Itineraries
2011
Day 1 Redon
We will meet you at our agreed pick up point, and then
transport you to the starting point of your cruise..
Redon is at 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 short cruise to a quiet countryside location
where
you can enjoy your welcome champagne dinner on
board, and we can discuss
your
cruise in detail.
Day 2. La Gacilly
We head west up the canal de Nantes a Brest through Isle au Pies (Magpie
Islands) a famous beauty spot. Its rocky cliffs and sheltered waters
provide a playground for rock climbers
and canoeists. We next stop at the
village of St Martin, home of an artisan cider maker. You
can
try
this
local
speciality and buy direct from the producers.
From here we will take 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 its
own workshop.
From glassblowing to wood carvers to artists,onyx workers,
leather
workers, woodturners, engravers, jewellers 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 also hosts a major
photography exhibition with large and spectacular photographs decorating
the town. Definitely a trip not to missed.
Day3. St Martin towards Malestroit.
We now pass through beautifully unspoilt
countryside and natural woodland as we head towards Malestroit. Founded
in 978, this medieval town with its winding streets has many half
timbered
houses with overhanging gables liberally decorated with wood carvings.
We arrive at Malestroit in time for lunch and a guided tour around
the town. In the afternoon we take you to the gorgeous village
of Rochefort en Terre. This picturesque spot is officially listed as
one of only 15 entries in 'Frances most beautiful villages' and won
the 'best flower display' so
many
times
that
it was banned from entering again!
A street market,(Thursday morning) regular
musical events and a lively atmosphere make Malestroit a must-visit.At
nearby
St Marcel
is an excellent
museum devoted to the resistance struggle in the second world war.
Allow a half day if you wish to visit. We often also visit the
nearby standing stones at Monteneuf. This smaller version of Carnac
was discovered only 30 years ago after a forest fire revealed the alignments.Extensive
searches have now revealed over 200 menhirs (upright stones) and several
burial sites.
Dinner can be taken in one of the varied restaurants in town.
Day 4
A gentle day pottering our way through several small villages stopping for bread at Le Roc St Andre with its gothic church standing high on a rocky bluff overlooking the river, or pretty little Montertelot. We stop wherever the fancy takes us, perhaps at the ancient little village of St Gobrien with its 10thC church and some of the oldest houses in the entire region.. In the evening we choose a quiet countryside mooring and either provide your evening meal there or we can take you to a lovely little countryside restaurant. Sit on deck and listen to nothing but the sound of the birds.
Day 5. Towards Josselin
We now pass through some of the prettiest countryside
on your cruise. Meadows come down to the river and the river winds
through natural woodland. We arrive at one of the best and most famous
canal views in France. As we round a bend in the river
Oust 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. In the
afternoon you can either continue your explorations round the medieval
streets or we can take you to see Chateau Kerguehennac, an 18thC chateau
that has recently been restored. It is surrounded by extensive gardens
and is host to a superb arboretum.The upstairs rooms of the chateau
are used as an art gallery.
Day 6 Josselin 
You will doubtless want to spend some time investigating
Josselin. Its pretty streets, the ancient church,
timbered medieval
houses,
the excellent
large street market(saturday mornings), 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. If we are here on a Saturday morning, a favourite
thing to do is to pick the best that the market has to offer and we
all have a big 'market lunch' with seafood, fresh roast chicken, country
pate and sausage etc.
From an upmarket yet reasonable
restaurant high
above the river or
a waterside 'creperie', Josselin has them all .
Alternatively, we can take you down to the south coast of Brittany to visit the historic walled town of Vannes with its chic shops and impressive gardens. Perhaps you might also be tempted with a visit to the stunning fortified chateau at Suscinio which once belonged to the Dukes of Brittany. If however you love just sitting back and taking in the waterways then we can continue cruising through increasingly rural surroundings to the little village of Cadoret. We stop en-route to take in the gorgeous little ancient village of Pomeleuc.
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.
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 suggestions. 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.
Suggested excursions
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.
Also nearby is the beautiful
old town of Auray which has an up market shopping centre and
it's ancient harbour with a good selection of restaurants alongside
a river. Benjamin Franklin landed here to
sign an
accord
with the French.
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 and chateaux, The megaliths of Monteneuf
where a Roman road passes within yards of a large megalithic site
only discovered 30 years ago. Church and museum visits,
the waterways exhibition,
formal gardens and an arboretum
Visit the Spanish influenced port of St Louis with it's exhibitions devoted to the 'East Indies trade' , the marine museum as well as an excellent exhibition by the French Lifeboat institution.
If you are interested in Brittany's war years there is the resistance museum at St Marcel. One of Frances major vehicle museums is at nearby Loheac and hosts much more than just cars. A working Medieval village, a visit to the south coast for a seafood lunch overlooking the island strewn gulf of Morbihan, 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
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