"A Brief Breton Interlude" a Bretagne Travel Page by kidfree

Brittany, or Bretagne, is seperated from the south coast of England by barely seventy miles of water. In the northwest of the country and sitting partly below Cornwall it shares a lot of common traits with its northern English neighbour. Both have a language unique to their respective regions, a form of Gaelic of which they are fiercely proud. Both have similar coastlines, long stretches of soft sand beaches and wild untamed rocky headlands where you have to lean into the strong winds to stay upright but much loved by surfers and outdoor enthusiasts.
Best of all is the fact that both make great holiday destinations that manage to provide enough variety to satisfy most travellers. Brittany, as we found on our recent vacation is blessed with an abundance of history, culture and a vast array of gastronomic delights to warrant further visits in the coming years.
One of the first noticeable differences for the visitor from the UK is the sense of space. Although motorways are usually two lanes wide instead of the three that we are used to they are a delight to drive on, not crowded, well maintained and free flowing with Aires, or rest stops, evenly spaced out in order to break up a long drive. Some of the Aires we stopped at on the drive from Le Havre to Southern Brittany had excellent tourist information with interactive displays to enjoy while enjoying a break and some refreshment.
Although the countryside is similar to that in England it is not until you arrive in a town or village that you notice the differences that count. Instead of row upon row of identical brick built houses the homes are thoughtfully designed in their own style, all different but fitting into its surroundings, the new blending sympathetically with the old.
The French have long been proud of their gastronomic heritage and Brittany is no exception in this respect. In particular moules, or mussels are consumed in vast quantities here and very good quality they are too. And the wine, oh the wine, what more can one say. ' Vive La Difference!`