Pet Friendly Farm Stays: Brittany (2023)

Chambres a la Ferme offers exactly that near the town of Combourg, Brittany and near also to Mont Saint-Michel, St. Malo and the regional capital Rennes. The farmhouse, the farm and the surroundings make for a quaint and very relaxing B&B farm stay holiday in the heart of upper Brittany, where you will be welcomed with traditional Breton hospitality and a generous breakfast every morning. THE ACCOMMODATION: They have just two rooms at the property which can sleep up to three people and you’ll find them both comfortable and nicely decorated. There is a common lounge area with TV at the farmhouse and the rooms have their own private entrance with a terrace just outside. There is a nice garden area outside too with more seating and a children’s playground. THE FARM: A fully working cattle farm, the property also has a number of hens as well as friendly goats and some shetland ponies that are usually a hit with the children. THE LOCATION: The farm is less than 5km from the town of Combourg which is a common stop off on the upper Brittany tourist trail, with its main attraction being the medieval fortress of Combourg Castle, once the childhood home of one of France’s most renowned historical figures Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand. It is also within a half an hours drive of St. Malo and the iconic, and very much photographed, island commune of Mont Saint-Michel in next door Normandy. The vibrant university city and regional capital of Rennes with its wealth of traditional half timbered houses and its grand cathedral is also close by, less than 40km away to the south. The countryside surrounding the farm stay is green and lush and a delight to explore. It’s generally flat and the roads are relatively traffic free so it is great place for long country walks and for cycling and you can hire bikes directly from the farmhouse. Horse riding trips can also be arranged, just ask at the farm for details of that plus other things to see and do in the locality. WHAT OTHER GUESTS SAY: “Lovely old working dairy farm. Superb self contained accommodation with the owner’s artistic READ MORE

A home away from home on the Brittany-Normandy borders, and very near the World Heritage Site of Mont St. Michel, Gites Ferme de la Baie has some lovely cottage gites for rent on its working farm with sheep, pigs and hens. The cottages blend the modern and traditional very nicely and the location is peaceful and serene. THE ACCOMMODATION: The gites are fully self catering cottages with the largest sleeping up to a maximum of nine people. They have spacious lounges with satellite TV & DVD player, as well as fully equipped kitchens and varying numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms. All are traditional French farm cottages which, though updated to meet the modern age, still very much retain their old fashioned charm. Outside all the cottages have their own private garden space with a terrace and seating area and the rest of the grounds are shared. In the large shared area there is a children’s playground, hammocks, a covered barbecue and seating/dining area where you can socialize with other guests and the friendly owners who stay at the main farmhouse. Beyond that there is an orchard area and the farm to explore. You can pick your own cherries, peaches plums and walnuts there and get to meet some of the animals; which include sheep, hens and pigs. THE LOCATION: The location is great for those planning a trip to the world famous Mont St. Michel, which, as one of France’s most visited sites, probably needs no introduction.  It’s only about five minutes down the road but it would be a shame to begin and end your sightseeing there. There are numerous other great places to visit in the area, full of history, beauty and culture. Fougères, for example, where you can visit the largest medieval castle in Europe, Villedieu-les-Poêles, with its famous bell foundry where the bells for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris were made, the charming walled town of Dinan with its half timbered houses and cobbled streets, and of course the lovely seaside towns of St. Malo & Dinard. Just some examples; there are many more, be sure to ask the friendly owners at Gite Ferme de la Baie for READ MORE