Brittany

Air France has introduced a new route from London’s City Airport to Nantes at the mouth of the Loire, ideally situated to explore Brittany, the Loire Valley and the Vendée - see www.airfrance.co.uk

Meanwhile budget airline Easyjet starts flights from London Luton to Montpellier in southern France from 7 July 2009 - well-positioned for the mediterranean beaches and the other joys of Provence and the Languedoc. - see www.easyjet.com

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If you are a fan of Bruce Springsteen, Lily Allen or Lenny Kravitz, then a visit to the town of Carhaix(29 Finistere, Brittany) from 16-19 July 2009 should be on your agenda. This is for the well-established Villes Charrues music festival - a literal translation being “old ploughs” festival. But be warned. this is a major music event attracting over 200.000 people from all over Europe and with an impressive international line-up.

Carhaix is just an hour by road from the port of Roscoff (Brittany Ferries) and can also be reached from Brest (Ryanair from London Luton and Dublin) and has good bus and train links with the rest of Brittany.

For more info see www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr

Brittany Ferries has introduced a new ship on its Plymouth - Roscoff route - the mv Armorique (see photo):-

The state-of-the-art €120 million cruise ferry Armorique has been designed specifically for use between Plymouth and the Breton port of Roscoff. Entered service in February 2009, it incorporates the very latest technology and will be particularly fuel efficient as well as environmentally-friendly by keeping CO2 emissions to a minimum.

Roscoff (29 Finistere, Brittany)  is a delightful point of entry into France. albeit the most westerly. Ideal for Brittany and with good road access in the UK. The new ferry , built in Helsinki, can carry 1500 passengers and 470 cars and even offers wi-fi internet access on board! as well as a range of accommodation and dining options.

Armorique is the ancient name for coastal north-western France (or Gaul) meaning “the country which faces the sea” as well as the name of a national park in Brittany-le Parc Naturel Régional d’Armorique.

Brittany Ferries are also introducing a new route from Portsmouth to Santander on Spain’s northern coast - very convenient for access to the Pyrenees and south west France. This route is in addition to the existing route to Santander from Plymouth and avoids the long drive down from the South and South East of England.

Certainly the ferry to northern Spain is the most civilised way of getting to South West France (even if the Bay of Biscay can be a little frisky at times) - but it still seems perverse that the port city of Bordeaux cannot or will not offer a car ferry option - admittedly Santander already has car ferry facilities. Bordeaux would seem to potentially offer both a shorter crossing than Spain with direct access to some of the most popular areas of France.

For more info see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk

Throughout France and the rest of Europe the  “Museum at Night” weekend takes place on 16 May 2009. This event provides free access until late at night for many varied and fascinating Museums, galleries, exhibitions etc and is designed to encourage visitors to discover the treasures which are often under-appreciated.

So as an example there are 82 venues/events in Brittany including  from the lyrically titled “Museum of Passion and Wings” (Musee des Passions et des Ailes) in the village of Baden (56 Manche, Brittany) which is a small museum dedicated to a pioneer of aviation; the Museum of Fine Arts in Brest (Musee des Beaux Arts; the National Maritime Museum in Brest

Guided tours, workshops, music all help to make this a memorable and potentially surprising night - if you cannot get to France there are also events in the UK

For more info on Nuit des Musees in France see http://nuitdesmusees.culture.fr

France need not be too expensive this year despite the poor exchange rate against the euro, especially if you take advantage of early booking discounts on most of the cross-channel ferry operators.

For example Brittany Ferries on the western Channel offers early booking offers which can save up to 25% on selected cottages right through the rest of the year and 10% on gite holidays in Normandy!

Or for those planning a camping holiday there is the option of Chalet Camping with one night FREE! (Great for families with children of all ages or active couples, they offer plenty of on site activities and entertainment)

Save up to 25% on selected apartments in France

Also check out the following:-

Day Trips to France & Cruises -Whale & Dolphin Cruise - Hotel breaks from only £79
2 night Cherbourg Break
2 night Ouistreham Break
2 night Roscoff Break
2 night St Malo Break

For more details see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/offers

Featured at the France Show was a fascinating display of images sponsored by the London College of Communication – University of the Arts London and Maison de la France representing the 22 French cities - which encouraged young photographers from the UK to take photos of French cities from a different perspective.

In April 2008, 22 students from the Photographic department were welcomed each in one of the 22 participating cities. The participants ranged in age between 20 and 35 years old, as well as originating from 15 different countries. Each student was given an “emotional passport” to express their own talent and sense and to capture the daily life of France. Their only requirement: let the dreams and emotions of the people and places be the guide!

The venues include Aix-en-Provence, Amiens, Angers, Avignon, Bordeaux, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Marseille, Metz, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nancy, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Reims. Rennes, Rouen, Toulouse and Versailles.

For more info see www.franceemotion.com/