Visitors to Paris often make it to the Normandy beaches of World War II legend or even as far as to the iconic Mont St. Michel on the border of Normandy and Brittany. British visitors may take the ferry over from Plymouth to Roscoff or via the Channel Islands to St. Malo—both starting points to explore the northern and western regions of Brittany.
The southern coast of Brittany, however, remains unchartered land for most non-French tourists and residents. With its ease of access from Paris and a number of other European cities, its abundance of scenic villages, small medieval towns and cities, and charming ports and harbors, the Morbihan province in south-central Brittany certainly should be higher on everyone’s list. Add to its highlights a mix of sandy beaches, rocky coastline, beautiful islands, an alluring gulf, rivers and estuaries, and enchanting forests. It is also a seafood-lover’s heaven, world renowned for its oyster production.
The Morbihan is an ideal place to live for those who enjoy an active lifestyle—the coastal and inland walking paths as well as bike trails are arguably second to none. The weather is noticeably better than in the western and northern parts of Brittany. Winters are mild, rarely dropping below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The spring and fall can bring some rain, but summers are generally warm and sunny, making for a number of solid beach days. And, last but not least, while some more ritzy towns boast high real estate prices, most costs, including real estate just a few miles inland, are reasonable—shockingly so compared to Paris.
Morbihan was previously a featured destination in the Overseas Living Letter. We make all past issues of the Overseas Living Letter available for purchase as an individual Country Retirement Report.
We cover many destinations, such as Morbihan, in our monthly Overseas Living Letter.