Mr Howman says...
Very good overall. Steve the your rep was a star, nothing was too much trouble.
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An outright winner from the start, this eight-night holiday allows you to experience the very best of the beautiful Breton coast. You'll enjoy simply stunning walks, taking in dramatic scenery, a wealth of colours and a multitude of medieval influences.
During the first few days of your holiday, you'll be walking along the magnificent paths that hug the northern coast. It's a landscape of pinky-gold cliffs, secret coves, deserted, heather-backed beaches and traditional Breton fishing villages untouched by tourism. It's perfect for exploring on foot and, at every turn, you're rewarded with fabulous panoramic views of the entire Emerald Coast. Heading inland, the route takes you along the banks of the River Rance and on through the majestic Hunaudaye forest. Highlights include the feudal Fort la Latte and the beautiful stone-crafted town of Dinan. In the Middle Ages, Dinan served as one of the main strategic strongholds of the Duchy of Brittany and much of her medieval charm remains today.
Your accommodation is full of contrasts too, including a lovely seaside hotel in Sables-d'Or-Les-Pins and a superbly located 3 star hotel built into the ramparts in the heart of historic Dinan. In Dinard, you'll stay in the upgraded sea-view rooms looking out across the idyllic expanse of the English Channel to the old port town of St-Malo.
See more of this trip on our Youtube channel - click here watch.
Varied walking following well-marked GR routes along coastal paths, river banks, country lanes and shady forest tracks. Some steep, but short, ascents and descents, but a good head for heights is not necessary.
Your holiday starts at M. Jamin's 16th century manor house in the countryside, just three kilometres outside the market town of Lamballe. With only 14 rooms, it's a lovely, intimate place to stay. The courtyard opens up onto beautifully kept gardens and an elegant terrace for al fresco dining on fine summer evenings.
You stay at Le Manoir des Portes (breakfast and evening meal)
You take a short transfer to the tiny Breton fishing port of Dahouet. From here, it's coastal walking at its best: extensive views, aquamarine seas, white sandy beaches and rocky coves - don't forget your swimming things! Lunch on the beach at Caroual then head inland and on to your lovely hotel at Sables-d'Or-Les-Pins.
You stay at the Hotel de Diane (breakfast included)
Sables-d'Or-Les-Pins is a lovely seaside village with magnificent golden sand beaches. It would be easy to just spend the day here, however we strongly recommend following our suggested circular walk (route notes provided) along a spectacular coastal footpath around the cliff and on to nearby Cap d'Erquy, a delightful fishing village with some outstanding seafood restaurants for lunch.
You stay at the Hotel de Diane (breakfast included)
Deserted beaches and heather-topped cliffs provide the colourful backdrop for today's walk which leads you via the Cap Frehel Lighthouse (look out for nesting seabirds) to the famous 14th century feudal stronghold of Fort la Latte. Perched on a rocky promontory over the ocean, this castle occupies one of the finest sites in Brittany. Climb up the tower for magnificent coastal views, out as far as Jersey on a clear day.
You stay at the Hotel Printania (breakfast included)
Once a sleepy fishing village on the estuary of the Rance, the English transformed the town into one of the most famous and upmarket resorts in Europe during the 19th century. Although a little quieter now, it has not lost any of its charm and many of the Belle Epoque villas have become historic monuments. Walk out to the Pointe des Etretes for views of the off-shore islands, or take a 10-minute water taxi across the bay to St-Malo and lose yourself in the narrow cobbled streets within the Intra Muros (fortified walls) of this ancient medieval city.
You stay at the Hotel Printania (breakfast included)
Starting with a transfer to the picturesque Breton village of Langrolay-sur-Rance, today's route takes you inland, mostly following the course of the River Rance. It's wonderfully tranquil walking through shady forests, fruit orchards, and along peaceful riverside paths. Your 4 star hotel in Dinan is superbly located within the ramparts of the medieval old town.
You stay at the Hotel D'Avaugour (breakfast included)
This beautifully preserved ancient walled town, with its riverfront port, is an absolute gem. Wander round the splendidly restored ancient squares and ramparts, visit the imposing 13th century castle, admire the flamboyant Gothic basilica and stroll along the cobbled streets packed with authentic artisan workshops.
You stay at the Hotel D'Avaugour (breakfast included)
You take a short transfer then it's off through the Pays du Tour du Penthievre where shady woodland paths skirt the river as far as the impressive 13th century Chateau de la Hunaudaye, the ruins of which date back over 800 years. Then it's on across farmland, past ancient standing stones, to Lamballe, where you can relax in the hotel gardens before dinner.
You stay at Le Manoir des Portes (breakfast and evening meal)
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Superior Room.
Superior rooms are more spacious with a balcony onto the garden.
Extra nights: Please contact us for details.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Premium Room, Deluxe Room or Suite.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades: Garden Room.
If you'd like to extend your trip with extra nights at the start or end, or if you'd like to arrange a stop off point en-route, then we recommend the following hotels.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Lamballe train station at 17:23 and back to Lamballe train station at 10:15
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Very good overall. Steve the your rep was a star, nothing was too much trouble.
This holiday with Headwater far exceeded our expectation. We have done many walking trips over the years but this was one of the best. The Emerald coast of Brittany is stunning, the coastal paths very easy to walk and the lack of mass tourists in peak season make Brittany a hidden gem. Hotels were excellent and the half board food provided delicious. For self guided walking it was wonderful to have Steve (the local agent) on hand. He is very knowledgeable and his brief on the journey is excellent. Steve is an absolute asset to Headwater as he is always available so it makes the journey very relaxing.
Headwater response:
Thank you for writing such a wonderful review. We agree Brittany is a hidden gem and this is the kind of holiday that Headwater aim to offer to our customers; idyllic routes away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Your many positive comments are really appreciated and thank you for taking the time to make them. We will pass your kind comments onto Steve.
Kind regards
Customer Service
Overall we enjoyed our walking holiday in Brittany. The inland walks including that through the Hunaudaye Forest and the route from Dinard to Dinan were glorious. One day our picnic lunch beneath an oak was accompanied by the song of a Nightingale. The coastal trails were varied and included sand stretches and many ups and downs on the path. We particularly liked the Hotel Le d'Avaugour in Dinan which had a beautiful garden and an excellent breakfast. The owner at the Hotel de Diane was also kind and helpful beyond the norm. Our only disappointment was the standard of accommodation in the supposedly upgraded bedroom at the Le Manoir des Portes. The food and outdoor terrace at the same hotel were excellent however and Lamballe a great place to explore for a day. Steven the local rep was helpful and always around when needed.. People should not underestimate that some of the walks are quite long and definitely not all of them easy especially when wet, but were always enjoyable. Ann and Tim
We very much enjoyed this holiday in Brittany which included a range of coastal and farmland walking. We extensively used the marked up maps which were excellent. We found the walking to be suitable for a reasonably fit couple in their mid 70's. The rest days were in interesting towns which we enjoyed exploring.
Steve went out of his way to support us which was demonstrated on the first day when he suddenly appeared after we had been walking for some hours in pouring rain. We were reassured that he was around if needed. He recommended some minor variations to suit us and excellent places to eat. He shared with us his knowledge of the history of Brittany. Steve was always on time at the start of the day and at meeting places. He is a great ambassador for Headwater.
A well organized tour of the Brittany coast. We liked the locations, the walks, and the hotels. Sometimes the travel notes were a bit misleading but we managed very well.
Headwater response:
Thank you for your comments, we were pleased to read that you felt the tour was well organized. I refer to your comments with regards to the travel notes and can assure you that we do review these from season to season based on our customer feedback and research that is carried out locally, so again thank you for highlighting this to us.
Lovely walks and route notes excellent. Hard walking in the heat of the day as some very steep parts that the less fit might find challenging. Super locations throughout the week.
We love having a walk on alternate days and doing what we want on the day in between. Steve went the extra mile to make sure we had a good time.
A very well constructed package; a round trip with a variety of terrains (coast path, river valley, farmland and forest), excellent French cuisine available, and a chance to visit 3 very different and interesting French towns.
Headwater customized our holiday to make it really simple for us - they even made sure that it didn't rain whilst we were walking. The accommodation was great and welcomes were friendly. We couldn't have asked for more.
A well structured, walking holiday on the Brittany coastline .
A much enjoyed and excellent holiday giving us the opportunity to see some spectacular scenery. we did appreciate the days restbetween each walk as the walks were fairly demanding and the miles covered were probably to our limit.
Stephen is a great asset to Headwater, he is outgoing, helpful and informative.Thank you again to the online staff of Headwater for a glorious 9 days!
Good food, good walking and good organization.
We enjoyed it. very much. Steve was very good at adapting to our limited capacities.
A relaxing holiday in an unspoilt part of France. The coastal scenery is fantastic and the uncrowded stretches of beaches a joy to behold. What really made the holiday was Steve. He was so helpful and accommodating we were made to feel quite special.
A varied walk, first days along the magnificent coast and latterly along the river and into the forest. Comfortable Hotels and excellent food!
Well researched, well organised, varied walks to interesting towns with an attractive mix of accommodation all supplemented by an excellent local rep.
A very enjoyable experience in one of the lesser known (for Americans, at least) areas of France.
The walking trip in Brittany was excellent. Our rep was brilliant, going out of his way to ensure we had everything we needed and more. The route notes were thorough and the walking itself was on lovely trails.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience; a lovely lazy way of booking a really good holiday - everything is provided for and has been thought of. Excellent.
This was an excellent varied walk and well constructed taking in coastal paths, forest and river scenes and the beaches were superb.
This was a superb holiday made especially enjoyable by the exceptional help and untiring humour of your rep, Steve Barrington, who went way beyond the call of duty to look after everyone.
Fantastic coastal walks. Distances are reasonable but remember as it is coastal you drop from cliff tops to sea and back up again. Fantastic beaches, well worth a return visit on the 'day off' from walking.
As a solo walker I felt a great sense of achievement
Excellent and very helpful local rep, Steve. The walks were quite long and the day walk from Dinard and Dinan had no places to stop en route for coffee or even to picnic apart from stopping beside the path/road.
The Emerald coast walks are some of the best I have done. Your local rep. Steve Cunningham is excellent. Hotel at Lamballe has very good food and service, but the two rooms I had were fairly basic. The hotel Diane has good decor and service, but the food was a little disappointing. I did not much care for the Hotel Printannia, either the decor or the food. I had one good dinner and one rather mediocre one. The hotel D`Avaugour was excellent. In spite of my views about the hotels, I thoroughly enjoyed the holiday because of the lovely walks and gorgeous scenery.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Davies,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday feedback. It sounds like you really enjoyed your time in Brittany. We would also like to thank you for your complementary feedback for our rep Steve. I am sure he will be delighted to hear you rated his service so highly.
We have discussed your constructive feedback regarding the hotels you stayed in and are pleased to advise the Hotel in Lamballe are planning to renovate areas of the hotel. We were surprised to hear you found the food disappointing at Hotel Diane; ordinarily the feedback for this hotel is good. Please be assured we have passed on your comments to the Hotelier and will work with them to ensure they deliver the high standards our customers expect, we will continue to monitor the feedback we receive and expect to see positive feedback for this hotel in the future. We have also changed the standard rooms at the Hotel Printania, all customers will now receive sea view rooms as standard and we have reduced the board basis to B&B as there is so much choice for customers to sample in Dinard.
We hope you will agree these improvements will continue to help enhance this holiday for future customers.
In closing, we would like to thank you for your feedback and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team
Overall it was a very enjoyable holiday made the more so by our excellent rep. It is an excellent way of seeing in detail a small part of, in our case, France.
This was our 10th French walk with Headwater. We had been putting off trying the Britanny coastal walk due to concerns about the possibility of bad weather but our fears were unfounded. In the event the weather was perfect for walking, the scenery was spectacular, there were lots of interesting places to see and visit, and we particularly loved our balcony overlooking the estuary at Dinard. Your local rep Steve could not have been more helpful. This was one of our favourite French walks and we would highly recommend it.
We had a fabulous time, thoroughly enjoyed the walks, though did find the route notes needed updating and clarifying in places - they're probably OK for very experienced walkers/mapreaders, but we're still relatively new to all this, and need things spelt out clearly, specifically and unambiguously! Steve the rep was brilliant, very informative and helpful. Food very good, hotels mostly fine, though our room in the Printania was a bit snug (but we did love their waitresses in full Breton outfits, set off perfectly by a lovely modern nose-stud!). Another excellent Headwater holiday - thanks!
Overall a very enjoyable holiday. Particularly enjoyed the coastal walking. For us more time on the coast and miss out the trudge through the forest on the last day.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 8 night self-guided walking holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels
Continental breakfast and 2 evening meals
Management by your local Headwater-appointed agent
Comprehensive route directions provided prior to departure
Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
Luggage transfers between hotels
Walking transfers
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website. Please contact us for further details.
Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices
Children
Please contact us for child prices.
Holiday type
Self-guided walking Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Departures
Meals
Continental breakfast and 2 evening meals
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Lamballe train station at 17:23 and back to Lamballe train station at 10:15
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.
If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.
