Carnac and La Trinité-sur-Mer (with Saint-Philibert, Ploemel and Crach)
Carnac is where we have the most villas. Carnac-Plage has a long, gently shelving beach facing Quiberon Bay, and the town's famous stone rows stand a short drive inland. La Trinité-sur-Mer is a sailing harbour with oyster bars, and Saint-Philibert sits on a quiet tidal river next door. Lorient's small airport is under an hour away, Nantes and Rennes nearer two.
Best for: Families who want sheltered sandy beaches and the standing stones nearby
Not for you if: You want somewhere quiet in August: Carnac-Plage is one of Brittany's busiest resorts.
The Quiberon peninsula (Quiberon and Plouharnel)
A narrow spit of land with two very different coasts. The east side has calm sandy beaches facing the bay; the west side, the Côte Sauvage, is cliffs and surf where swimming is not allowed. Ferries from Quiberon take around 50 minutes to Belle-Ile, and smaller boats serve Houat and Hoëdic. Quiberon town has a fishing port and a seawater spa.
Best for: Families and couples who want island day trips and sea views
Not for you if: You hate traffic: the one road down the peninsula gets slow on summer weekends.
The Gulf of Morbihan (Baden, Le Bono, Auray, Vannes, Locmariaquer)
The gulf is an inland sea scattered with islands. From Port-Blanc at Baden a boat crosses to the Ile aux Moines in a few minutes, and tours visit the Gavrinis burial mound. Vannes has a walled old town and Auray the steep quayside of Saint-Goustan. Locmariaquer has the broken Grand Menhir. Nantes airport is around an hour and a half to two hours away.
Best for: Couples and families who like boats, islands and old towns
Not for you if: You want long sandy beaches: the gulf shore is mostly small coves and tidal mud.
Erdeven, Etel and Plouhinec (with Belz)
Erdeven's beaches, such as Kerhillio, run for miles behind the dunes, quieter than Carnac's but more exposed. The Ria d'Etel is an oyster-farming estuary; at its mouth the Barre d'Etel is a dangerous sandbar boats must time with the tide. At Belz, the chapel of Saint-Cado sits on a tiny island joined by a causeway. Lorient is around 30 minutes away.
Best for: Surfers, walkers and families who want long dune-backed beaches
Not for you if: You want calm water: these ocean beaches are exposed, so stick to lifeguarded zones.
The Rhuys peninsula (Sarzeau, Arzon, Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys, Le Tour-du-Parc)
The peninsula closes the south side of the gulf. Its ocean-facing beaches near Saint-Gildas are sandy and quieter than Carnac's, and Arzon has the marina at Port du Crouesty. The moated Château de Suscinio is near Sarzeau. In summer a ferry from Port-Navalo crosses to Locmariaquer. Vannes is around 30 to 40 minutes away, Nantes airport about an hour and a half.
Best for: Families who want sandy beaches without Carnac's crowds
Not for you if: You plan many trips west to Carnac or Quiberon: by road it means going round via Vannes.
Guidel and Ploemeur (near Lorient)
Guidel-Plages is a surf beach at the mouth of the Laïta river, the border with Finistère, and Ploemeur has a string of coves and coast path. Lorient hosts the Festival Interceltique every August, when the area fills up and prices rise. Lorient's airport is about 15 minutes away, though UK flights there are rare.
Best for: Surfers and anyone who wants a base near Lorient's airport and festival
Not for you if: You want to stay near the Carnac stones: they are around 45 minutes east.
Rochefort-en-Terre and the south-east (Damgan, Pénestin)
Rochefort-en-Terre is an inland village of stone houses and flower boxes, busy in summer and again for its Christmas lights. On the coast, Damgan has a long flat beach and Pénestin is known for the ochre cliffs of the Plage de la Mine d'Or. Nantes airport is around an hour away, which makes this the easiest corner to reach by air.
Best for: Couples who want an old village base or quieter family beaches
Not for you if: You want a wide choice of houses: we have only a few here.