Most people plan a week in Brittany like a checklist. Five towns, three beaches, a different restaurant every night. Then they spend half the trip in the car.
“A whole week is too long for one corner of Brittany.”
Not on the Golfe du Morbihan. It's an inland sea scattered with around forty islands, and Baden sits on its western shore, close to the boats and about 15 kilometres from Vannes. You can see a lot without driving much. Here's how we'd spend seven days.
Planning a stay? Check availability for Villa Mané →
Day 1–2: Arrive and slow down
Don't rush out. Unpack, swim, let the Gulf set the pace.
At Villa Mané the 18 metre heated pool and the jacuzzi are open from April to October. The covered deck looks straight down the garden to the water.
- Shop once for the week in Vannes or at the bakeries in Baden.
- Eat outside the first night. Barbecue, fire bowl, early night.
- Walk to the shore at low tide. You'll see how much the Gulf changes in a day.
Day 3: Île aux Moines
The biggest island in the Gulf is a five-minute boat ride from Port-Blanc. Rent a bike on the island, follow the coast path, find the Pen Hap dolmen and swim at the Grande Plage.
We wrote a full day-trip guide.
Day 4: Vannes, the market and the old town
Go on a Wednesday or Saturday morning. That's when the open-air market fills the place des Lices and the streets around it.
The covered Halles des Lices are open most mornings. The fish hall sells oysters from the Gulf. Walk the ramparts, then lose an hour in the half-timbered streets.
Day 5: Gavrinis and Locmariaquer
Boats leave Larmor-Baden, right next to Baden, for the island of Gavrinis and its carved Neolithic cairn. It's one of the most remarkable prehistoric sites in Europe. Book ahead in summer.
In the afternoon, go to Locmariaquer for the giant broken menhir and lunch by the harbour.
Day 6: Carnac and the Quiberon peninsula
Carnac's alignments are rows of thousands of standing stones running across the fields. Go in the morning.
Then drive down the Quiberon peninsula to the Côte Sauvage, the wild Atlantic side. Cliffs, surf, a long walk. A different world from the calm Gulf.
Day 7: Back to the villa
Keep the last day for the house. Late breakfast on the deck, the pool, one last sunset over the garden. Check-out is at 10:00 the next morning, so pack the night before.
The week at a glance
| Day | Plan | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Settle in, pool, dinner outside | No |
| 3 | Île aux Moines by bike | In July and August |
| 4 | Vannes market and old town | No |
| 5 | Gavrinis and Locmariaquer | Yes |
| 6 | Carnac stones and Quiberon | No |
| 7 | A slow last day at the villa | No |
Planning tips
- Check the tides. Currents in the Gulf are strong, and some beaches almost disappear at high tide.
- A car makes it easy. Everything on this list is a short drive from Baden.
- Leave gaps. The best days here are often the unplanned ones.
Not sure which week to pick?
Send us your dates and we'll tell you what's open, what the pool season looks like and what's on nearby.
Frequently asked questions
How many days do you need for the Golfe du Morbihan?
A week is ideal. It gives you time for one or two islands, Vannes, the megalithic sites at Carnac and Gavrinis, and slow days at the villa.
Where do ferries to Île aux Moines leave from?
From Port-Blanc in Baden. The crossing takes about five minutes and runs frequently through the day.
When is the Vannes market?
The open-air market runs on Wednesday and Saturday mornings around the place des Lices. The covered Halles des Lices are open most mornings.
