Brittany's beaches are rated among the world's finest and hundreds of thousands of visitors flock each year to experience not only the spectacular Breton coastline, but also golf, cycling, and battlefield tours. Author Philippe Barbour explores his home region from the Bay of Mont-St-Michel to the Atlantic beyond the Loire estuary, taking in Gauguin's haunts at Pont-Aven; the fine cuisine of Chateaubriant; Carnac, with its neolithic monuments and chambers; and the cosmopolitan glamour of Nantes. The guide seeks out hidden beaches and quiet wooded banks beyond the tourist hotspots, and gives insider tips on where to sample the best crepes, seafood, cider, and Muscadet, as well as where to hear snippets of the old Breton language.

Philippe Barbour is half-Breton, and is co-author of Cadogan's country guide to France.