Top French destinations
Top French destinations DESTINATIONS RELOADED The Channel Louvre- Lens (p20) Brittany (p19) Mont Saint-Michel (p19) Normandy (p21) Loire Valley (p20) Paris (p21) Champagne (p22) The Vosges Mountains (p25) Burgundy (p22) The Jura (p25) The Destination contracts Atlantic Ocean The Dordogne Bordeaux Valley (p23) (p24) Biarritz (p24) Pyrénées (p27) Auvergne (P 27) Lyon (p23) Provence (p28) Mont Blanc (p26) Alps (p26) Côte d’Azur (p28) Mediterranean Sea Corsica (p29) French Guiana (p29) The islands of Guadeloupe Martinique The island of La Réunion Tahiti and its islands New Caledonia St Martin Destinations Reloaded With the signing of “destination contracts” with the French Government, no less than 22 internal destinations, covering the entire territory, are working towards a harmonisation and coordination of efforts in order to greatly improve their promotion on the world stage. Authenticity, discovery and sharing are at the heart of this new tourism paradigm that will result in a “reloaded” understanding or viewpoint of these destinations, covering the amazing diversity of their offering with a honing of information in such a way that travel professionals can “cut through the clutter” and get a clear picture of what they can sell and how they can sell it. Consequently, travellers will be better served as their desires will be matched with a great deal more precision. The following pages are a foretaste. 18 France: Destinations to (re)discover france.fr
Brittany: an Open Gate to the Atlantic ® Kanuman shutterstock Spectacular seascapes, intimate bays, welcoming valleys, spellbinding moors and groves, and the sensual lines of vast dunes... the scenery changes at every turn. Here, earth and the sea are interwoven, as are open spaces and human activity, infinity and softness. The Breton soul is reflected in its contrasts. This wealth, which feeds the imagination and the local dynamism, is carefully protected. AN INCREDIBLY VARIED COASTLINE With a total of 1,772 km coastline, Brittany presents a remarkable variety of seaside landscapes: rocky cliffs, sandy or pebble beaches, islands, salt USPs marshes and estuaries. A land of myth and folklore, this is also a region whose forests rustle to legends such as King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin the enchanter. From the Emerald Coast to the Gulf of Morbihan, passing by the fortress city of Saint-Malo, the superb resort town of Dinard, the Aber Ildut, which is the dividing line between the channel and the Atlantic Ocean, the Iroise sea and its many islands, the Harbour of Brest, the bay of Douarnenez, or Carnac and its lines of dolmens and menhirs… there are countless opportunities for adventure and discovery. • Extremely varied coastal scenery punctuated with numerous characteristic ports. • A unique climate, tonic effect, the quality of the sea water: Brittany is the quintessential rejuvenating destination to regain energy and serenity. • Countless iconic festivals (Trans Musicales meetings in Rennes, Interceltique Festival in Lorient, Festival of old ploughs, etc.). Rennes (RNS), Nantes (NTE) © CRTB -BERTHIER Emmanuel Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay: A Unique Historic Site and Natural Setting UNESCO world heritage site, Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay enable visitors to admire a breath-taking maritime landscape. Its spring tides hold the record in France in terms of amplitude, with water entering the bay at an impressive pace over a patchwork of polders and mussel farms, allowing the mythical architectural work to be reflected across the immensity of the sea. Discovering Mont-Saint- Michel and its Bay is an exceptional experience, as is meeting the locals! Visitors can observe USPs bottlenose dolphins, taste the saltmarsh lamb, learn to cook on an old sailing ship, cross the bay on foot, discover old Corsair towns such as Saint-Malo and Granville, enjoy oysters, visit an archipelago such as the Chausey Islands, make their own shortbread, or discover craftworks in copper and tin. The visitor is invited to live his or her own experience. With safe, quiet roads wending along the coastline, crossing wild moors skirting pretty beaches, Mont-Saint- Michel and its Bay are ideal for cycling. • Site of the biggest spring tides in continental Europe. • The Mont-Saint-Michel abbey offers an exceptional ensemble of buildings representing different styles from the Middle Ages. • A paradise for hikers with emblematic routes such as the Way of St. James or the customs trail, enabling them to discover breath-taking landscapes! A Rennes, Brest or Quimper stations Paris (CDG, ORY), Nantes (NTE) Rennes Station france.fr France: Destinations to (re)discover 19
