In case you’re trying to escape to an genuine, unspoilt a part of France, it’s onerous to beat inland Brittany, which is famend for its wealthy historical past. Near the seashores of Locmariaquer and Lamor Baden, the historic market city of Guéméné-sur-Scorff in Morbihan is a good instance of why individuals who uncover Brittany return repeatedly: from the great sea meals, to historical cultural treasures, a whole bunch of islands to discover and sandy seashores, this little-known vacation spot packs a giant punch…
Subsequent factor you already know, you’ll be able to’t depart!
Vancouver-based Fiona Ahrens loves the Celtic heritage, music, crusing occasions and character of Brittany and fell head over heels for the medieval city of Guéméné.
“In 2008, I purchased an unloved wreck of a constructing,” she explains. “I’m not saying it was past hope, however the backyard stage of this lovable cottage initially had a mud flooring and was used to deal with goats within the winter! It grew to become a haven, a spot to revive my peace of thoughts; I spent years renovating it sympathetically, preserving the very best of its authentic stone partitions and lovely chestnut flooring. As soon as it was totally restored, I began to hire it out as vacation lodging, and I like sharing the expertise of French village life with different like-minded people.”
Romantic stone cottage vacation rental in Morbihan
“The Petit Guéméne Gîte is way from a bland, minimalist vacation let,” smiles Fiona. “It’s fortunately full of residence comforts and classic allure. Together with the uncovered stone partitions and picket beams, there’s a country-style kitchen, timber flooring, an previous fire, a tub and all of the plump cushions and cosy bedding it is advisable actually loosen up. Company say that the second you stroll in, you are feeling as should you can let all of it go and begin to unwind. That’s definitely how I really feel.”
From the surface, this stone cottage appears discreet and understated, but inside it feels gentle and surprisingly spacious, unfold over three storeys and able to accommodate as much as six company. To the rear of the property, there’s additionally a non-public walled backyard, so you should utilize the out of doors house for an al fresco breakfast, night apéritifs or a spot of sunbathing whilst you learn.
Guéméné: bursting with character
Within the morning stroll to the bakery on the sting of city, the place the boulanger makes great flaky croissants utilizing solely the very best Breton butter (barely salted, in fact!). You’re virtually duty-bound to pattern a number of the different pastries throughout your keep just like the well-known Breton kouign amman. And should you actually wish to immerse your self in native tradition, you’ll get into the behavior of shopping for a crispy baguette on daily basis. Relying in your temper, your contemporary bread can accompany your night meal or be savoured at lunchtime, smothered with a kind of fabulous French cheeses or a bit of smoked salmon, and why not a contemporary combined salade with some French French dressing? And don’t miss the award-winning Andouille that the city is known for – folks come from far and close to for this distinctive sausage speciality from the artisan producer.
“In case you fancy sampling some true Breton specialities,” provides Fiona, “Guéméné has a number of nice eating places together with Crêperie Rohan, the place they serve paper-thin pancakes and savoury galettes which might be so explicit to this area, together with crêpes Saint-Jacques which function succulent scallops! And ‘Le 1931, Chez Thomas’ serves conventional French delicacies utilizing native substances (together with the Guéméné Andoouille) – a real style of Brittany.”
A real heritage city
Guémené-sur-Scorff dates again to 1050. Its identify comes from the River Scorff, which runs alongside, plus the household that left the largest mark in town. They had been known as Rohan-Guémené, some of the prestigious households in France, and successive generations left a legacy that may be seen throughout. The fortress ruins are open to guests and there’s additionally a museum, housed within the Vacationer Info bureau, in which you’ll go to The Queen’s Baths – a uncommon medieval bathtub home.
Additional afield
Guéméné-sur-Scorff sits within the historic Pays de Roi Morvan, the traditional land of the Breton kings. The neighbouring villages are additionally bursting with heritage treasures, together with church buildings from the 1200s or 1300s and characterful houses that date again to medieval occasions. There’s a vacationer workplace within the village the place you get a map of the historic villages websites and discover out what’s on – summer season is particularly vibrant with a calendar filled with fetes and festivals.
And Carnac is a must-see – round three thousand standing stones, known as menhirs in French, stretch in alignments for a number of kilometres. It’s an unimaginable expertise to see stones which might be older than Stonehenge, put right here by Neolithic settlers some 6,000 years in the past.
“It’s an incredible location for locating genuine French heritage,” says Fiona. “There are quaint villages, native markets, which occur on totally different days of the week – in Guéméné it’s on Thursday. Most of them end at lunchtime, so you’ll be able to spend your morning looking market stalls to choose up a tasty native deal with to take again for lunch, and in summer season there are additionally marchés nocturnes, which run from late afternoon by means of the twilight, and are a stunning strategy to spend your night.”
Expertise a day within the life
Think about waking up naturally to a peaceable morning in France, throwing again the normal picket shutters and listening to the light sound of birdsong and the river within the distance. After a leisurely stroll to choose up your favorite pastry from the boulangerie, loosen up within the quiet, walled backyard earlier than heading out to find a few of Brittany’s finest heritage cities, like Pont Aven, a favorite of the Impressionists for its picture-postcard fairly harbour and cobbled streets.
Or close by Vannes with its half-timbered homes and chateau as soon as owned by the Dukes of Brittany. And even head to one of many fabulous sandy seashores and well-known oyster farms which might be simply 45 minutes’ drive away.
After your day’s adventures, benefit from the final rays of the solar on one of many non-public patios with a glass of French wine or native cider earlier than deciding what to do for dinner. That is the proper place for taking your time, recharging your vitality and savouring the perfect of Brittany.
To seek out out extra and to ebook your personal escape within the Petit Gîte de Guéméné, head to brittany-escapes.com
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