Romantic stone cottage vacation rental in Morbihan Brittany | EUROtoday
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If you are seeking to escape to an genuine, unspoilt a part of France, it is arduous to beat inland Brittany, which is famend for its wealthy historical past. Close to the seashores of Locmariaquer and Lamor Baden, the historic market city of Guéméné-sur-Scorff in Morbihan is a good instance of why individuals who uncover Brittany return repeatedly: from the fantastic sea meals, to historical cultural treasures, a whole lot of islands to discover and sandy seashores, this little-known vacation spot packs an enormous punch…
Next factor you recognize, you possibly can’t depart!
Vancouver-based Fiona Ahrens loves the Celtic heritage, music, crusing occasions and character of Brittany and fell head over heels for the medieval city of Guéméné.
“In 2008, I bought an unloved wreck of a building,” she explains. “I’m not saying it was beyond hope, but the garden level of this adorable cottage originally had a mud floor and was used to house goats in the winter! It became a haven, a place to restore my peace of mind; I spent years renovating it sympathetically, preserving the best of its original stone walls and gorgeous chestnut floors. Once it was fully restored, I started to rent it out as holiday accommodation, and I love sharing the experience of French village life with other like-minded folks.”
Romantic stone cottage vacation rental in Morbihan
“The Petit Guéméne Gîte is far from a bland, minimalist holiday let,” smiles Fiona. “It is happily filled with home comforts and vintage charm. Along with the exposed stone walls and wooden beams, there’s a country-style kitchen, timber floors, an old fireplace, a bathtub and all the plump cushions and cozy bedding you need to really relax. Guests say that the moment you walk in, you feel as if you can let it all go and start to unwind. That’s certainly how I feel.”
From the skin, this stone cottage appears discreet and understated, but inside it feels mild and surprisingly spacious, unfold over three storeys and able to accommodate as much as six visitors. To the rear of the property, there’s additionally a personal walled backyard, so you need to use the outside house for an al fresco breakfast, night aperitifs or a spot of sunbathing when you learn.
Guéméné: bursting with character
In the morning stroll to the bakery on the sting of city, the place the baker makes fantastic flaky croissants utilizing solely the most effective Breton butter (barely salted, in fact!). You’re virtually duty-bound to pattern a few of the different pastries throughout your keep just like the well-known Breton kouign amman. And in case you actually wish to immerse your self in native tradition, you will get into the behavior of shopping for a crispy baguette daily. Depending in your temper, your recent bread can accompany your night meal or be savored at lunchtime, smothered with a kind of fabulous French cheeses or a bit smoked salmon, and why not a recent blended salad with some French French dressing? And do not miss the award-winning Andouille that the city is known for – individuals come from far and close to for this distinctive sausage specialty from the artisan producer.
“If you fancy sampling some true Breton specialties,” provides Fiona, “Guéméné has several great restaurants including Crêperie Rohan, where they serve paper-thin pancakes and savory galettes that are so particular to this region, including scallops pancakes which feature succulent scallops! And ‘Le 1931, Chez Thomas’ serves traditional French cuisine using local ingredients (including the Guéméné Andoouille) – a true taste of Brittany.”
A real heritage city
Guémené-sur-Scorff dates again to 1050. Its title comes from the River Scorff, which runs alongside, plus the household that left the largest mark in town. They have been referred to as Rohan-Guémené, one of the vital prestigious households in France, and successive generations left a legacy that may be seen throughout. The fortress ruins are open to guests and there is additionally a museum, housed within the Tourist Information bureau, in which you’ll be able to go to The Queen’s Baths – a uncommon medieval tub home.
Further afield
Guéméné-sur-Scorff sits within the historic Pays de Roi Morvan, the traditional land of the Breton kings. The neighboring villages are additionally bursting with heritage treasures, together with church buildings from the 1200s or 1300s and characterful properties that date again to medieval instances. There’s a vacationer workplace within the village the place you get a map of the historic villages websites and discover out what’s on – summer season is very vibrant with a calendar filled with holidays and festivals.
And Carnac is a must-see – round three thousand standing stones, referred to as menhirs in French, stretch in alignments for a number of kilometers. It’s an unimaginable expertise to see stones which can be older than Stonehenge, put right here by Neolithic settlers some 6,000 years in the past.
“It’s a great location for discovering authentic French heritage,” says Fiona. “There are quaint villages, local markets, which happen on different days of the week – in Guéméné it’s on Thursday. Most of them finish at lunchtime, so you can spend your morning browsing market stalls to pick up a tasty local treat to take back for lunch, and in summer there are also night marketswhich run from late afternoon through the twilight, and are a lovely way to spend your evening.”
Experience a day within the life
Imagine waking up naturally to a peaceable morning in France, throwing again the normal wood shutters and listening to the mild sound of birdsong and the river within the distance. After a leisurely stroll to select up your favourite pastry from the bakerychill out within the quiet, walled backyard earlier than heading out to find a few of Brittany’s finest heritage cities, like Pont Aven, a favourite of the Impressionists for its picture-postcard fairly harbor and cobbled streets.
Or close by Vannes with its half-timbered homes and chateau as soon as owned by the Dukes of Brittany. Or even head to one of many fabulous sandy seashores and well-known oyster farms which can be simply 45 minutes’ drive away.
After your day’s adventures, benefit from the final rays of the solar on one of many personal patios with a glass of French wine or native cider earlier than deciding what to do for dinner. This is the proper place for taking your time, recharging your power and savoring the easiest of Brittany.
To discover out extra and to e-book your personal escape within the Petit Gîte de Guéméné, head to brittany-escapes.com
The publish Romantic stone cottage vacation rental in Morbihan Brittany appeared first on The Good Life France.