I need recommendations for places to visit in Brittany

[Troyes76]

Help! We’re in Brittany and I’m really not enjoying it much so I need some input from you wise lot! We’re staying near Brest - our gite is lovely but everywhere that’s recommended just seems to be a tourist trap - today we did Cameret sur Mer and Locronan.
We’ve never visited before - normally we go to the Loire or Champagne and I’m a real history buff 🙄 but I just can’t seem to find anything that is more than tourist shops!

Brest is so far away from so many places. I'd love to go to that wild coast but the distance from everywhere else always puts me off. Quimper and Concarneau are worth visiting.

Can you find some stone circles? There’s loads in Brittany.
Morlaix is pretty and worth a potter round. The whole of the Rose Granite coast is very pretty, not very touristy but can hire SUP etc

Rennes is a nice town.

I love all your usernames! We’ve done a few dolmens and I have more on my list, Quimper was nice, we went yesterday. We’re a way from Rennes but I love it there!
I think it might be woods and picnics tomorrow!

Carnac is lovely.
Historic town with Saint Conely ancient Church.
Also has a great market, beach & field of megalith stones.
Lovely place to visit. 😊

I went to Huelgoat forest many years ago as a kid and enjoyed it, not sure how far from Brest it is.

We're just back from a week in Dinard, which may not be much help to you as we tended to go east from there. But Dinan is absolutely super - yes a generous helping of tourist shops but also fantastically preserved medieval city centre.

Dinard itself is rather nice in an Edwardian sort of way. We spent a night in St Malo - it's very interesting but was absolutely rammed with hen parties and general nonsense so might not be top of your list.

The pre historic boulder valley at Huelgoat is just amazing

I also love really Concarneau, ( but is quite a way) both the walled harbour town and the Friday market are fab ..

Cameret sur Mer has a special place in my heart, as it was there that I first realised that I was pregnant with DS ( 30 years ago).. I always go back every time I am in Brittany.

I love Châteaulin for its market, and the Crozon peninsula and Douarnenez is fab for a wander and lunch by the quay

If you are travelling back via Caen there's a fantastic museum there about WW2, one of the best I have ever visited. Le Musee du Memorial, we spent hours there when the kids were about 5 and 9.

Thanks everyone for these recommendations, I’m thinking I might be feeling as little underwhelmed as I live in Cornwall and I’m finding it very similar to high season at home!

I liked Oceanopolis in Brest. Roscoff is a pretty but bustling town, famous for its tropical gardens, and its onion crepes, in fact onions in everything! 🧅 🧅 🧅It's also the starting point for sea trips round the coast.
I like Lannion, a historic town of ancient buildings, with quite a lot of local produce to be discovered, and some lovely beaches close by.
Perros Guirec is a good base for a trip along the Rose Granite Coast, with some beautiful coves round about.

I go to Cornwall a lot and I was very underwhelmed by Brittany but I did like Pont Aven, Concarneau and Quimper and the Huelgot forest.

I mainly liked the ferry back to Plymouth 😂

We really liked Roscoff and Le Conquet, there is a good crab shack there, and the beach at Plougonvelin where we had nice crepes and mussels while the kids played and swam. Kids loved Oceanopolis too!

Best was walking the coastal path though, if that's an option. We enjoyed exploring a lot of nazi bunkers!

the monoliths at Carnac are very cool

others have mentioned Quimper, we preferred Concarneau.

It’s similar to Cornwall. Language must have told you that! It’s got many shared cultures. Brest is a bit remote. Telgruc sur Mer is like Cornwall but it’s lovely. There’s the Abbaye de Daoulas snd a trip to islands via Finist Mer and the botanical conservation garden. I think there is a cable car too. Plus the food! There is a fish market.

Also although Brest is in Brittany it’s the Finnistere region. It’s slightly different.

I was also going to mention Dinan. We love Saint Malo for the combination of old town and beach but appreciate it may not be your jam from what you've said - it does get really busy and is touristy.

Ww2 Submarine at L'orient

Josselin is lovely. St malo too

Douarnenez is great. The Port Musee is fab - several old restored vessels moored at the quayside to clamber round . Barge, lightship, fishing boat etc. All the smells and sounds of living at sea in times gone by. Plus big indoor exhibition halls on the history of sailing, coracles onwards. And the cafe just outside does the best and freshest moules marinere ever!
Douarnenez also has Roman remains of a garum (fermented fish sauce) factory which I seem to remember was an atmospheric wander.

Lots of lovely and dramatic lighthouses in very different architectural styles on the coast to climb. Phares Saint Matieu, Trezien, Kermorvan.

We went to Brittany several years running when the kids were little. Loved it!

Le Conquet is very pretty and the beach nearby at Les Sables Blanc was great for body boarding.

If you're into history take a trip to the Ecomusee at Plouigneau. Restored rural village including farm, trades, crafts, school, traditional Breton games. Lots of interactive stuff for kids.

is what you need, OP. One of those quirky 'local' websites with all the www.patrimoine-iroise.fr/index.php?lang=en
This is what you need OP. One of those quirky local websites put together by knowledgeable volunteers with tons of local history, off the beaten track places to visit, suggested walks and tours. Go west from Brest, the country is wild and beautiful and steeped in history.

Pont Aven, Concarneau, Quimper - all lovely.

Become a Breton - find a Fez Noz or two, learn to windsurf, eat crepes, drink cider, clean out sea urchins!

www.patrimoine-iroise.fr/index.php?lang=en%3C/a%3E

Sorry, that was messy, giving that link another go!