It is a journey that starts on the well-named Côte d'Amour before going up the coast of southern Brittany. At the mouth of the Loire, the river finally flows out past the Atlantic shore. Here you can stroll along beaches and creeks frequented by lovers of the seashore, admire the mirrored salt marshes, get lost in markets with the air of an auction, or explore the heart of an inland sea that reinvents itself with each tide. All these ocean delights are prolonged in culinary fashion with delicious Bouchot mussels, oysters, fish, and other shellfish.
This route was created by Philippe Vételé, Owner and chef, Anne de Bretagne
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Restaurant and hotel on the seafront. On the sand dunes, facing the charming port of La Gravette, Anne de Bretagne is a contemporary villa, perfectly placed to enjoy the best of Brittany. There are breath-taking views over the ocean from the suites and the Italian-style terraces. In the excellent restaurant, Mathieu Guibert’s cuisine is inventive with a touch of the sea, in perfect harmony with the wines selected by Michèle Vételé, a highly-recognised sommelier. In season, you can try wild clams with shredded leek. Fish and shellfish create a perfect match: “slow-cooked” line-caught sea bass is served with a sardine concassé, a string of winkles and a sea lettuce emulsion.
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Awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Crafstman in France) in April 2015, François Arnaud is an artist, glassblower and adventurer who travels the world seeking to unravel the mysteries of this millennia-old art form. An expert in blowpipe glassblowing, he broadened his art in Syria, South Africa,...
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A shellfish hunter's paradise (La Plaine sur Mer)
Located on the Jade coast, La Plaine-sur-Mer is one of those small paradises for shellfish hunters. Whether you like hunting for shellfish, or fishing with hand nets or square fishing nets, the possibilities seem endless along the town’s six beaches. At low tide, the beach of Port Giraud is the meeting...
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Atelier PiVerre, La-Plaine-sur-Mer
Awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Crafstman in France) in April 2015, François Arnaud is an artist, glassblower and adventurer who travels the world seeking to unravel the mysteries of this millennia-old art form. An expert in blowpipe glassblowing, he broadened his art in Syria, South Africa,...
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A shellfish hunter's paradise (La Plaine sur Mer)
Located on the Jade coast, La Plaine-sur-Mer is one of those small paradises for shellfish hunters. Whether you like hunting for shellfish, or fishing with hand nets or square fishing nets, the possibilities seem endless along the town’s six beaches. At low tide, the beach of Port Giraud is the meeting...
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. This Belle Epoque Mansion house with its sophisticated décor by Jacques Garcia overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and La Baule’s fine sandy six-mile-long beach. Every detail counts. This villa, now a hotel, is an ideal retreat for couples and families who want to spend some special time together. The delicious breakfast already hints at the chef’s treats in store, such as pigeon breasts in wild hay. You can enjoy all the activities offered by La Baule Resort: golf, tennis and the Thalassotherapy Centre, an evening at the Casino and water sports in the bay when the weather is fine. Here time stands still and you can get around on the bikes available at the hotel.
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Known as "the most beautiful beach in Europe", this sandy beach seems to extend forever along the ocean's edge. For over a century now, it has acted like a magnet for traders in the region. Families still queue up in front of Confiserie Manuel, a local institution opened in 1937. A stroll along the embankment...
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Visit the salt marshes (Guérande)
A few kilometers northwest of the beach at La Baule, the "Land of Salt” begins. As far as the eye can see, the Guérande salt marshes and evaporation ponds offer a unique landscape. Depending on the time of day, the pools form a mosaic of mirrors in shades of blue, pink, green and silver. Guided tours...
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La Baule beach
Known as "the most beautiful beach in Europe", this sandy beach seems to extend forever along the ocean's edge. For over a century now, it has acted like a magnet for traders in the region. Families still queue up in front of Confiserie Manuel, a local institution opened in 1937. A stroll along the embankment...
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Visit the salt marshes (Guérande)
A few kilometers northwest of the beach at La Baule, the "Land of Salt” begins. As far as the eye can see, the Guérande salt marshes and evaporation ponds offer a unique landscape. Depending on the time of day, the pools form a mosaic of mirrors in shades of blue, pink, green and silver. Guided tours...
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Upon discovering Domaine de Rochevilaine, you will be struck by emotion coupled with hesitation over what to admire most: the beauty of the site or the quality of the stones. Passing by the flowered gardens, the typically Breton setting of the property will seduce you as you stand with your feet in the water, with only the ocean in your sights. Enjoy a walk along the Sentier des Douaniers, then savour a bite of the local lobster — the best in the world. Listen to the sound of the waves and indulge in a treatment at the most renowned and oldest balneotherapy and marine spa centre in Brittany, the brainchild of owner Bertrand Jaquet.
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Step on board this superb ketch and discover the Vilaine in a truly new light. This boat built in 1968 using rare iroko wood and based on plans from 1923 provides an unforgettable journey departing from La Roche Bernard. Sailing with the wind, Skipper Bruno Denis tacks while you enjoy a cocktail – or...
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On the route
Looking for gooseneck barnacles ...
Reserved for very experienced shellfish pickers, this most special and highly dangerous fishing activity is only permitted on eight days each month. On the schist cliffs on Belle-Ile's western coast, the men who do the picking are part mountaineer, part diver. Although long forgotten in France, gooseneck...
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The Carnac Stones
Who has never heard of Carnac? The three big groups of menhir alignments are known all over the world. These megaliths, of relatively modest size – the largest are less than 4 metres tall – have still not given up all their secrets…
Belle-Ile golf course
These grounds belonged to acting great Sarah Bernhardt, who would throw lavish parties here. Over a century ago, her prestigious guests (including King Edward VII) hit their first drives in the tall grasses. In memory of this, a new course was created here in 1984. 14 holes (par 56) making up a genuine...
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Belle-Iloise Cannery, Quiberon
The cannery founded in 1932 by the grandfather of Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu became a real institution in the Quiberon area. Located close to the fishing harbour, formerly the stronghold of sardine fishing, the company has preserved a very particular craft: they still process the sardines, tuna and...
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Looking for gooseneck barnacles ...
Reserved for very experienced shellfish pickers, this most special and highly dangerous fishing activity is only permitted on eight days each month. On the schist cliffs on Belle-Ile's western coast, the men who do the picking are part mountaineer, part diver. Although long forgotten in France, gooseneck...
Read Moreless
The Carnac Stones
Who has never heard of Carnac? The three big groups of menhir alignments are known all over the world. These megaliths, of relatively modest size – the largest are less than 4 metres tall – have still not given up all their secrets…
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Locguénolé is located next to the dark waters of a sea inlet in the heart of a land of legends. The Château and the small Manor House overlook a wide estuary where the light and landscape change with the tides. These buildings from the 18th and early 19th centuries are set in wooded parkland and have remained in the hands of the same family for centuries. They boast a combination of modern comfort and tradition with classical décor and period furniture. The creative cuisine is based on a subtle pairing of ingredients from the Morbihan terroir and the ocean. A private pontoon permits sailors travelling up the Blavet from Lorient harbour to dock at this delightful haven.
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The ria d’Étel is a small inland sea that breaks up the geography of the coast. Also known as the Étel river, it has seeped into the sand dune coastline and inundated the valley. This natural phenomenon has thus created countless small islands and islets circled by desolate beaches and lagoons. Oyster...
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The Hennebont market, one of the most famous in Brittany
It seems as if a good part of South Brittany’s inhabitants gathers in Hennebont every Thursday morning. The fame of its town market dates back to the Middle Ages, when Hennebont, together with its Notre-Dame-de-Paradis Basilica, was one of the main trading sites in the region. Open year round, the market...
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Explore the ria d'Étel, a small inland sea
The ria d’Étel is a small inland sea that breaks up the geography of the coast. Also known as the Étel river, it has seeped into the sand dune coastline and inundated the valley. This natural phenomenon has thus created countless small islands and islets circled by desolate beaches and lagoons. Oyster...
Read Moreless
The Hennebont market, one of the most famous in Brittany
It seems as if a good part of South Brittany’s inhabitants gathers in Hennebont every Thursday morning. The fame of its town market dates back to the Middle Ages, when Hennebont, together with its Notre-Dame-de-Paradis Basilica, was one of the main trading sites in the region. Open year round, the market...
**Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Total price communicated as an indication, based on a stay of the number of nights recommended on this webpage, taking place in the next 3 months, and based on double occupancy (excluding recommended activities, excluding properties not bookable online).
Reservation Service
To give you inspiration, Relais & Châteaux presents the Routes du Bonheur:
Suggestions for travel itineraries that you can fully personalise according to your wishes and the experiences you would like to discover. Our consultants are available to help customise your route and assist you in making reservations at our properties. It is up to you to reserve any recommended activities on-site or nearby that might interest you.
** Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges. Call our concierge to tailormade your booking and itinerary*. *Price of a local call
South Brittany, views of the sea
This route was created by Philippe Vételé, Owner and chef, Anne de Bretagne
‘As a child, I would spend my holidays in and around Pornic. Here is a wonderful ocean realm where I could wade and pick shellfish for hours on end. I had wild oysters, clams, scallops, shrimp and prawns for friends. Many years later, this experience pushed me to build this lovely white house in La-Plaine-sur-Mer. I truly became a Chef on this isolated slither of land between La Baule and Noirmoutier. Now, I couldn't live anywhere else. The salty air conceals so many riches.’
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