The Area
Come and breathe in the fantastic clear air, enjoy the peace and tranquility and relax under bright blue sunny skies; sample excellent French cuisine and wonderful wines and visit a truly remarkable area which has many picturesque towns and village, popular with the French as well as foreign tourists.
You will find all this from Le Presbytère along with a warm friendly welcome when you come to stay in our charming old house and tranquil hamlet of Saint Cadou.
We are very fortunate to be situated in Finistère just below the Monts d'Arrées, in the National parc d'Armorique, an area of outstanding natural beauty, which includes forestry, woodland, moorland, lakes and rivers. You will have miles of countryside to discover on foot, by bicycle, motorbike or car on quiet roads that are a treat on which to drive.
On our doorstep is the picturesque Lac Du Drennac, a large lake with man made beaches, popular with locals and importantly, safe for children to bathe. It has a mostly level path and a five mile walk circling the lake; it is surrounded by trees, wildlife and the sound of bird song. Rowing boats are available to hire and sailing and windsurfing are popular activities. It can be reached by car or on foot from Saint Cadou and has a Crêperie open during the summer season.
Excellent trout fishing is available here in the well stocked lake with the purchase of a local fishing licence, with another fishing lake 20 minutes away. In and close to Sizun is the river L'Elorn with licensed fishing facilities.
On the outskirts of Sizun is the Maison de la Rivière a museum and information centre dedicated to the local rivers and lakes.
The local golf course of Golf de Brest Iroise is only 15 minutes away and is situated in 220 hectares of beautiful wooded country, and is easily accessible from Le Presbytère. It has the following courses:
The red course of 18 holes, the yellow course of 9 holes and the blue championship course is a combination of both.
Sizun is our small local market town with shops, bars, restaurants, banks and an outdoor swimming pool, open in the summer months only - 8 minutes drive.
Sizun also has Milin Kerroc'h a private leisure centre with a Bar, Restaurant and Crêperie with lakes for fishing and pedalo hire; also bowling and a children’s play area.
Huelgoat, a beautiful market town with its lake and walks among forests and huge granite boulders is certainly worth a visit; go down 30 feet into La Grotte de Diable for an un-missable experience - 15 minutes drive.
Then there is the famous rugged coastline of the Crozon Peninsular with its stunning sandy beaches, Morgat and Camaret. Keremma is another fantastic beach to the North West of Saint Cadou; all are popular with locals and tourists - 40 minutes drive.
Morlaix is an ancient and attractive market town and the gateway to the famous 'Pink Granite' Coast. It has many old buildings with fantastic architecture and interesting shops to browse through or to buy from as well as its market - 30 minutes drive.
Quimper, the administrative centre of the department and gateway to the south of the region has an old and charming area in which to wander. The medieval town of Locronan is also nearby - 45 minutes drive.
Brest is the regional centre of Western Brittany and is the place to go for a wide choice of shops. It is also the location for large hypermarkets, bowling and ice skating. Visit Oceanopolis, Europe's largest aquarium - 30 minutes drive.
Landivisiau and Landerneau are two local busy and interesting towns with markets, large hypermarkets and extensive shopping facilities. Landerneau has a state of the art indoor and outdoor swimming complex complete with a flume. - 20 minutes drive.
Chateaulin is situated on the tree lined banks of the River Aulne; it is a much loved beautiful town famous for its salmon fishing and along the river is the old port, Port Launay - 20 minutes drive.
Concarneau, a popular tourist centre and famous fishing port with the fortified town (Ville Close) is a wonderful place to take a look around - 45 minutes drive.
Roscoff and St Pol de Leon are on the North Coast, again both have beaches and are charming towns to visit and wander around. Just off Roscoff lies the Ile de Batz, a small island reached by ferry, with great beaches. Plouescat is close by and all have tourist gift shops and markets - 45 minutes drive.
The Forest of Cranou (Forêt Domaniale du Cranou) - run by the Office National des Forêts is a beautiful deciduous forest with woodland walks, picnic tables and the river running through it. Horse riding is available at the Centre Equestre du Cranou, Lameguer, Pont de Buis, Les Quimerc'h. Tel: 0033 (0) 298 26 90 27
There are also many beautiful Churches in the area that are part of the famous Circuit Des Enclos Paroissiaux de Bretagne (The Circuit of Parochial Enclosures of Brittany) each containing many architectural elements such as the triumphal arch, an ossuary, a calvaire, a cemetery and various monuments along with the treasures of each church.
Only a minute or two's walking distance from Le Presbytère is Pub Saint Hubert, a charming country pub run by a friendly English speaking French couple, who along with the local Bretons, will make you most welcome. If you are lucky, you might be able to experience the lively atmosphere on a night when they have local musicians.
These are just a few of the popular local attractions; there are many other places that you will discover on your adventures in this fascinating and beautiful area of Western France.
Please come and see for yourself, we are confident that you will find Brittany and the French way of life most agreeable, but allow yourself enough time as there is so much to see and do, unless of course you decide to return as so many visitors do!
