The one and only Breton marathon.

Launched in 2000, the Vannes marathon is an initiative of local municipalities and the Bretagne Atlantique hospital sport association.

42 195km… This accumulated distance is what made the reputation of this great event. The circuit is simply dreamlike: through gardens, along ramparts, roads, and pedestrian lanes, and then on to the countryside, along the beach and Breton coastlines… Every year participants leave the event completely enchanted (and slightly exhausted).

This isn't just any old race but a major marathon coursing through the one and only Bretagne region. The event also provides an array of quality food and beverages so that spectators can keep their spirits up to cheer on the athletes.

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.

Ancient Beauty.

A new exhibition dedicated to Pharaohs and Egypt will begin at the Park des Expositions Chorus for All Saint's Day - the focus will be the discovery and excavation of Tutankhamun's grave, and the inestimable treasure locked away with the dying "God" for his travels to the underworld. Over 1000 pieces, replicas crafted by the Cairo museum's workshops, will be presented in a sumptuous decor.

Artists take over the stage…

"Bretagne en Scène(s)" is a circus festival unlike any other. More than just an entertaining event, it is also a networking hub for professionals across the country.

Bretagne en scene:
-is the place to obtain information on where to start if interested in circus arts.
-aims to help others in the field through membership programs with artistic groups.
-represents a showcase for the professionals in the region to present their acts and performances.

Products of the future.

Habitat, home improvement, furnishing, DIY, gardening, tourism and even agriculture, breeding, husbandry and farming… This mind-blowing variety of exhibits is spread out over stylish display spaces in indoor complexes, under circus tents, or outdoors…

Pick out a route and explore! Countless exhibitors have come a long way to showcase their wares or present their particular skills and know-how.

A costumed rallye…

This fantastic rallye is dedicated to the now-mythical bicycle model known as the Solex - the event will feature a race, activities and events, crazy costumes and much more, all in a lively, fun-loving atmosphere. Participants will race along a circuit throught the centre of Quiberon - prizes are for 1st place and for best costume…

Catamaraning across the Gulf.

Like every year for the Catagolfe, a total of 220 catamarans will be setting sail from Arradon in the heart of the Morbihan gulf for another edition of the famous race.

Applicants were so numerous that organisers were forced to limit the number of allowed registrations. This beautiful site will charm sailors as much as spectators on the shore…

Those among the 220 are a happy few to be able to take part in this magical event, and this year is promising to be an exceptional edition.

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.

Three days at full gallop…

Experience the Mille Sabots National Carriage Race in Sene this September.

The rich programme of events will keep you on the edge of your seat, whether you are into equestrian sports or simply a curious visitor.

The first day will be dedicated to dressage: complex steps and the horse/rider connection will hold no secrets for you by the end of the day. For the second day it's all about endurance with the marathon race. Finally, on Sunday, a grand parade will be coursing the Vannes port in the morning, followed by a show in the early afternoon at the race-course.

Don't miss out on the manoeuvrability contest on the last day!

Gentlemen, start your engines!

A little over 120 years ago, the first ever petrol-powered car became a reality -- Karl Benz was the proud owner of this magical machine… Things have come a long way and today cars have become a powerful social and cultural item.

The Auto-Show will be spread out over 7000m² of exhibition space packed with collector's cars, gadgets, accessories, spare parts and exceptionally rare models. If you like cars with a passion, then don't miss out on this spectacular event!

Culinary bonanza.

Quiberon will be hosting this 5th edition of the Gastronomy Trophys, a fantastic gastronomical competition during which awards will be given to the best Breton artisans for their know-how in all things culinary.

September 24th to 26th: competition behind closed doors during which 13 different products are judged by a panel (50% professionals, 50% consumers).

September 26th to 28th: The Breton Gastronomy market will be an opportunity for the public to savour some local products - they themselves will be given a chance to vote for their favourite.

Two full days of intense competition!

Saturday at 3PM: Triathlon Avenir for young competitors, from the Port d'Orange beach to St-Pierre Quiberon.
Sunday at 10:30AM: Triathlon Découverte (500m swimming, 20km cycling, 5km foot race); event open to licensed and unlicensed runners over 16 years of age.
Sunday at 3PM: Triathlon Courte Distance (1500m swimming, 40km cycling, 10km foot race); open to licensed runners over 18 years of age.
Award ceremony at 6PM.

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 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..

The pearl of shellfish.

The good ol' Oyster Festival is back in town. Enjoy the cool sea breeze and saline ocean savours in a festive ambiance. This traditional festival, dedicated to this glorious, delectable product, l'huître, will feature numerous activities, oyster-sampling and much more for young and old alike.

Cultural outing.

La Cohue is an ancient mediaeval hall of imposing dimensions in which the museum displays its well-stocked collection of paintings.
These collections, further enriched by a number of works on loan, take the visitor on a journey that is both familiar yet constantly renewed.

Light in the landscape, that ceaseless quest of the artist, is the common theme of 19th and 20th century painting.
Figurative salon landscapes and abstract compositions hang side by side and speak visually to one another, reaffirming a continuity of inspiration.

In the 19th century, painters began experimenting with outdoor painting.
Little by little, light begins to dissolve the subject and lead towards abstraction.
This progress towards modernity can be traced through the works of Elodie La Villette, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Jean Le Moal and Geneviève Asse.

A tribute to valiant men.

Continuing its task of showcasing the Citadelle de Port-Louis, the Musée National de la Marine decided to create a new section, unique in France, dedicated to the extraordinary history of sea rescue.

Courage, self-denial, discretion, modesty... there is no lack of words of praise to heap on these men who, down the years, have risked their lives to save others.
Coxswains, second coxswains and crewmen have handed down their stories, and today's lifeboat men keep the tradition alive, united in the face of the universal danger, the pitiless perils of the sea.
The terrifying sight of storm conditions on the rocky coastline of Brittany or elsewhere compels each of us to ask ourselves, in our heart of hearts: would I have dared?

From the earliest days of sea-rescue under sails and oars to today's search and rescue helicopters, human courage is honoured in the precious mementoes of lifeboat crews, in touching pictures and photographs, model boats and specialised equipment.
Supplemented by archive pictures, films and sound recordings, the entire presentation centres on a striking exhibit: the Commandant Philippes de Kerhallet lifeboat (1897), the last survivor of its kind.

In the very heart of Brittany, which has known so many maritime disasters, the 350m² of the new citadel exhibition rooms, Naufrages et Fraternités, l'Univers de la mer (shipwrecks and brotherhood, the world of the sea), dedicated to sea rescue, pay a more than well-earned tribute to the dedication of the unsung sailor heroes who, as true men of the sea, seek no glory for themselves.

Centuries of light.

Opened in June 2005, the museum's new presentation of its permanent collections of paintings offers a new outlook on the works of the 19th and 20th centuries.
For the most part, these are landscapes whose common feature is an attempt to grasp rhythm, colour and light and fix this impalpable illusion on canvas.
In the 19th century, painters began experimenting with outdoor painting.
Little by little, light begins to dissolve the subject and lead towards abstraction.
This progress towards modernity can be traced through the works of Elodie La Villette, Eugène Boudin, Claude Monet, Jean Le Moal and Geneviève Asse.

Stones ancient beyond belief.

Dating from some 6,000 years ago, the megalithic site at Carnac is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe. Around 3,000 menhirs (standing stones) are aligned over an area of 40 hectares and a distance of 4 kilometres.
The Kermario, Le Menec, Kerlescan and Petit Menec (La Trinité-sur-Mer) alignments, which together form the Carnac site, represent one of the first monumental stone structures in Europe.
Plans are under way to redevelop the site to improve facilities for visitors, to enhance the landscaping and architectural qualities of the site and, by creating pedestrian and cycle paths, to open up new ways of visiting the monument.

Menhirs and dolmens of yore…

Locmariaquer's megalithic site features three structures epitomising Breton megalithic architecture: the great broken menhir, the dolmen known as the Merchants' Table and the Er Grah tumulus, all of which were erected between 4,700 and 3,800 B.C.. This was the Neolithic period, when man began to form settlements, to experiment with and develop animal husbandry, farming, pottery, weaving, etc.

A tour of the site is an excellent introduction to megalithic civilisation and architecture, featuring as it does the three types of monuments from that era. Also, the whole is ideally situated in a stunning natural setting overlooking the Morbihan Gulf and Quiberon Bay. In the Neolithic period, before the level of the seas rose, these expanses would have been not gulf and bay but expansive, grassy plains...

Inspired by a learned Scotsman.

The museum's earliest collections are owed to a learned Scotsman by the name of James Miln.
The furniture and the archaeological treasures discovered at Carnac are for the most part presented in the Musée de la Préhistoire.
Visitors will follow the adventures of mankind from the Old Stone Age (450,000 years ago) to the Gallo-Roman period (4th century B.C.), by way of the Neolithic period when the megaliths were erected. A total of 6,600 exhibits are on display.