At the beginning of May, the three of us - us and our dog Ollie - left for the north-west coast of France. Destination: Brittany. After some 11 hours of driving (with stopovers), we arrived at our base of operations for five full days: Sandaya's Le Ranolien campsite, right on the rugged Côte de Granit Rose.​

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Campsite Le Ranolien

What a nice place to land after a long car journey. The campsite is right by the sea, with hiking trails starting right from the site. We stayed in a modern mobile home, complete with veranda, kitchen, bathroom and two separate bedrooms. 

 

The campsite has enough to keep you entertained for a few days: indoor and outdoor pools, wellness, playgrounds, a small supermarket and several restaurants. But what we liked best of all: we could take the dog with us almost everywhere and you can walk straight onto the douanierspad for a walk along the coast.​

Ploumanac’h & Perros-Guirec

We walked a beautiful stretch of the Sentier des Douaniers, the famous hiking trail along the Côte de Granit Rose. From the campsite, you can walk straight to it. The route winds past impressive pink rock formations, bays and viewpoints, and is truly a treat for lovers of nature and tranquillity. Halfway through, we made a stop at Ossa Bar a Galettes, a cosy creperie. Ideal for a coffee and crepe break - and the dog was welcome here again.

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Lannion

Lannion surprised us. The town has a compact, historic centre with half-timbered houses and alleyways that seem straight out of a film set. We wandered the streets, discovered some nice bookshops and took the stairs to the Église de Brélévenez, from where you have a beautiful view over the town and its surroundings. There really was such a relaxed, local atmosphere here. No crowds, no rush - exactly what we were looking for.

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Trégastel

On Monday, we drove to the market in Trégastel. Small, but atmospheric - with stalls full of Breton specialities, local cheese, cider, vegetables, flowers and, of course, crepes. Afterwards, we strolled around the village a bit more.

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Le Renote

One of the most beautiful bits of nature in Brittany that we visited was the peninsula Le Renote, next to the village of Trégastel. Here we took short but varied walks along the various beaches but also along winding paths, along jagged rocks. 

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Sept-Îles

We got on the boat with Ollie in Perros-Guirec for a trip to the Seven Islands. For €48 total (2 people + dog), we got a relaxing boat ride along the jagged coast and one of France's largest bird sanctuaries. Along the way, we saw gannets, terns, and even a few seals. The explanations on board were mostly in French, but the views spoke for themselves. Again, Brittany proved surprisingly dog-friendly - nice!

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Dinan

For a day trip, we drove north - about two hours there and two hours back - to visit Dinan. This medieval town has everything: city walls, half-timbered houses, winding alleys and artisan shops. We started at the ramparts, overlooking the River Rance, and then strolled down Rue du Jerzual, a steep street full of studios and galleries. 

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Saint-Malo

After Dinan, we drove on to the coast, to the impressive fortified town of Saint-Malo. What a place. The walled city is right by the sea and bursting with atmosphere. We walked all the way around the city walls and looked out over the beaches and tidal landscape. Then we dove into the streets - brimming with cosy squares, boutiques and crêperies. It was busier than other places, but still relaxed. 

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Mont Saint-Michel

On the way back home, we took a diversion to the iconic Mont Saint-Michel - and it was totally worth it. This medieval island with abbey looks straight out of a fairy tale, especially when it is completely surrounded by water at high tide. 

 

A few practical tips if you also want to go there with a dog: you can park at P5, P6, P7bis or P10 to P13 (for normal cars, costing around €15 per 24 hours). From there, a free shuttle bus goes to the island, but: dogs are not allowed in there, unless they are assistance dogs or small dogs in a bag.

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So we walked the 3 kilometres there and back along the embankment - a nice and well-walked route. We did not visit the Mont itself inside this time, but the view from the dyke was magical enough.

Note: check the tide table in advance. At high tide, it really is an island, which is beautiful, but it may affect your visit.A fairytale ending to a beautiful road trip!