46 LEGGETTFRANCE.COM
PARIS & ILE DE FRANCE LEGGETT MAGAZINE
I
n English people call it "love
at first sight", while French
call it a "coup de coeur" -
either way, it happened to
me 16 years ago when I first
moved to Brittany, with my
husband and three children. The
Côtes d'Armor has a spectacular
coastline that grabs the headlines,
but you will also find an abundance
of adorable towns and villages
inland. The French even have a
name for them, Les Petites Cités de
Caractère. You will find eight villages
classified as such in the Côtes
d'Armor, including my own beautiful
Local agent, Kim Hoffmeister, tells us what she loves
about Brittany, and the Côtes d'Armor in particular.
commune of Moncontour, not far
from Saint Brieuc. We have under
1,000 inhabitants but we welcome
plenty of tourists and sightseers,
particularly in the summer.
One thing these villages have
in common is the warm welcome
you will receive from the locals,
known as Costarmoricains. We
have a love of food to rival any
other department in France and our
colourful local markets are a sight
to behold. Within my department,
I also have a soft spot for pretty
Jugon-les-Lacs and Pontrieux whilst
in neighbouring Ile-et-Vilaine I like
Combourg, which was home to
Francois Rene de Châteaubriand, the
most famous of the French romantic
authors. Further south, in Morbihan,
I urge you to visit the stunningly
beautiful Rochefort-en-Terre and
also Josselin, with its half-timbered
houses, mediaeval castle and famous
Saturday market.
Brittany has 2,700 km of
coastline with something to suit
every palette. We have towering cliffs
with spectacular views, quaint fishing
harbours, safe and sandy beaches and
glitzy seaside resorts. We are famous
for the quality of our seafood and the
selection of locally made cider that
are an ideal accompaniment. You will
find that Brittany also boasts walled
citadels, majestic cathedrals, historic
village churches and quirky chapels
aplenty.
The Brittany property market
BRITTANY