Page 252 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

250  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

With beautiful bays and beaches, dramatic d’Arrée and the Montagnes Noires, as well
promontories and cliffs, and picturesque as heathland, forests, lakes, rivers, canals,
islands, Brittany is well endowed with areas valleys and marshland. These landscapes
of natural beauty. The region’s coast is its can be explored on foot, by bicycle or on
best-known feature, where many water horseback. Brittany’s nature reserves and
sports are available (see pp252–3). coastal areas offer plenty of opportunities
Brittany’s spectacular coastline should for bird watching, and, with more than
not, however, obscure the attractions 30 fine golf courses, the region is also
of the interior. These include the Monts attractive to keen golfers.
Horseback Riding
Those who prefer to explore
Brittany on horseback will
enjoy following Équibreizh,
a long-distance bridleway
that traverses Brittany. It is
clearly marked and covers
over 2,000 km (1,250 miles)
of varied and scenic terrain.
The Topo-Guide Équibreizh,
published by CRTEB
(Régionale Comité pour
le Tourisme Équestre de
Bretagne), includes detailed
maps indicating routes,
Cyclists at Fort de La Latte, a 13th-century fortress on Cap Fréhel overnight stopping places,
riding centres, farriers
Walking
de Bretagne de Cyclotourisme and horse transporters.
Running both along as prime areas for mountain Accommodation can also be
coastlines and inland, biking (Sites VTT). arranged through the Comité
France has over 60,000 km As with long-distance walking Régional in the revelant area
(37,000 miles) of long- (see above), gîte and other of Brittany.
distance footpaths (Sentiers en-route accom modation can
de Grande Randonnée, or be arranged through local Birdwatching
GR) and 80,000 km (50,000 cycling organ izations or
miles) of Promenade et through the Comité Régional Brittany is one of the
Randonnée (PR) routes. du Tourisme. best places in Europe for
These are maintained and birdwatching. The diversity
marked out by volunteers of the region’s landscapes
of the Fédération Française attracts a great variety of
de la Randonnée Pédestre. birds (see pp22–3), from the
Most of the best footpaths ubiquitous herring gull and
in Brittany are mentioned in crested cormorant, to the
the appropriate entries in this marsh harrier and ringed
guide. Various organizations, plover. There is much for
such as the Comité Régional nature lovers to see, and
du Tourisme, offer walking almost 20 bird sanctuaries
programmes with overnight and other protected areas
stays in gîtes (some of which to explore.
have received an award for their Bretagne Vivante-SEPNB
standards of comfort), or in (Société pour l’Étude et la
chambres d’hôtes (guest rooms) Protection de la Nature
or small, family-run hotels. en Bretagne) and Vivarmor
Nature both organize a
variety of birdwatching trips,
Cycling
in winter as well as in
The Blavet valley, the summer. Useful information
Cornouaille region and the is also available from LPO
Baie du Mont-St-Michel have Walkers near the Phare du Paon, (Ligue pour la Protection
all been identified by the Ligue Isle de Bréhat des Oiseaux).

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