Location & Local Info
Nearest airport: Brest (70km).
Nearest train station: Pontrieux (7km).
Nearest town: Pontrieux (7km).
Nearest port: Roscoff (55km).
Famed for its tremendous beaches, the Rose Granite coast has something to offer everybody who enjoys relaxing and taking in the sunshine. With such a huge number of beaches in the locality, individual beaches are rarely busy and vary from small coves with rock pools, to large sweeping sandy beaches and promenades. Our particular favourites include St. Quay Portrieux, Plogrescant and Perros Guirec. Many towns also have charming harbours where you can relax and have a coffee whilst watching the boats coming and going.
There are many attractions in the region and amongst the favourites with our guests is the Isle de Brehat. Known as the Island of Flowers, this is a haven for walkers and artists. Ferries take visitors from Paimpol to the island, where no motorised transport is permitted.
- Lac du Guerledan (approx. a one hour drive south in the direction of Pontivy): Lac du Guerledan is a fantastic 150 acre lake offering fishing, swimming, kayaks, tennis, cycling, mini-golf, walking, horse-riding, picnicking, sailing, a children's playground, and more.
- Amoripark - Begard. A great day out for all kids - large and small. Only a few minutes drive from Le Manoir, Amoripark offers something for everyone, whatever age. The park offers pedalos and bouncy castles, together with fabulous indoor and outdoor swimming pools with water chutes.
- La Vapeur du Trieux - the Paimpol-Pontrieux steam train. A great way to discover the beautiful Trieux valley but without the leg work. The 90 year old steam train travels between Pontrieux and Paimpol from mid-June until the end of September. En-route you will see the chateau, pass through Penhoat-Lancerf forest, and possibly stop for crepes and Breton specialities amongst the pine trees.
- Cosmopolis (Pleumeur-Bodou on the way from Lannion to Tregastel). A telecommunications museum, planetarium, and gaulois village all in one, provides a great day out.
- Tregomeur Zoo. A medium sized zoological park en-route to St Brieuc via Lanvollon.
- Oceanopolis is a fabulous aquarium just outside Brest. It has three pavillions, restaurants and shops. A good way to spend a rainy day and a big hit with the children.
- Chateau de Roche Jagu (15th century). The chateau is well signposted from Pontrieux, on the road north to Pleudaniel and Lezardriuex. It is a magical combination of Breton fortress and family home. Admission to the park and gardens is free and there's a lot to explore. There is a small fee for entrance to the chateau. Every year they have a lavish exhibition inside the house, often with a Celtic theme.
There are many varied interests and activities right here on your doorstep at the Manoir. Laze away your day in our own lovely heated swimming pool, or be a little more energetic playing table tennis, boule or petanques. There are also cycles available for guests' use to explore the surrounding lanes and villages.
In the immediate area there are lovely walks via a lake and a nature reserve. Within a short distance are many medieval towns which are steeped in history and interesting architecture. Pontrieux (10 mins away) is beautiful, with a river, port and ancient buildings. Take the steam train (see above) from Paimpol to Pontrieux along the river estuary, and enjoy crepes and cider whilst on board!
Nearby there is a 9 hole golf course, swimming on safe sandy beaches, tennis, and canoeing. Bars and restaurants can be found in Brelidy, Pontrieux, Begard and Treguier. Many of the local seaside towns contain excellent restaurants, particularly if you are a fan of seafood.
There are numerous fabulous markets and it is possible to visit a different market each day. The Tuesday market at Paimpol is great with hundreds of stalls, providing an ideal opportunity to pick up a souvenir of your holiday.
On a practical note, the local bar in Brelidy has a small shop which sells bread and essential provisions. The nearest supermarkets are found in Begard and Pontrieux, both about a 10 minute drive.
Northern Brittany offers a superb range of 18 and 9 hole golf courses, relatively undiscovered, which offer excellent value compared to the well known courses such as Le Touquet. We have tried to put together a number of recommendations for the more serious golfer from the wide selection of courses available in Northern Brittany.
Situated in the village of Brelidy, just a two minute drive from the Manoir, "Karts Quads Sensations" is proving very popular with our guests. Offering both karting and quad bike rides, the circuits are well designed and suitable for both adults and children (subject to some lower age limits). The owner is very helpful and friendly. For more information, visit www.kartsquads.com.
There are many equestrian centres in the local area. We would suggest Univers Ponies at Plouha (on the way to Le Palus beach), where you can have a ride along the beach if the tides are in your favour.
Whether for competitions, regattas, or simple sailing trips, Brittany is an ideal location for water sports and activities, thanks to its 3500 kilometres of coastline; this is broken up into creeks, inlets, roadways and bays. Alongside the coast there are also many rivers and lakes. Today there are 120 sailing schools and 230 water sports centres in the region. Throughout the year, from regattas to sailing instruction sessions, Brittany's sailing schools and clubs offer a vast range of activities: single and double sailing dinghies, catamarans, sailboarding, funboarding, group and pleasure trip boats.
For guests interesting in bird-watching and nature we recommend visiting Les Sept Iles which is a small collection of seven islands off the coast of Perros-Guirec. These islands have been a protected area and nature reserve since the early 1900's. The area is a haven for sea birds and includes puffins, gannets, shags, razorbills and guillemots. There is also a resident group of grey seals. You can take a selection of boat trips around the islands. Only one allows you to disembark but, that said, the best views of the wildlife are from the boats.