Regions of France

Hôtel de la Plage A member of Relais & Chateaux, Sainte-Anne-La-Palud, Near Douarnenez, Finistère Refined dishes such as lobster ravioli, croustille of tourteau, suckling veal and lamb from the Ponclet farm, white of turbot… take on a special flavour when they are served on the seafront in a wonderful place like Hôtel de la Plage. The panoramic restaurant overlooks the ocean and the vast beach of fine sand, only separated by a unique dry stone wall. There are similar views from the rooms, where you can hear the gentle lapping of the waves. Guests with families will enjoy the beach entirely dedicated to children, the water-based recreational activities and walks offered by the Bay of Douarnenez and the Finistère. Best Western Le Celtique & Spa Carnac, Morbihan Just a short stroll from Carnac’s Grande Plage, which offers a splendid view over the islands of Houat and Belle-Île-en-Mer, you’ll find Le Celtique & Spa, a top establishment in the seaside resort town since the 1920s when the town’s first holidaymakers came. The hotel currently comprises 53 rooms and suites, a restaurant, a bar, a heated indoor pool, a spa, and meeting rooms. FINISTèRE Wild and mysterious, Finistère is, for many travellers, the most enticing edge of an already enticing region. Derived from the Latin Finis Terræmeaning ‘End of Earth’ it is an apt name for this most westerly domain, especially as one approaches the raw shore which is redolent of the west coast of Ireland. And when it comes to that ‘World’s End’ moments few places in France can match Pointe du Raz for its coastal splendour: on every side gorse-cloaked cliffs plummet to the waves 70m below, gulls trace lazy arcs overhead, and a statue gazes out to sea towards the île de Sein and the winking light of the Ar Men lighthouse. On a stormy day, with giant waves hurling themselves at the cliff faces, it feels like the end of the world. On a clear day, the sunsets are quite unbelievable. The menhirs of Carnac Relics from Neolithic times there are 3,000 standing stones on the moors behind the beautiful beaches of the south coast of Brittany at Carnac. Tracing lines of around 1 km long these are some of the most extraordinary concentrations of standing stones in the world. The most impressive alignments are those of Menec, Kerlescan and Kermario. The wild, west end of Brittany 14