Itineraries 2010

 

 


Day 1 Redon

You will be met at our agreed pick up point, either at Rennes or Redon .
Redon is the crossroads of the Brittany waterways network and stands at
the junction of the River Vilaine (which runs from St.Malo in the North
to Arzal on the south coast of Brittany) and the Nantes a Brest canal which
runs East-West. Redon is an important historical town and has many riches,
particularly in the old town.The Saint-Saveur Abbey founded by the monk
Conwoin in 832 brought cultural glory and riches to the town.
It was added to and modified up until the 17th century.
Redon also hosts the excellent Inland Water Transport Museum .
If you want to learn more about the waterways you are about to travel,
there is an excellent video presentation in English that details the history of the waterways.
Settle in and then enjoy a four course welcome meal on board and we can discuss your cruise in detail.

Day 2. La Gacilly

La Gacilly River Ouest at Josselin
We head west up the canal de Nantes a Brest and stop near the village of Glenac.
From here we have organised a trip for you to the town of La Gacilly.
The old main street of this town has been converted over the years into a haven
for artists and craftsmen. Each shop now houses a different skill with it's own workshop.
From glassblowing to wood carvers to artists,onyx workers,leather workers and musicians;
La Gacilly has it all. In addition, the famous Yves Rocher beauty products are based here
as well as Europes first 'vegetarium'. A museum dedicated to the plant world.
The whole village is decorated with flowers and definitely a trip not to missed.
.Dinner is taken ashore, and we can help you choose and book your meal.

Day3 Glenac towards Malestroit.

We now pass through unspoilt countryside and natural woodland. We also pass the Isle aux Pies
(Magpie island) which is a famous beauty spot with natural woodland and cliffs alongside the river.
We then have a short stretch of canal through woodland and stop at one of the many pretty villages like
Peillac for the evening. Again, we can make a visit to one of the many interesting attractions
listed at the end of this section. Ian or Jane will personally escort you and point you towards the highlights.
Malestroit Brittany'medieval ' bandHare playing bagpipes carving

Day 4 To Malestroit

A gentle day pottering our way through several small villages and towns stopping wherever the fancy takes us
and we end up at the gorgeous medieval town of Malestroit. Founded in 978, Malestroit has many half timbered
houses with overhanging gables and carvings in winding streets. Malestroit is also an excellent starting point for many of the excursions that we list at the end of this page. We can also organise a guided tour around the streets of Malestroit to point out all the salient features.
A street market**, regular musical events and a lively atmosphere make Malestroit a must-visit. For those interested,
at nearby St Michel is an excellent museum devoted to the resistance struggle in the second world war.
Dinner can be taken in one of the varied restaurants in town.

Day 5. Towards Josselin

We continue our journey through delightful countryside stopping as the fancy takes you at any of the several villages
with a pause for bread and provisions at Le Roc St Andre. This town is named for its church impressively perched
above the river on a rocky outcrop. We can stop at any time to take excursions to nearby places of interest,
a selection of which are listed at the end of this page.In particular we would recommend a visit to Rochefort en Terre,
where the 12c chateau was rebuilt by an American artist and is open to visitors. The village centre is probably
the prettiest in central Brittany and hosts many antique shops and artisans. Rochefort won the prettiest village award
so many times that it was banned from entering again!

 

Rochefort en TerreCruising the Nantes a Brest canal barging on the Nantes a Brest canal

Day 6 Josselin Cruising Brittany, France

We arrive at one of the best and most famous canal views in France. As we round a bend in the river Ouest you see the magnificent chateau of the Rohan family towering above the river.
After negotiating the lock we moor below the chateau walls and Josselin is waiting for you.
You will doubtless want to spend some time investigating Josselin. It's pretty streets, the ancient church, timbered medieval houses, the excellent large street market*, the museum in the chateau itself with France's largest collection of historic dolls, the street cafes and variety of interesting family run shops;
Josselin is, in many ways, the heart of the region. Choose from an excellent range of restaurants
for your evening meal.From an upmarket yet reasonable restaurant high above the river or
a waterside 'creperie', Josselin has them all .

Half timbered house JosselinReligious 'Pardon' at Josselin.Libje at Josselin Chateau.

Day 7

After breakfast on board we say goodbye to Libje and take you on to Rennes or Redon by car for your onward journey.


*Sat am
** Thurs am

Depending on the previous cruise, the above itinerary might be reversed.


 

Dont forget though, this is your cruise and your hard earned break. We are happy to modify the above suggestion. If you want to linger or take in more of any particular stop we can do it. Likewise if you want to do less cruising and enjoy more excursions, we can do it. Alternatively, if you want to see as much of the countryside by water as you can, extending the cruise to Rohan, and miss out on some of the excursions we can do that too.




A second cruise option would be to start at the district capital of Rennes which is a lively university town with a
medieval heart and numerous award winning restaurants. We would then travel down the River Vilaine
which is often described as the most beautiful river in France.
Depending on the number of stops we would end the cruise at Redon or take in some of the Nantes a Brest canal.


As well as the above suggested itineraries, we can organise day trips to the medieval walled city of Vannes for some of the smartest shops in the region and a yachting harbour that reaches right up to the old city gates,
or to the important megalithic sites at Carnac that are thought to be the oldest continuously inhabited place in the world with over 2,000 menhirs (large stones) that stretch over 4 Km and pre-date the Egyptian pyramids.
Just a selection of other more local visits that may prove of interest are Breton cider producers,
an exhibition of moving mechanical sculptures, local markets, chateaux, The megaliths of Monteneuf where a Roman road psses within yards of a megalithic site only discovered 30 years ago. Church and museum visits,
the waterways exhibition, formal gardens,the Spanish influenced port of St Louis, the resistance museum at St Marcel, a working Medieval village, a visit to the south coast for a seafood lunch overlooking the island strewn gulf of Morbihan, a trip on a carriage drawn by a beautiful Fresian horse for a picnic by the riverside.In Brittany, the list goes on and on. There are links to many of these attractions on our links page.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, we are very flexible in our itinerary and can tailor the
experience to your particular interests. Just email us to discuss your barge holiday and ask for a quote.


We can also organise special charters such as a seafood cookery cruise.
Learn how to choose, buy, prepare and cook seafood.
Cruise as you enjoy Brittany's bounty!


Fancy more than a cruise?

Why not treat yourself to a weeks stay at these gorgeous thatched cottages to unwind and then go cruising to get the full Brittany experience? Our good friends Neil and Tricia Young have renovated these cottages to a very high standard and have then added a whole new dimension to a Gite holiday by offering complimentary health and beauty treatments as well as a raft of other options. We really can recommend a stay here. You can see more at their website at www.brittanythatchedcottages.com

Brittant Thatched Cottages

 

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