Getting Around Bretagne

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ok ok this is a catch many times, but what I am saying is, if you are first timer or second and had little time to move around and see things, the petit train or little train is a good idea. And it can be a good rest after much walking which is the preferred way in town.

anyway here it is in the presqu'ile de Rhuys around the coastal and beach communities of Arzon, Port du Crouesty, and Port Navalo. Enjoy it

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Oh my word, what is it with Bretons and roundabouts?

As I usually travel by train in France, I can't comment on whether this obsession is regional or national. But there does seem to be a fixation with centrifugal tendencies that is somewhat unnerving for the foreign tourist!

Five in a row in St Malo (and I'm a poet and I don't know it)???!!! Or do these people just want to dance?

Postscript: Our local yokel pfsmalo has provided some interesting context on this conundrum. Apparently building (and beautifying) roundabouts used to be a time honoured way of using up unspent municipal funds towards the end of the financial year, which presumably lead to the proliferation of roundabouts across the Bretagne landscape. But apparently the financial austerity measures of the last few years have made this particular ruse a thing of the past.

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One of the downsides of driving in France are the ubiquitous toll roads and hefty toll tariffs - but in this, as in so much else, separatist Bretagne is the exception!

The happy news is that there are no toll roads in Bretagne. VT's man on the ground pfsmalo informs me that this fortunate situation dates back to the formidable Queen Anne of Bretagne, who decreed at the beginning of 16th century people should never have to pay to travel on roads in this region. As he's the local yokel, I have no reason to question him, and am just grateful that this redoubtable lady's dictate continues to be respected four centuries after the event!

One word of warning: the main roads are excellent, well maintained and allow you to make good time - I would say that you could safely plan on covering up to 100km/h. However, once you veer off the main roads, things slow down considerably, and you need to take this into account, particularly if you're intending to cover long distances. In particular, the winding country roads that crosscut the Bretagne interior can be slow going (if scenic), and I wouldn't plan on averaging more than 60km/h in these regions: in many cases, counterinuitely it would make sense to take a significant detour in terms of mileage if this allows you to access a main arterial route.

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Driving a car in France is easy - finding out where to refuel it can be a bit trickier if you don't know where to look!

We hired a diesel vehicle from Europcar, and things were fine until the fuel gauge started to plummet alarmingly in a deeply rural area on a Sunday afternoon. We are used to driving in countries where there are plenty of service (petrol) stations along highways and main roads, but in France these appear to be much fewer in number and more widely spaced.

As we discovered, the most reliable place to refuel is at large supermarkets, where they usually have fuel pumps located in a corner of the car park. These are often unmanned, and, if so, you'll need to make sure that you have a credit card to pay.

Also make sure that you look for the correct terminology: 'gazoil' also means 'diesel'. Which brings me neatly to my last point: to avoid disaster. make sure that before you refuel, you've confirmed whether yours is a diesel or petrol vehicle: we've been there, done that and got the T shirt on a previous trip to Slovenia and I don't recommend it as a recreational activity!

again the best here is the car, see estimates on www.viamichelin.com and a good paper map of the area.

TAke N165 from Nantes for example and continue to exit D16 Beltz and Etel. follow signs

then for train and bus schedules check this out in Brittany
http://www.breizhgo.com/bretagne

you can use line 16 from Auray,and there from Paris Montparnasse onTGV
Transports A. Ria
Tél. : +33 (0)2 97 56 96 95
Fax : +33 (0)2 97 56 93 64

or the schedules and hours inpdf file
http://www.morbihan.fr/UserFile/flash/CarteTIM/horaires/HLn16-E-2012.pdf

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Hook up here by train either from Vannes or Nantes on way to Paris and elsewhere its really nice, althought my actual visit tothe city center was by car some time ago.

Complete information in French at the TER Bretagne site here,
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Region/bretagne/gare/Redon.aspx

reservation for payment showing France on e tickets is www.voyages-sncf.com

The breton bus system is a bit empty but there is buses from Roscoff to Morlaix on Saturdays every 2 hrs or so,the earliest is
7h take line TER 0 (working with the train station but are buses SNCF) from stop at Port-de-Bloscon (Roscoff) to train station Morlaix ,stop at the train station or gare de Morlaix

you should be able to get info once in the train station at roscoff,

then to Quimper ,closer to me, the easiest is to get on centre of roscoff the bus No 25 to Lesneven (Brest) direction the gare routiére or bus terminal of Brest. Then go to train station at Brest (next door to the bus) and take the train TER direction Quimper and stops at the gare or train station of Quimper

The site for public transport in all of Brittany by the regional council government is Breizhgo or go brittany or Bretagne, Breizh is Brittany in the Breton language also spoken here.
http://www.breizhgo.com/

HOpe it helps

you can come on the TGV from montparnasse Paris to Lorient and then bus to Lamor Plage

the road N165 Nantes-Brest free toll road exit D465 to centre ville then Lamor Plage
or take a taxi from Lorient by calling

http://taxilarmor.com/

There is the airport at Lorient that can bring you here by taxi or bus 51 from the train station at Lorient
http://www.lorient.aeroport.fr/

the local bus system webpage
http://www.ctrl.fr/