We travelled to Brittany with our 13-month-old Kidsetter. Brittany is the farthest west of the 18 regions of France. A peninsula region bathed by the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. We checked into a picturesque chateau called ‘Le Domaine de Bodeau’, situated in a small town named ‘Nivillac’.
The estate, which was built in 1850 included 15-hectare parks, surrounded by beautiful century-old trees. A gorgeous Russian/French couple ran the very warm and welcoming chateau. This was going to be our base for the next few days intending to visit the various towns.
Our first stop was the capital of Brittany; ‘Rennes’. We wandered around the medieval streets of the picture-perfect old town and admired the impressive parliament building. Place des Lices was originally used for jousting, however, now hosts a magnificent Saturday-morning market, one of France’s largest.
We ventured on to one of the most adorable French town’s I’ve encountered – Dinan. Known for its medieval ramparts, cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses. Dinan’s old town is a warren of narrow streets where it appears that time has stood still.
We enjoyed a delicious lunch and our Kidsetter enjoyed his first crossiant. Yum !
Dinan Castle has a 14th-century keep and the Tour du Coëtquen, a 15th-century artillery tower.
Next we drove to the charming Vannes. The walled town of Vannes enclosures well-preserved medieval streets.
We wandered through the open-air market held at Place des Lices. I had fun in a milliers shop trying on different hats. You could easily imagine the jousting tournaments that were held at Place des Lices during the medieval era.
It was time to enjoy lunch at a local cafe watching the world go by.
The weather was perfect, and we took the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine. We walked to the harbour to eat delicious raspberry macaroons whilst our Kidsetter practised his walking skills.
The following day we explored La Roche-Bernard. A fortified village between Vannes and Nantes has dominated the River Vilaine for a thousand years.
La Roche-Bernard was founded by the Viking Lord Bern-Hart around 1000AD due to its strategic position on the River Vilaine. It was thanks to the river that the village became a prosperous port.
Next we visited St Malo. A historic French port on the Channel coast. The walled city had a long history of piracy, earning wealth from local extortion and overseas adventures. The first settlers to colonise the Falkland Islands were from St Malo.
The tall granite buildings, most of which were restored after being bombed during the war, house an interesting mix of cosy hotels, restaurants to suit all tastes and shops by the dozen.
St Malo was founded by the Welsh monk St Maclou, who built a stunning church on the site of the Roman city of Alet.
Brittany is a perfect place for your Kidsetters to explore. Offering rich history, learning about the numerous medieval towns and ports. There are plenty of Kidsetter friendly cafés and parks to enjoy the outdoors along the way.
