Trébrivan is ideally situated in central Brittany for exploring and we recommend that guests have their own transport. This list of places and things to do is by no means exhaustive and we'll add more ideas as this website develops, but it should give some idea of the breadth of experiences that you can enjoy from Le Bout de Sac. The photo below is of the coastline north of Tréguier, about a hour's drive away and an excellent day trip.

Within about a half an hour's drive is the picturesque town of Huelgoat, built on a lakeside and offering superb walking in the forests and moorlands all around. Huelgoat is one of our favourite spots, along with the nearby villages of Berrien and La Feuillée. The area is riddled with footpaths and circuits just begging to be explored and the terrain is very varied: woodland, moorland, riverside, meadow...

One of the most famous sights in the area is La Roche Tremblante, only a few hundred metres into the forest from the centre of Huelgoat. It's a bit bigger than a Ford Transit, and is reputed to rock if you push it in the right spot. We've been trying for over six years and it hasn't budged for us. Perhaps you'll get better luck! La Roche Tremblante is featured below:

The forests around Huelgoat are steeped in Arthurian legend and repay the casual walker as well as the dedicated trekker. The town itself has several restaurants and bars as well as some handy shops and the only Sunday-opening supermarket (morning only!) we've yet found.

A little further on from Huelgoat you'll find yourself right in the middle of the Monts D'Arrée. Brittany's countryside is best described as rolling for the most part; the Monts d'Arrée national park is a fine exception. You'd be hard pressed to actually call it mountainous but it is at high altitude in comparison to the rest of the region; the scenery is spectacular and there's terrific walking and birdwatching to be had (we've seen a gorsebush full of dartford warblers).

For something more cultural, the city of Quimper with its magnificent cathedral and medieval centre is only about fifty minutes' drive away. Quimper is also home to the fascinating museum of faience ceramics, an art form for which the city has been famed since the late 1600s.

You're never far from the sea in Brittany, and Trébrivan is roughly fifty minutes or so away from some beautiful coastline and beaches. Notably to the west around the Cap de la Chèvre and to the north of Morlaix around Plougasnou, St Jean de Doigt and the secluded beach at Locquémeau, Pointe de Dourvin, shown below.

The deservedly popular medieval town of Morlaix is also only a forty minute drive away, its superb viaduct dominating the view and the maze of little streets filled with interesting shops and restaurants. A particular highlight for history buffs and culture vultures is La Maison de la Duchesse Anne, a medieval house in the process of preservation which can be visited very inexpensively. Morlaix also holds an excellent street market on Saturdays, right in the shadow of the viaduct and spreading up into the heart of the historic centre.

In July, Carhaix Plougeur plays host to the Bagadans, a competitive display of Breton pipe bands and dancing. This for several years included a Bastille Day parade through the main street of the town, but for the last two years the parade has not taken place because of the large number of bands involved and the difficulty of organising it. It seems that 2010 will have the parade again, and it's a spectacle not to be missed.

The town is also the venue for France's largest music festival in late July each year, the Festival des Vieilles Charrues; past headliners have included Madness, Deep Purple, Patti Smith, David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Placebo....the list goes on. If you like festivals, but can't face the thought of camping, Le Bout de Sac, which is only about four/five miles from the festival site, could be the answer to your prayers! The 2010 line up includes Muse, Mika and Jamiroquai as well as many French and Breton performers. The festival website is at http://www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr/. The 2010 festival starts on 15th July and runs for four days.

Running just to the south of Carhaix is the lovely Nantes-Brest Canal, which consists largely of canalised rivers and connects with the Lac de Guerlédan which has canoe hire and safe beaches. The shot below is taken from Le Merlin, the bar and restaurant overlooking the lake.

There are several easy walks incorporating stretches of the canal, and if you fancy some entertaining water sports, there is a canoe-hire near Glomel where inflatable craft can be obtained for the purpose of going down a flight of fourteen locks through the canoe-chutes. We did it - for our account and pictures visit http://themillbrooker.blogspot.com/2009/07/holiday-part-iii-insight-adventure.html

What else can we recommend? A fabulous walking circuit near to the neighbouring village of Locarn through ancient forest and the spectacular Gorges du Corong; a day trip to Tréguier (especially on a summer Wednesday when the town is "en fête") is great fun. Guingamp has some fine ancient buildings and a fun summer festival of street entertainment; you can reach Guingamp by train from Carhaix - a very scenic trip. The early music group in the photo below were playing outside one of Guingamp's lovely ancient churches.

In short, you'll find loads to do. But there's no need whatever to feel guilty if that Trébrivan feeling gets to you and just enjoying a book and a barbie on the patio seems like the best way to use a day!