An adventure for a single parent with the children from the Gulf of Morbihan to Crozon Peninsula

Your adventure begins at the Rhuys peninsula, a stretch of land between the gulf and the ocean, ideal for walkers and fans of birdwatching. Kick off the day in style at the Château de Suscinio, a magical place where the children can be princesses and knights for the day. There are plenty of activities there, including crossbow firing and a boat trip on the moat.  Visitors can choose to dress in period clothing. It’ll be a great laugh and you'll leave with incredible memories of the whole family in costumes from the Middle Ages!

Go for a walk around the peninsula and enjoy the beaches there. Then stop by the Suscinio cheese farm to pick up the ultimate cheese of Brittany, the tome de Rhuys! 

Then, it’s time to head to Vannes where the Tourist Office has several sightseeing tours available on the theme of street art or local food & drink for example.

 

For your evening meal, make your way to the Saint-Patern district, which is the town’s oldest district and also the most popular one with countless restaurants, outdoor terrace areas and bars.

 

Just 15 km from Vannes, we have found you a unique place where you can stay in original rental accommodation, at the Jardins de Coët-Kra. Which one is our favourite? The tree house! There are also organic farm products available to buy there.
 

“Mor bihan” means the little sea in Breton. There are around forty islands in the gulf, so you’ll be spoilt for choice if you’re looking to see what it’s like to be Robinson Crusoe for a day! You have several possibilities.

 

Go on a guided boat trip with the Compagnie du Golfe and stop off on one or two islands. 

Adventurers can head to the charming Isle of Arz, and explore the tide mill and ‘Marins et Capitaines’ museum to learn about the sailors of the island. You can walk around the island and relax on one of the eight beaches. 

In the evening, check in at one of the three characteristic holiday gites in the Séné nature reserve. Your children will love the little houses on the water’s edge, with wood burner and retro-style decoration.
 

Explore Larmor-Baden, Locmariaquer (with megalith sites) and La Trinité-sur-Mer which is the training ground for some of the big names in international sailing competitions. 

 

You could also stop by Sainte-Anne d’Auray, Brittany’s first Catholic pilgrimage site. The Tourist Office has a range of guided tours on offer, as well as a game that takes children on a fun tour of the town, called ‘A la recherche des Clés du Temps’ (in search of the keys of time). 

Then you'll come to Carnac, the ideal seaside town for a family holiday with luxurious villas, pretty little coves, salt marshes and above all, an incredible field of megaliths. Come and see for yourself this place where menhirs look like they have popped up out of the ground like mushrooms! There are more than 3,000 of them, dotted across the heathland over almost a kilometre.

To learn more about these mysterious megaliths, go to the Musée de Préhistoire where you can take part in family workshops (learn how to build a fire and make your own tools or clothing).

We recommend staying at the Dihan in Ploemel where you will be spending the night in a little love nest, a bubble up in the trees or a luxurious cabin with Finnish bath. Amazing!

Head to the Quiberon peninsula, a stretch of land on the seafront with sandy beaches, cliffs and arches that have been shaped by the water.

We recommend stopping by the Beg-er-Goalennec headland where you can admire the stunning view of Belle-Ile-en-Mer and the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Wander around the villages and take some great family photos with the white houses and hydrangeas in the background. This is also an opportunity to try one of the crêperies (pancake houses) or other local specialities such as niniches, salidou or Quiberon biscuits. 

 

Stop off in Lorient, a town that lives and breathes for the sea. Go for a stroll along the docks at Lorient La Base where you can go for a drink out on the terrace, watch a concert or hang around the pontoons to see the huge boats that take part in races. 

 

An exciting activity is to visit the Flore, an impressive submarine, and the zip wire over the sea, between the Tour des Vents and the pontoons on the dock.

Continue your experience by staying overnight at the SeaLoft, a floating apartment moored in Kernevel harbour, with large French windows opening onto the harbour and sailing boats.

There are several possibilities for this morning, either you can relax at Larmor-Plage, go on a boat trip in the harbour aboard the bus boat or opt for a sporty morning at West Wake Park where you can go water skiing and wakeboarding pulled along by a boat on the lake (a great option for teenagers!)

You can then head to Pont-Aven, a pretty little town set in the midst of the lush-green estuary of the Aven, a fast-flowing river that still powers water wheels today. 

 

Go for a walk around the Bois d’Amour along a pleasant footpath that takes you via the various places that served as inspiration for the many painters who chose to set up their canvases there. Then you can take some time to enjoy Port-Manech beach, lined with white beach huts, or take the children to Aven Parc, an educational farm and leisure park rolled into one, with tubing run, zip wire, bubble football, an adventure course through the nets, and so much more.

When you arrive in Concarneau, a town of art and history surrounded by fortifications, the children will enjoy walking along the ramparts of this walled town. There are also guided tours if you’d like to find out more about the architectural heritage. 

If you go to the docks after 10 pm, you can watch the fishing boats come in and unload their catch. Or you could come to the local fish market the next morning from 6:30 am for an authentic and educational experience!

 

In the evening, you'll enjoy the warm and inviting atmosphere at the Kermoor, an original hotel where almost all the furniture has come from cargo ships dating from 1910 to the current day.
 

This next day begins with a visit to the Botanical Park of Cornouaille where you’ll find an exceptional selection of 4,000 plant species from all over the world in a stunning English-style park.

After that, make your way to the superb headland of Penmarc’h to admire the three lighthouses: the old lighthouse transformed into Maritime Discovery Centre, the beacon lighthouse of Saint-Pierre chapel and the famous Eckmühl lighthouse, decorated entirely in opaline glass and polished bronze.

Then go and admire the Pointe du Raz headland and the incredible view of the square lighthouse on La Vieille islet, the Isle of Sein and on a clear day, you’ll also see the Ar-Men lighthouse.

 

After a little wander to Pont-Croix with some impressive medieval heritage, you’ll arrive in Douarnenez with four ports - all of them still in use today! - nestled in a bay. 

 

Admire the collection of boats at the Port-Musée, or go to the Isle of Tristan at low tide and set off on a guided tour to see the botanical garden and princess house where a treasure is still believed to be hidden.

Opt for a poetic overnight stay at Ty Mad, a seaside hotel that resembles an artist’s home with traditional wooden flooring and antique furniture. 
 

Begin the last day of this family adventure on one of the town’s beaches. We recommend the Dames beach with a family vibe, or the stunning Sables Blancs beach. 

 

Time to make your way to Crozon peninsula, where you can climb up the Menez-Hom, one of the highest points of Brittany, to admire a stunning view of Brest harbour, Douarnenez bay and the Monts d’Arée.

Visit the typical little harbour of Camaret-sur-Mer with lively docks lined with colourful houses. The children will enjoy admiring the boat models at the Notre-Dame de Rocamadour chapel. 

 

At the southern tip of the peninsula, you'll come across the Maison des Minéraux, a visitor’s centre devoted to the geological treasures of the Armorican Massif. The little ones will be impressed by the unique treasure there: Europe’s biggest collection of fluorescent minerals. A great way to end this family trip in Southern Brittany.
 

Further reading: 

L'aventure pour petits et grands dans le golfe du Morbihan

Bretagne : quatre jours en famille avec Gang of Mothers