Family: Brittany Beaches and Adventures

Five days in Brittany balancing aquariums, boats and beaches so everyone gets their turn. Oceanopolis in Brest spreads across three pavilions, tropical, polar and temperate, with sharks and penguins; the Ile Vierge beach at Crozon, reached by a footpath, rewards the walk with turquoise water between cliffs. Saint-Malo offers its ramparts, its Grand Aquarium and the long Sillon beach, Cap Frehel its pink sandstone cliffs and lighthouse, and Carnac its three thousand standing stones, with a megalith visitor centre that makes the subject accessible to children. Tides govern everything: check the timetable before each beach. The Ile Vierge path is steep and sometimes closed for conservation. Bring a windproof jacket and shoes that can get wet.