We're about to head back to France and I realize that I neglected to do a post on our stop in southern Brittany from our last trip. Hopefully you saw my post on Spectacular Northern Brittany. That was our destination for the trip. But since it was more than a seven-hour drive from our place in the Pays Basque, we decided to spend a couple of days in Damgan, a small village on the southern coast of Brittany not far from the medieval town of Vannes. With my fascination for Celtic prehistory, I was hoping to see the Ile-aux-moines and the nearby Cairn at Gavrinis.
We picked the village of Damgan because Sylvianne, a good friend from Karen's Santa Cruz Speaks French Meetup, lives there. We stayed at the Hotel de la Plage which sits just across a quiet one-way street from the beach. Each room has spectacular ocean views of the coast to the south. We dined with Sylvianne at the amazing Latitude 47 restaurant in the hotel, so named because the hotel is located at that latitude as are two other places the owner had lived, Quebec City in Canada, and Budapest in Hungary.
We picked the village of Damgan because Sylvianne, a good friend from Karen's Santa Cruz Speaks French Meetup, lives there. We stayed at the Hotel de la Plage which sits just across a quiet one-way street from the beach. Each room has spectacular ocean views of the coast to the south. We dined with Sylvianne at the amazing Latitude 47 restaurant in the hotel, so named because the hotel is located at that latitude as are two other places the owner had lived, Quebec City in Canada, and Budapest in Hungary.
Aerial view of the back bay of Damgan borrowed from the Damgan tourism site.
The next morning we drove around the medieval city of Vannes to catch the boat to the Ile-aux-moines (the monks' island) in the Gulf of Morbihan. The bay itself is spectacular featuring hundreds of islands, many with prehistorical sites.
Arriving on the island after the 5-minute boat ride, we rented bikes and started touring. The island is small, only about 4 miles long and a mile and a half wide, easily covered in a day on a bike. Our trip into prehistory began with a stop on the way out of the village at a famous cromlech. If you recall from my previous posts, a cromlech is a circle of stones (like the more famous Stonehenge). They appear to have had some religious, probably funereal significance to the ancient Celts, but no one knows for sure. While almost all the cromlechs found in Europe are circular, those in Brittany are not. This one was very large and oblong with a central stone (called a menhir) named Le Moine (the monk) as its focal point. We arrived at Le Moine to find several people lying at its base trying to receive the energy from the stone. This may sound a bit strange, but when you visit Brittany, especially the more remote parts of the granite-lined coast, you really do get an almost spiritual sense of 'groundedness' and permanence. But back to the Ile-aux-moines.
Arriving on the island after the 5-minute boat ride, we rented bikes and started touring. The island is small, only about 4 miles long and a mile and a half wide, easily covered in a day on a bike. Our trip into prehistory began with a stop on the way out of the village at a famous cromlech. If you recall from my previous posts, a cromlech is a circle of stones (like the more famous Stonehenge). They appear to have had some religious, probably funereal significance to the ancient Celts, but no one knows for sure. While almost all the cromlechs found in Europe are circular, those in Brittany are not. This one was very large and oblong with a central stone (called a menhir) named Le Moine (the monk) as its focal point. We arrived at Le Moine to find several people lying at its base trying to receive the energy from the stone. This may sound a bit strange, but when you visit Brittany, especially the more remote parts of the granite-lined coast, you really do get an almost spiritual sense of 'groundedness' and permanence. But back to the Ile-aux-moines.
 The Gulf of Morbihan.  The large irregular cromlech.  One of several dolmens on the island. |  Le Moine. |
After visiting the small museum, we continued south towards the far end of the island where we visited one of the larger dolmens - an ancient burial tomb. We spent the day exploring the remote beaches on the island, often leaving our bikes to hike beautiful single-track trails around the island. In addition to the dolmens and cromlechs, there are also ancient springs/wells. Apparently there is an underground river on this tiny island.
Returning to Damgan, we showered and met Sylvianne who took us on a walking tour of the village of Damgan. The next morning we went to the medieval walled city of Vannes.
Returning to Damgan, we showered and met Sylvianne who took us on a walking tour of the village of Damgan. The next morning we went to the medieval walled city of Vannes.
 Setting up for a book fair in the gardens surrounding the city. |  Apartments for sale in the walls of the fortified city. |
Vannes was founded during the Roman conquest in about 56 BC. It became a fortified Christian city around the 3rd century. Its imposing cathedral and walls dominate the Gulf of Morbihan and what was once a moat around the city is now filled with ornate gardens. We walked the walls of the city, visited the cathedral and several art galleries, then made our way to the boat launch for the 15-minute ride to visit the Cairn de Gavrinis.
 Cairn de Gavrinis. |  Carvings in the Cairn (image borrowed from the tourism site). |
Similar to the Cairn de Barnenez described in my previous Spectacular Northern Brittany post, the Cairn de Gavrinis is about a 1000 years more recent. It's estimated that it was built around 3500 BC, still well before the pyramids of Egypt. What makes this Cairn unique are the intricate carvings which line its interior.
The trip to the island is a bit expensive, and in peak seasons, you need to make reservations, but it's worth it.
The next day, we made our way to our ultimate destination in the north of Brittany.
If we've learned anything about Brittany, it's that there is huge variation in the climate, terrain, and even the culture. From the warm sunny beaches Morbihan in the south, to the stark, austerity of Finistere, to the striking beauty of the northern coastline of the Cotes d'Amor, Brittany is a region of great contrasts that you don't want to miss.
The trip to the island is a bit expensive, and in peak seasons, you need to make reservations, but it's worth it.
The next day, we made our way to our ultimate destination in the north of Brittany.
If we've learned anything about Brittany, it's that there is huge variation in the climate, terrain, and even the culture. From the warm sunny beaches Morbihan in the south, to the stark, austerity of Finistere, to the striking beauty of the northern coastline of the Cotes d'Amor, Brittany is a region of great contrasts that you don't want to miss.
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