Things to Do in Brittany in the Summer. Medieval Towns, Pink Cliffs, and the Best Galettes in France

Brittany has always reminded me of Cornwall in the UK; in fact, it has been referred to as Little Britain, and has its own language, flag, and way of life. And of course, being so close to Britain, it is a favorite escape for the Brits. Unfortunately, it often has similar weather too, but don’t let that put you off.

Its history goes back centuries, including periods when it was under English rule. They have the best galettes & crêpes, their salted butter is to die for, and their cider is superb. From stunning towns rebuilt after WW2 to dramatic cliffs and ancient standing stones, there’s more to see here than you’ll fit into one trip. And just when you think you’ve found your favorite town, another one turns up and changes your mind. 

This guide helps you to find things to do in Brittany, breaking it into three easy regions.  Whether you’re already planning your route or still deciding if it’s worth the detour from the Loire or Normandy, this list will help you see why it’s more than worth the extra drive.

A Potted History of Brittany

Brittany’s history goes back further than France itself. It was once home to Celtic tribes who left behind stone alignments, mysterious burial chambers, and carved symbols still visible today.

Later came the Romans, followed by waves of migration from Britain, especially Cornwall and Wales, which helped shape Brittany’s distinct identity. The Breton language shares roots with Welsh and Cornish, and in some places, you’ll still hear it spoken or see it on road signs.

During the Middle Ages, Brittany was its own duchy, often playing France and England off against each other. Several dukes married into English royalty, and there were periods when the region was closely tied to the English crown. But Brittany didn’t give up its independence easily. It wasn’t until 1532 that it officially became part of France, and even now, many Bretons consider themselves Breton first, French second.

In more recent history, Brittany was heavily affected by World War II. German forces occupied parts of the region, and towns like Saint-Malo and Brest were almost entirely destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944.

You’ll still see signs of it today in the rebuilt architecture, memorials, and occasional bunkers hidden along the coast. While some towns were painstakingly reconstructed to look as they once did, others took on a more modern face after the war. 

Northern Brittany (Côtes-d’Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine)

Saint-Malo

If you’ve read the book or seen the TV adaptation on Netflix, All the Light We Cannot See, you’ll have heard of Saint-Malo as a large part of it was set in this town. It certainly made me want to visit it after reading the book, and I wasn’t disappointed. 

Saint-Malo began as a fortified island settlement and became one of the most important ports on the French Atlantic coast. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was known for its corsairs, privateers backed by the French crown who raided English ships and brought great wealth to the city. 

The town prospered from trade, fishing, and naval power, and its thick ramparts were built to defend it from attack. In World War II, Saint-Malo was occupied by German forces who turned it into a fortress. It was bombed heavily by the Allies in 1944, leaving much of the old town in ruins. What you see today is a meticulous reconstruction based on original plans and photographs.

Visitors can still walk the full circuit of the ramparts, with stunning views of the sea, nearby islands, and the long beaches below. It’s one of my favorite walled cities in France and is up there with Carcassonne. 

The old town, or Intra-Muros, is filled with tall granite townhouses, small squares, and creperies tucked into alleyways. The cathedral of Saint Vincent was severely damaged during the war but has since been restored. Boats run to the nearby island of Cézembre, once used as a German base and still partially closed due to unexploded ordnance. 

There’s also the tomb of Chateaubriand, the French writer and diplomat, buried on the Île du Grand Bé, which you can walk to at low tide.

Dinan

Dinan is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Brittany and one of the most atmospheric I’ve visited. As someone who loves history, this place was like walking through another time period. It didn’t feel real, like stepping onto a movie set designed to look like something out of the Middle Ages. 

Unlike many other towns in the region, it wasn’t destroyed during World War II, so much of what you see is original. The town grew up around a strategic hilltop position above the River Rance and was fortified with thick walls and watchtowers. 

Its half-timbered houses, cobbled streets, and Gothic churches all tell the story of a wealthy trading town that flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries. You can still walk along parts of the ramparts and visit the Château de Dinan, which dates back to the 14th century.

The most photographed street is Rue du Jerzual, a steep, winding lane that links the upper town with the port below. It’s lined with artists’ studios and craft shops and feels like a living museum. Down by the river, you’ll find the old port area with stone bridges, cafés by the water, and boats available to hire or take short cruises toward Saint-Malo. 

Dinan also has a market, a 15th-century clock tower with panoramic views, and has been given the official title of a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire, which means it’s recognized for having an impressive amount of historical buildings and cultural heritage. And to be fair, it’s well deserved.

Erquy

Erquy is a small fishing town on the north coast of Brittany, best known for its scallops and its unusually pink cliffs. It might not be as well-known as nearby Saint-Malo, but it’s a favorite with French holidaymakers, especially in summer. I can see why because it is rugged and, depending on when you go, can almost feel uninhabited, making you feel like it’s just you and nature.

The town’s port is still active, with scallop fishing at its heart, and there’s even a scallop festival held here every year. The coastline around Erquy is part of a protected natural site, and the combination of heathland, cliffs, and hidden beaches makes it ideal for walking. Head up to the Cap d’Erquy for some of the best views along this stretch of coast.

There’s no medieval old town or grand château here, but that’s not the point. What draws people in is the landscape. You’ll find ten beaches within walking distance, most with fine sand and clear water. The hiking trail known as the GR34 runs right along the cliffs, and you can follow it all the way to Cap Fréhel if you’re up for a longer walk. 

Tréguier

Yet again, I felt like I had been transported into the Middle Ages. It almost takes your breath away how well preserved the houses are here. If you removed the cars, you could be nearly back in the 13th century. 

Tréguier is a small town in the Côtes-d’Armor, capital of the Trégor region, with deep religious roots and one of the most impressive cathedrals in Brittany. It was an important spiritual center in the Middle Ages and the birthplace of Saint Yves, the patron saint of lawyers, who is still celebrated with an annual pilgrimage in May. 

The cathedral, built between the 14th and 15th centuries, dominates the town and includes a rare Gothic cloister that’s well worth visiting. Tréguier also played a role in the Revolution, when many of its religious buildings were damaged or repurposed.

The town sits at the meeting point of the Jaudy and the Guindy rivers, which join to form the Tréguier estuary. Medieval, timber-framed houses lean into narrow streets, and you can visit the home of philosopher Ernest Renan, born here in 1823, now a museum. 

Ploumanac’h

Ploumanac’h is part of the Côte de Granit Rose, a stretch of Brittany’s coastline known for its unusual pink granite rock formations. These rocks have been shaped by wind and sea over millions of years and now form towers, arches, and boulders that look like they’ve been deliberately sculpted.

The colors are especially striking in early morning or late afternoon light, when the rocks seem to glow. This part of the coast is protected as a natural site, and development has been kept to a minimum. In 2015, Ploumanac’h was voted “Favourite Village of the French,” one of only two in Brittany to earn the title, along with Rochefort-en-Terre.

The main route through the area is the Sentier des Douaniers, a coastal path that follows the cliffs and offers uninterrupted views over the sea and the rock formations. It’s an easy, well-marked walk that runs from Perros-Guirec through Ploumanac’h and on to Trégastel. Along the way, you’ll pass the Men Ruz lighthouse, built in the same pink granite as the cliffs around it. 

It’s one of the most photographed lighthouses in France and a symbol of the region. There’s also a small tidal harbour and an oratory on the coast dedicated to Saint Guirec, set on a rock just offshore. It’s a compact area, but one of the most distinctive coastal landscapes in France.

Fougères

I always thought Carcassonne was the oldest medieval fortress in Europe, turns out I was wrong, it’s the one in Fougères. Parts of it were built in the 12th century, and I could almost imagine, as I walked around, what life might have been like back then. I think this was probably my favorite place that we visited in Brittany.

It was built to defend the Duchy of Brittany from French invasion and sits on a natural rocky outcrop surrounded by marshland, which made it easier to defend. You can still walk around its towers, curtain walls, and inner courtyards, and the view from the ramparts shows just how strategically placed it was.

The town itself grew up around the castle and is split into two parts: the lower town near the fortress, and the upper town, which developed later. The medieval quarter has timber-framed houses, cobbled streets, and a 14th-century church. I was in my element.

There’s also a public garden that gives you one of the best views of the castle from above. While many towns in Brittany suffered heavy damage during World War II, Fougères escaped major destruction, so much of what you see is original. It’s one of the most historically intact places in the region.

Southern Brittany (Morbihan)

Vannes

Vannes was once the capital of the independent Duchy of Brittany, and you can see why. The old town is enclosed by intact medieval ramparts, parts of which date back to the 3rd century when the Romans first fortified the area. It blows my mind that you can walk the same path, relatively unchanged, as the Romans.

You’ll see half-timbered houses, narrow alleyways, and the cathedral of Saint Peter, which has been expanded and rebuilt over several centuries. The town was a religious and political center through the Middle Ages and later became a hub for maritime trade thanks to its sheltered inland port.

Today, the old port is lined with cafés and restaurants, and the boats moored there give it a more relaxed, modern energy. Just outside the town walls are the formal gardens of the Château de l’Hermine, which once housed the Dukes of Brittany. 

The covered market is worth a stop if you’re visiting on a market day, and the Museum of History and Archaeology, housed in the Château Gaillard, is a great way to understand the town’s long past, especially if you love history. Vannes is also a good base if you’re heading into the Gulf of Morbihan, with boat trips leaving from the port daily in summer.

Carnac

I was excited to visit Carnac as I’m a huge fan of Outlander and a big part of that show, and the books, are the standing stones that transport one of the lead characters back to the 18th century. Well, standing stones just happen to be what Carnac is famous for. 

But it’s more than just a prehistoric site. The alignments include over 3,000 stones, some dating back more than 6,000 years. No one knows exactly why they were placed there, though theories range from burial markers to astronomical tracking. What’s unusual is how they’re arranged in long, almost perfectly straight rows across several fields. 

It’s one of the most significant megalithic sites in Europe, and much of it is still open to the public. There’s also a small museum in town that gives you more information on the archaeology.

Beyond the stones, Carnac has shops, markets, and creperies, while the beachside area, Carnac-Plage, feels more like a resort. You can walk or bike between the two. There’s also a small Roman ruin and a 17th-century church.

Rochefort-en-Terre

Rochefort-en-Terre is one of the most well-preserved villages in Brittany and one of only two in the region to be voted “Favorite Village of the French.” The historic center is small but beautiful. Stone buildings with slate roofs line the narrow streets, many dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. 

The focal point is Rochefort Castle, sitting at the top of the hill and dominating the Geuzon valley. American painter Alfred Klots bought the château in the early 1900s and supported restoration work across the village. He also launched a competition for flowered windows here, which later inspired the national “village fleuri” label used across France. The château now hosts art exhibitions during the summer.

You’ll find artisan shops, galleries, and cafés throughout the village, and there’s a small collegiate church just off the main square. The village is especially popular during December, when the Christmas lights and market draw big crowds. 

Western Brittany (Finistère)

Concarneau

Concarneau is famous for its walled town, the Ville Close, set on a small island in the harbor and connected to the mainland by a stone bridge. The fortifications were originally built in the 14th century and expanded in the 17th, when the town became a key military and trading port. 

Inside the walls, the narrow streets are packed with stone houses, cafés, and small shops, but it’s the setting that makes it stand out, surrounded by water, with views across the marina and fishing boats passing through the channel.

Fishing has shaped the town’s economy for centuries. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Concarneau became one of France’s main centers for tuna fishing and canning. The fishing museum, housed in an old cannery, covers this history in detail and includes boats, tools, and photos from the height of the industry. 

Outside the Ville Close, the town has grown into a popular holiday destination with beaches, walking trails, and easy access to the Glénan Islands, known for their clear water and white sand. But at its core, Concarneau is still a working port, and that gives it a different energy from the more polished inland towns.

Quimper

Quimper is gorgeous and it’s the historic capital of Cornouaille, one of the old provinces of Brittany. Its roots go back to Roman times, but most of what you see today dates from the medieval period onwards. 

The standout landmark is the Cathedral of Saint-Corentin, a Gothic structure with twin spires and stained glass that took over 300 years to complete. It’s stunning and stops you in your tracks. The old town spreads out from the cathedral, with timber-framed houses, cobbled streets, and a river running straight through the middle.

Quimper is also known for its pottery, which has been produced here since the late 17th century. You’ll see examples in the Faience Museum, and you can still buy locally made pieces in shops around the town. There are a few other museums covering Breton art and traditions, and the covered market is one of the best in the region if you’re visiting in the morning.

While you’re there, stop and try a kouignette, a mini kouign amann. They’re buttery, caramelized, and rich, just like the original, but come in bite-sized versions with different flavors. You’ll usually find them in bakeries around the old town.

Locronan

If you like artisanal beer, you’re in for a treat. Locronan is one of the most historically significant villages in Brittany, and unusually, it’s inland rather than on the coast. It developed around a 10th-century religious site and later became a center for sailcloth production in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The village’s prosperity came from supplying sails to French naval and merchant ships, and the wealth from that period is still visible in the solid granite houses, chapels, and paved main square. Thanks to this early success, much of the original architecture was never replaced, and today the entire village is classed as a historic monument.

At the center is the Church of Saint Ronan, built in the late Gothic style and named after the Irish missionary who founded the town. Every six years, Locronan holds the Grande Troménie, one of the oldest processions in Brittany, where locals walk a 12-kilometer route through fields and forests, following traditional religious paths.

If you want to try some of the local craft beer, Au Loup Garou Gourmand has one of the best selections of artisanal brews I’ve come across in Brittany, with staff who know what they’re talking about. 

The village is a popular filming location thanks to its untouched historic appearance, and it draws big crowds in summer and again at Christmas when the lights and market take over the square.