Events & Festivals in Brittany in July

Printing art the old-school way.

Denise Delouche is the kind of professor who goes out into the field to make better sense of her subject, namely artists, painters in particular, in Brittany in the 19th century. It is in this manner that she began to research a particular artform: the art print (engraving, embossment and other techniques).

A very common variation of the traditional painted canvas, the art print appears as a highly interesting and revealing practise. Delouche asked herself the following questions: "what does this art form tell us about Brittany and 19th-century Bretons? Who would buy art prints? And how did they affect tourism and travels?"

The old man and the sea…

André Dauchez is a talented landscape painter who has an exceptional ability to capture the typical Breton lighting and general atmosphere.

The exhibition will display a large number of works, paintings, photographs and personal objects. Don't miss out on this moving homage to a great artist.

Renaissance and the Roman muse.

Artists have been a migratory species since the Renaissance, and this has had a profound influence on the conception of European art. Italy in particular has always attracted those artists seeking a muse.

Painters of all nationalities and creeds have come to Rome since time immemorial, as the historic capital of the Antiquity and of Christianity. They came to build their art from common ground in a place where they could learn from each other, a place where artistic exchange is as natural as breathing…

At the tip of a needle…

With this fascinating exhibition, organisers are working to show that the sewing machine is the paintbrush of the 21st century… This tool, which gives users a world of stylistic and artistic freedom, will be at the heart of the event.

Experience the new school of embroidery, contemporary art at needle-point.

Photo-ethnography…

This exhibition of forty large-scale black and white photographs, introduced by Pierre de Vallombreuse, appears a moving homage to the Gwitchin, a community of Native Alaskans that has to fight for survival every day.

This exhibition is a part of Vallombreuse's overriding photo project entitled "Hommes Racine" (or "Root Men"). This massive undertaking represents 5 years of exploration and dialogue; 12 indigenous peoples, 12 completely different environments - 12 examples of how climate change can affect human lives.

The "Hommes Racine" project is a photographic journey, an awakening. It aims to depict the intimate connection between man and his environment and in doing so promotes a sustainable vision of humanity, where nature is protected in the name of human life.

Dinard in one's mother tongue.

The Dinard municipality organised this fascinating tour, dedicated to the "Brits", in the early summer of 2008.

This guided tour will showcase the presence and influence of Anglo-Saxons in the city throughout history - discover how the English influenced sports culture, entertainment and even architecture.

A beach town in the city.

This concept has become an international movement, travelling to Japan, Berlin, Brussels and Budapest. Rennes changed the title, but the recipe is the same everywhere you go.

Grab 150 deckchairs, the ones with blue/green and white stripes which cost 2 pound on the beach in Bournemouth. Plant palm trees along the road, in Cannes style, and serve some piping hot mint tea like a true Bedouin. There you have it, Transat en Ville on the Town Hall square.

This beach-town in the city is dedicated to dozing, reading airport books and gossip in unhealthy amounts. For a whole week, enjoy lazing at the beach without the annoying sand between your toes. And by nightfall, organisers have scheduled an interesting program of activities so there is always something to do!

The thin line between reality and fiction.

Taysir Batniji's work revolves around notions of individual or collective identity, dissapearance, displacement and exile. The images he brings back from his travels to Gaza, the traces of his journey, are like so many parcels of memory; they represent a vehicle for recording history…

Ville Lenkkeri's photographical works have unusual subjects: museums of natural history, university of medicine collections, or the mural decorations in waiting rooms… These reveal a cinematic approach to photographical art, blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction.

Artist Yvan Salomone is more interested in landscapes, even unusual ones such as harbours and industrial ports. His watercolours are made from photographs and video works and are always in the same, large format. His images are ambiguous in the sense that they are caught between an objective documentary-style and a more subjective vision.

Lena et Victor Vorobyev are two Kazakhstan-born artists who work with urban scenes. Within their works (installations, images, performances) the viewer is confronted with communist propaganda alongside the publicity of Western consumer society.

Light-giving music.

The theme for this 2008 edition of the Musicales de Blanchardeau will be "L'esprit des Lumières or "the enlightened spirit".

The Age of Enlightenment brings to mind writers and philosophers of the 18th century, often in terms of avant guarde thoughts and democracy. Yet, musicians too were subject to these new thoughts: Mozart in particular was interested in the new currents of ideas flowing at the time.

His operas, such as Don Juan, Figaro's Wedding are rich with such grand themes as Freedom, Happiness and Knowledge in opposition to abusive power.

Sailor's fashion…

This exhibition is dedicated to Brittany, and in particular historic Brittany with its unique and unusual costumes. A well known Breton aphorism stated: "a hundred countries, a hundred fashions" - each burg had its own traditional garb which was different from that of its neighbour.

This tour/expo will be an opportunity to discover the various garments of Breton country.

Professional amateurs…

The In fine, Sans réserve exhibit is made up of 40 or so works that span from the 15th to the 20th century.

There is no overriding theme or historic timeline. The group was free to organise the display space along their own rules: parallels, a taste for this or that, a dialogue between the works… This subjective, almost whimsical approach is backed by serious, extensive documentation for each piece.

The group-members are not professionals and yet each has his own experience, his point of view as a spectator, and this provides a solid method for the elaboration of a display space which gives visitors the best possible experience…

The magical curiosity of a child.

The cause for this event: a place. The book-lined walls of Château-Gaillard, a place filled with mysteriously locked cupboards, bring to mind a society of intellectuals and their obsessive collections - that was more than enough to convince Jean-Luc Parant to recreate his own personal collection of curious things…
His fake-libraries are home to strange books, crafted from wax, with words rolled up into little balls, and writing tablets covered with embossed symbols that one longs to touch… The curious aspect of this collection echoes the obscure 19th century "savant" journals that sit along side it.

Jean-Luc Parant is a curious man. He has been worrying clay since the 70's when he decided that, with this primal, eternal element, he could conquer the world. The erudite scholars of history share with Parant that ambition to embrace the universe as a whole, to collect treasures. Unusual animals, or the perfect shape of an egg - worth their weight in gold, Parant recreates them himself, crafting clay to trick the eye. Deep down, Jean-Luc Parant has that elusive trait of character that once killed the colloquial cat..

Discover new works…

Famed artist Raoul Gaillard will be exhibiting his latest pieces for this new exhibition.
"…Works on paper: gouache and watercolours from which surge stamps, portraits, stains, mould and various scars, and grand ships laying dead still or listing against the swell…"

For ocean-loving folk…

The musée de Bretagne is organising its first retrospective dedicated to Paul Signac. This artist was in love with the ocean in particular the Breton coastline, and he often painted beautiful watercolours of local harbours. His taste for watercolours developed when he began using the style for preparatory sketches - it eventually became his favoured technique.

Signac's spontaneous process of creation was unique in itself, with a few smudged stains suggestive of a whole.

The alphabet of history…

Museum collections have often been put together by seemingly ordinary men who were no more than victims of circumstance; brought by chance to discover a field of research, they often became passionate scholars, archeologists or explorers…

For example, naturalist Frédéric Cailliaud came across egyptian civilisation during the Napoleonic campaigns. In 1882 he embarked on an expidition up the Nile to the antique city of Meroë - he returned with countless artefacts and a mine of information. There is also Louis Audemard who travelled to Carthage in 1889 and brought back a collection of funerary urns…

These botanists, mineralogists, doctors, printers, artists, preachers and explorers all shared a common culture - they worshipped curiosity and asked only to transmit what they had learned.

Local market-bought flavour…

Marketplaces are a means of connecting with the community, of breathing life into a neighbourhood and simply to meet others. An added bonus is the development of a distinctive local flavour which gives character to the neighbourhood…

Every week, local shops and producers set up their stalls to offer a variety of products for your enjoyment.

Digging into the past…

For 20 years now, archaeological research has been taking place at Mez Notario, located at the centre of the Isle of Ouessant. The excavation site, managed by Jean-Paul Le Bihan, director of the Finistère Centre for Archaeological Research (CRAF), required 400 professional and volunteer diggers to help bring to light many fascinating details about the origin of Ouessant.

The Armoric Regional Natural Park and the CRAF have organized an exhibit which retraces the history of the digs at Mez Notario to be presented at the Museum of Phares and Balises ("Lighthouses and Beacons"). Numerous objects, scale models and preparation materials will be on display. Visitors will be able to easily reconstruct the history of this fascinating island by visiting the site.

Tradition and cultures.

The town of Saint-Malo will for a few days allow you to discover a particular traditional culture. Artwork and traditional objects from American-Indian cultures will be on display at the Chapelle Saint-Sauveur. Take the opportunity to let your mind wander and learn about these cultures.

Music above all else…

Bénodet will be alive and buzzing this summer with countless musical performances, shows and other free activities.

Holidaymakers will have a chance to enjoy some quality acts from local bands like Ridan, the Baobab Orchestra, or Dan Ar Braz. Expect some delightful music and a great ambiance in Bénodet this summer.

The once and future king.

This first ever exhibition dedicated to the legend of King Arthur aims to retrace, understand and explain the mythology related to Arthur. This event boasts the prestigious "Exposition d'intérêt national" label (or "exhibition of interest to the nation") which is granted by the ministry of culture.

This legend is one if not the most important literary and artistic theme in European culture, and it has always been a highly-popular story. The Champs Libre exhibition aims to reveal the actual King arthur, the keystone of a veritable literary institution that blends magic, war and love… Aside the actual historical fact, this expo refers to old sources as much as contemporary adaptations, in order to better understand the birth of an almost universal legend.

Over 200 works linked to the myth will be on display, along with a number of historical and iconographical documents.

Gestural Abstract Lyricism…

Jean Degottex, born in Sathonay, France, in 1918, came into the world of painting after the great artstic shifts of that era - cubism, abstract art, etc. Degottex was self-taught follower of Kandinsky, and his work was sometimes cryptically described as "gestural abstract lyricism".

His beginnings were geared towards a form of fauvism that was purified, broken down to essentials. He therafter turned to abstraction but with a deliberate, powerful brushstroke, reminiscent of chinese Calligraphy. The concept of Zen had always been predominant in his art.

Interestingly, Degottex later turned to the artistic base material, paper, which he scarred, tore and scratched, producing reliefs which he called "papier pleins" ("paper full"). Going further, he chose to focus on the rich and variegated textures of wood.

Degottex, who passed away in Paris in 1988, gave us art which acts as a successful counterpoint to the deluge of superficial, virtual images that has flooded the cultural landscape. His work is a balm, a truly appeasing experience that touches upon the essence of reality.

Inside the coffers of France's cathedrals.

Just a mention of the word "treasure" will set off an cascade of jewels and gold coins in our imaginations, all the more fascinating because they are inaccessible. The treasures of the clergy are all these things at once, with mostly precious objects from the Christian liturgy, such as chalices, patens, ciboriums and vases, but also ecclesiastic garments and manuscripts.
A few other items may be of interest, such as royal emblems and unusual objects, but it is relics of the saints - which drove myriad believers to attempt pilgrimage - which are the heart of this treasure.

These objects were kindly lent by the Vannes Cathedral, the churches of the Morbihan region and the Vanne Museum's collections.

The glorious female form…

Women have forever been a source of inspiration in African art.

This exhibition, dedicated to Women, gathers over 200 objects from some of the most prestigious collections for your eyes only.

Discover rare pieces, some of which date back to the 19th and 20th centuries, showing women in all social roles, as mothers, wives, princesses and even queens.

Electronica fever.

The Bar in the Bénodet Casino will come alive every night this summer with a live DJ mix to rock the night away…

Expect a different DJ taking over the turntables every week for a great night of fun among friends. Practise your steps because on Saturday Night at the Bénodet Casino there will be an epidemic of electronica fever!

The green thumb of Rennes…

The city of Rennes is linked to the history of gardening. Though green areas were located solely outside the city during the Middle Ages, gardens soon became a central feature of the city's landscape, especially in new areas such as Courrouze.

This feature is the focus of the exhibition: green spaces in Rennes and the ways in which locals make the most of them.

In the land of the irreducible Gauls.

The Park extends from the confines of the Côtes-d'Armor in the east to the Molène and Ouessant archipelago in the west.
There are two main components of the Park: one, land-based, covers the Monts d'Arrée massif. The other looks to the sea and encompasses the Ria de l'Aulne and the Crozon peninsula which separates the waters off Brest from the bay of Douarnenez.
The isles of Sein, to the south off Cap Sizun, and the Molène-Ouessant peninsula to the north, mark the western confines of the Park.

Between land and sea.

Just 10 minutes from the beaches of the Côte d'Emeraude, on the banks of the River 'Arguenon, the "pretty village" referred to by Chateaubriand has become a lively and attractive town, famous for its mineral water.
Minerals and literature are not the whole of it: there is history, too, in the 19th century church of Saint-Sauveur, harmonious neo-Romanesque building.
The church is dedicated to Saint Sauveur, even though the patron saint of the parish is Saint Florian.
As you make your way through the narrow lanes, note the 16th century half-timbered and encorbelled house.

Where kids are treated like royalty!

Parents and children all want their holidays together to be a success and a source of unforgettable happy memories.

A family holiday resort must be in a position to offer absolutely everything to make that possible: suitable accommodation for families, activities to suit different ages, fun and entertainment for all, and a wide range of facilities in an environment that must be not only attractive (naturally!) but also safe.
Station Kid resorts, in association with the Ministry for Tourism which supports the association's projects, are committed to this vision, and have agreed to a strict charter with six key checkpoints : welcome, facilities, events and entertainment, activities, environment and safety.
Communes which qualify receive the award for a period of three years. The award is made only to communes that pursue a real policy of welcoming children aged between 3 and 12 and their families.

As a result, everything is in place to ensure that children have a fantastic time with their parents, who can feel relaxed and secure.
On the programme: sports, walks, fun learning activities, games and competitions and shows for all the family to enjoy.

Between land and sea.

This magnificent path follows the steep coastal cliffs to explore the coastline and the magnificent turn of the century mansions such as the orientally inspired "Kermoor", before intersecting with the GR 34 footpath for a distance of 5.5km along the coast, on land belonging to the commune.
Le Portrieux, where the first infrastructure work on the bay was carried out, saw the first schooners setting off for the Newfoundland fishing grounds in 1612.
Wallk along Portrieux beach to the roundabout and take the steps that lead up to a magnificent panoramic view of the Port d'Armor, the only deepwater harbour between Cherbourg and Brest, and also over La Comtesse beach and the island of the same name, accessible on foot at low tide.
At the Pointe du Sémaphore, the orientation table identifies key landmarks out to sea, from Bréhat to Cap Fréhel, with an overview of: the plateau of the Iles Saint-Quay, 10km long and 3km wide, as well as Ile Harbour, easily recognised by its house and lighthouse.
Continue along the beaches of Châtelet, Casino and La Grève Noire, the Pointe de l'Isnain and the Grève Gicquel beneath the rock of Gerbot d'Avoine, then the Saint-Quay fountain commemorating the arrival of the evangelising saint, and on to the Pointe du Romeur marking the limit between the communes of Saint-Quay-Portrieux and Tréveneuc.
View over the cove of Saint-Marc and the 18th century chapel.

Adults only.

The Ile de Rhodes night-club is open all year round.
Open since 1964 on a tiny, winding back-street, its charming hostesses stage adult shows (ballets, sexy shows, music, dance, etc.). A legendary address for a hot night out in Rennes!

Fun and relaxation!

Pony rides, lessons by the hour or courses, preparation for federation examinations, voltige, driving and outings, trekking: a whole range of horse-riding activities for all ages and all levels: equestrians, push your limits; beginners, enjoy a new experience!
Walks through the countryside and on the beaches, through a landscape of a thousand secrets.

Explore Saint-Malo's rich and varied past.

Since 1927, the main castle keep has housed the collections of the Municipal Museum that became the city's Museum of History after renovation by the French Historic Monuments department in 1950.

This massive horseshoe-shaped tower was built from 1424 onwards on the orders of Duke Jean V of Brittany.
It rises to a total height of 35 metres.
The Museum was extended in 1988 by a further three exhibition rooms created in the Tour Générale and is scheduled for yet another extension into the Quic-en-Groigne tower and the Petit Donjon.
The history of Saint-Malo and its maritime tradition begins with shipbuilding and the opening up of the Newfoundland fishing grounds, the region's two main activities in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Fresh-caught for your pleasure.

Forget for a moment crêpes and galettes with Breton butter, and turn your attention to seafood and the catch of the day.
Scallops make a fine seafood dish, for example. The Côte de Granit Rose serves up some of the very finest of all that the sea has to offer, and your visit to Trébeurden will certainly not leave a bitter taste in your mouth!

Ideal for walkers.

The valley of the Arguenon makes Plorec-sur-Arguenon and Pléven favourite centres for lovers of walking, fishing and countryside holidays.
A number of footpaths have been marked out along the lake of La Ville Hatte, leading through varied landscapes.
Admire the dam, built in 1973, retaining some 12 million cubic metres of water.
The lake is 17km long, and extends to the commune of Jugon-les-Lacs.
The dam supplies water to around fifteen water towers, providing drinking water for many of the communes in the region.
In the church of Saint-Pierre, note the extremely fine 15th century font and the recumbent figure of a lady of Plorec.
Also of note is the polychrome wood statue of Saint Roch, dating from the 16th century.

Visit the Château de Quintin and its permanent collections.

Two chateaux for the price of one in the same park, in the centre of the characterful town of Quintin. An unfinished 17th century chateau, listed as an historic monument, and an 18th century chateau, also listed.
The base of the 17th century chateau, the richly furnished apartments of the 18th century chateau, the former kitchens (including a granite kitchen-garden of extraordinary size), the permanent collections of china, glassware, silverware, trinkets, christening robes and fans are open all year round.

Monumental granite sculptures.

François Breton has been creating monumental sculptures for almost 15 years. He splits the stone with a punch and leaves the rough form as it stands.
Then he hacks away with a spike until a human form begins to emerge, and this gives rise to the Ankou.
He is undoubtedly expressing a pitiful and highly contemporary vision of human nature: torturing and tortured.
Painter, fresco painter, decorator, restorer of old manor houses or stone-carver, the artist uses any and every pretext for creation.
His works inclulde a totem representing the Great Bear or Big Dipper, the constellation that guided the sailors of Saint-Malo to the New World, a sculpture with presence detectors that replays an acoustic and visual memory of the visitor, images of combats between man and the superior forces of nature.

All these works are created in the hope that the viewer will derive as much pleasure from them as the artists did from making them.

Bring your friends.

Spend an evening with friends here, and you won't regret it! If only for the amazing "Chien Fou" cocktail (strawberry cordial, vodka, Tabasco) served in a shot glass, or the famous "Verre Vert" (green glass) consisting of Get 27, vodka and Perrier). The beer list is impressive, too, and the English pub atmosphere makes for a relaxing evening.
The music tends towards rock'n'roll, and lots of regulars enjoy a game of table football or two. An upstairs room is available for functions and concerts.

Discover the secrets of history!

Discover fascinating collections of Egyptian, Greek or Etruscan art in the brand new archaeology display space at the Fine-Arts Museum. A restored sarcophagus will be there to greet you from September…

Though the Egyptian collection is a large, coherent ensemble (with in particular the giant stele, courtesy of Doctor Godefroy in 1871), the other collections are significantly more specialised.

The Greek section is mostly comprised or Corinthian and Attic ceramic pieces (from the Campana collection). The Etruscans are represented by beautiful bronze and ceramic works, and the Romans by sumptuous bronze statues.

The wonderful world of shells.

The Maison du Littoral, which stands at the heart of this natural site looking out to the Pors Kamor lighthouse, offers an insight into the Côte de Granit Rose through its exhibitions and explanations of nature.
For children: workshops to learn how to tie sailors' knots, a "touch and learn" house full of minerals and a light-table display on local flora.
There is also a model explaining place names along the channel leading to Ploumanac'h harbour.

Place Charles de Gaulle: before and after.

You can admire this exhibition for the whole duration of the renovation period. This outdoor exhibit is dedicated to the historical evolution of the place Charles de Gaulle, but also to the soon-to-be renovated esplanade signed urban planner Nicolas Michelin.

You might be interested to know that this major square had four different names since its foundation, or that it was actually bombed during World War II.

The six display panels will showcase the various renovations projects for the esplanade which will become a huge entertainment centre with a multi-screen cinema, underground parking lot, a completely renovated Liberté, a Youth Centre and a Welcoming Centre for students and foreign academics.

Try out an organic market with 100% natural products.

As you stroll around the Sainte-Thérèse quarter, try some of the organic products for their quality and taste.

The Sainte-Thérèse market is sure to be selling its famous artichokes and cauliflowers and, if you happen to be there at the right time of year, maybe even the famous Coco de Paimpol white beans.

A history of names.

Between 1224 and 1428, the commune was known variously as: Trévenech, Trévenoc, Trévenec and finally Trévéneuc.
It takes its name from Saint-Guthénoc, otherwise spelt as: Guezenec, Guennec, Venec, Veneuc, Venoc.
This name in turn comes from the jeu du crapaud, the toad in the hole game, no doubt made from wood and painted red.
The game involved pitching a two-sou coin into a slot, the mouth of the toad. The first player to succeed would win all the other coins that missed the target. The inhabitants of Tréveneuc were apparently much given to playing this game, hence their nickname of the "red toads".

Main places of interest to visit:
church of Saint-Colomban: traces of an original 14th century building remain in the south wall of the present church;
Château de Pommorio: dating from the 18th century, aligned with the church of Saint-Colomban, surrounded by gardens gradually recovering from the ravages of the great storm of 1987 ;
Le Palus: the "Palus" foreshore takes its name from the Breton word "Palud", meaning marsh". The line of pebbles washed up by the sea prevents the stream from flowing normally, creating a marshy area where reeds grow;
Port-Goret: the name is Breton in origin: Gored means "a fishery with a dam". The remains of the dam can still be seen on the foreshore now known as "Port-Goret".

Long before Obélix.

On the Kernéléhen peninsula in Finistère-Nord, the Barnenez cairn (a large tumulus) is one of the earliest traces in Europe of construction using permanent materials. The gigantic megalith dates from the Neolithic period, which saw the first appearance of polished stone, animal husbandry and farming in Europe.
On the crown of a hill overlooking the Channel, this curious construction from the dawn of time is remarkable for its elongated shape and for its age, somewhere between 4,500 and 3,500 B.C. The long corridors leading to the funerary chambers may be interpreted as funerary spaces or for purposes of initiation.
The sheer size of the monument is intriguing: 72 metres long, some 20 to 25 metres wide at different points, and 9 metres in height. Added together, the stones represent a volume of between 6,500 and 7,000 cubic metres and a weight of 12 to 14,000 tonnes.
In reality, it is made up of two juxtaposed cairns, saved at the very last minute from destruction in 1955. The stone is decorated with figures of idols carved inside shields, carved signs forming V shapes and knapped axe-heads. The monument has also yielded up a number of flints, pottery shards and polished axe-heads.

Exploring the heritage of religion.

Rosporden and its environs is dotted with fine churches and chapels ideally suited for a delightful round of visits.
First is the church of Notre-Dame de Rosporden, on the banks of the first lake. This listed church dates from the 14th century. The interior contains a very fine retable and a large painting of the Assumption by Nicolas Loir.
Next is the chapel of St-Eloi which stands on the ancient Roman road from Cascadec to Locmaria, then the church in the small town of Kernével, the Moustoir chapel, also in Kernével, the chapel of Locjean and, finally, the little chapel of Sainte-Yvonne, dating from 1706.

Try out an organic market with 100% natural produce.

As you stroll around the Sainte-Thérèse quarter, try some of the organic products for their quality and taste.

The Sainte-Thérèse market is sure to be selling its famous artichokes and cauliflowers and maybe even the famous Coco de Paimpol white beans.

A striking symbol of Binic as it once was.

Along the busy quays, stroll through the market among a relaxed, easygoing crowd. A vivid market, with plenty of local colour on its picturesque stalls.
In season, anything up to 200 market traders are to be found here on a Thursday morning, selling regional specialities and fresh produce.
In addition to its picturesque side, the market is also a centuries-old setting for trade.
Since the 16th century, its strategic position and maritime history have made Binic a byword in the history of fairs and markets.
Goods of all sorts would once have been on sale here: the products of sea and land, of trade and merchant shipping.
Several fairs were held at a fixed date each year.
As early as the Revolutionary period, Binic market was always held on a Thursday morning.
At the same time, Binic became one of France's leading fishing ports.
Beyond a doubt, the market is a favourite meeting-place for the people of Binic, but also for all those who like to stroll around the market stalls.

To your bagpipes!

Ty Anna Tavern welcomes you to its Breton den for a session of local music.
Amateur and professional artists play Celtic music every Wednesday in a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. A good night out is on the cards.