthouse to lighthouse in Brittany...
By Pascale Filliâtre
Journalist-traveller. I often voyage to the end of the world to explore what France offers... just next door. filliatre.pascale@orange.fr
