The Wild, Wild Coast
If you take D768 south from Carnac and follow it onto the peninsula (formerly an island) connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of alluvial deposits, you'll come to the port of Quiberon, with its white-sand beach. You'll probably see the rugged Breton fishers hauling in their sardine catch.
This entire coast -- the Côte Sauvage, or Wild Coast -- is dramatic and rugged; the ocean breaks with fury against the reefs. Winds, especially in winter, lash across the dunes, shaving the short pines that grow here. On the landward side, the beach is calm and relatively protected.
Sixteen kilometers (10 miles) west of Brittany's shoreline is Belle-Ile-en-Mer, an outpost of sand, rock, and vegetation the French love for summer holidays. For information, contact the Office de Tourisme, Quai Bonnelle Le Palais (tel. 02-97-31-81-93). Depending on the season, 4 to 12 ferries depart daily from Port Maria in Quiberon (tel. 08-20-05-61-56). The trip takes 45 minutes; a round-trip ticket costs 26€ ($38) for adults and 15€ ($22) for those 24 and under. In summer, you must reserve space for your car, as well as for passengers. The ferry docks at Le Palais, a fortified 16th-century port that is the island's window to the rest of France. Storm-wracked and eerie, the topography consists of rocky cliffs, a reef-fringed west coast, and the Grotte de l'Apothicairerie, a cave (closed to visitors) whose name derives from stalactites shaped like apothecary jars. Despite a scattering of hotels and seasonal restaurants, the island feels isolated. A drive around the periphery is about 56km (35 miles).
You'll find excellent accommodations in Port de Goulphar, on the southern shore on an inlet framed by cliffs. The standout is the 39-unit Relais & Châteaux property Castel Clara, Port de Goulphar, 56360 Bangor (tel. 02-97-31-84-21; fax 02-97-31-51-69; www.castel-clara.com). Ideal service and first-class cuisine add to the sense of peace. The rooms are comfortable, with TVs and balconies facing the sea. The hotel also offers a terrace with a solarium around a heated seawater pool. Depending on the season, rates ranges from 155€ to 380€ ($225-$551) in a double. The hotel is closed from mid-December to mid-February.
