Arrive in Rennes on suggested flights or train and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), a private hotel transfer, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Kate Kangaslahti and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and talk at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

This morning, enjoy a walking tour of Rennes’ old town. See the Portes des Mordelaises, the old gates and fortifications rebuilt in the 15th century, the cathedral of Saint-Pierre, where the Dukes of Brittany were once crowned, and the Place des Lices, once used for jousting. Then, visit the Parlement de Bretagne and admire its beautifully restored 17th-century interiors.

After lunch, join a private, guided tour of the Museum of Fine Arts, first opened in 1794 and housing a rich collection of works from all around the world. Damaged during World War II, the museum was renovated in 1957 and enhanced by a collection of modern works, including paintings by Impressionist Gustave Caillebotte and the School of Pont-Aven’s Emile Bernard and Paul Sérusier.

(BL)

In the morning, depart Rennes and travel to Dinard. Once a small fishing port, the town became a seaside mecca towards the end of the 19th century for the English aristocracy, who built luxurious villas and delighted in the opening of a golf course and a casino. In the summer of 1922, Picasso settled at Villa Beauregard with his family and produced around 50 paintings, such as Family at the seaside and Two women running on the beach, in which he conveyed the exhilaration of a summer by the sea.

Continue to Saint-Malo, dramatically situated on the Côte d’Emeraude (Emerald Coast) and famed for its impressive high tides, causing waves to lash the top of the ramparts surrounding its beautiful walled city.

Tonight, dinner is at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Start the day with a talk by Kate. Then, embark on a walking tour of Saint-Malo, renowned for its seafaring heritage and where the proud motto “Ni français, ni breton, Malouin suis” (“Neither French nor Breton, but Malouin”) echoes through the charming streets of intra-muros. Explore the ramparts, soak in the maritime atmosphere of the corsair city and admire the unique light captured by Paul Signac in his iconic Docks at Saint-Malo painting.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or further explore Saint-Malo at your own pace.

(B)

Depart Saint-Malo and stop in Lamballe-Armor to visit the Mathurin Méheut Museum, dedicated to the French painter, illustrator, ceramist and etcher who captured Breton life with warmth and precision.

Continue to the colourful city of Saint-Brieuc and explore the Musée d’Art et d’Histoire, which offers a thoughtful mix of regional art and history, from 19th‑century painters drawn to Brittany’s coasts to pieces reflecting modern interpretations of its culture.

The evening is at leisure.

(BL)

This morning, discover the chapel of the Maison Saint-Yves, a striking example of Breton Art Deco from the late 1920s, before travelling to Châteauneuf-du-Faou, where Paul Sérusier, notable for his role in the Nabis movement, settled in 1893. The town is now home to the newly-opened Musée Sérusier, which holds the largest public collection of works from both Paul and Marguerite Sérusier.

After lunch, continue to Quimper, the historic capital of French Cornwall. Enjoy a walking tour of the historic centre, including the majestic Saint-Corentin Cathedral, immortalised by Paul Signac in several of his works. Walk along the quays of the river Oder and the 19th century footbridges, admire vibrant timber-framed houses and walk in the footsteps of poet Max Jacob, friend of Picasso, Cocteau and Modigliani.

(BL)

Depart Quimper for the charming village of Pont-Aven, discovered by American painters in the late 19th century and renowned for its bucolic settings that inspired numerous artists. Visit the Fine Arts Museum and learn about the Pont-Aven School, which included famous young painters such as Paul Gauguin, Emile Bernard, Paul Sérusier and Maxime Maufra. Rejecting Impressionism, they created a new decorative art style known as Synthetism, characterised by simplified, flat forms in pure colours, separated by dark contours.

Then, stroll through the picturesque village and walk along the Aven river – the inspiration for many of Gauguin’s artworks – lined with rocky riverbeds, countless mills, thatched houses and cathedrals.

Continue to Carnac, arriving in the late-afternoon.

(BL)

After a talk by Kate, discover the standing stones of Carnac, more than 3,000 granite menhirs stretching in mysterious, carefully aligned rows. Erected between 4,500 and 3,300 BCE, these Neolithic monuments form the largest site of its kind, and their exact purpose, whether ritual, astronomical or funerary, remains a source of fascination. The alignments have inspired both archaeologists investigating their mystery and artists moved by their form and enduring presence.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax or further explore Carnac at your own pace, before dinner at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Today, discover the unique and varied landscapes of Belle-Ile-en-Mer, an island located just off the coast of Brittany, which became a popular destination in the late 19th century for Impressionist artists, including Claude Monet and Australian painter John Peter Russell. Monet painted his famous Needles of Port-Coton, inspired by the island’s jagged cliffs, captivating light and transient sea conditions, which in turn influenced numerous artworks from other renowned Impressionist painters.

Continue to the little fishing village of Sauzon and visit the nearby Sarah Bernhardt Museum, located in her exuberant house where she spent her summers for over 30 years, with breathtaking views of the coastline. Learn about the life and legacy of The Divine actress that fell in love with the island after her first visit.

(BL)

In the morning, travel to Vannes, scene of the declaration of unity between France and Brittany in 1532 and one of the few towns in the region to have been spared damage during World War II. Enjoy some time at leisure to explore the vibrant market on Place des Lices and its adjacent streets, lined with colourful half-timbered houses.

Continue to Nantes, the former seat of the 15th-century Dukes of Brittany, beautifully set along the banks of the Loire river.

(BD)

Start the day with a walking tour of Nantes. Stroll the ramparts and extensive inner courtyard of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, where the blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture reflects centuries of ducal life in Brittany.

Then, visit the Musée d’Arts de Nantes, home to an outstanding collection from the 13th century to the present. Highlights include paintings by Monet, Delacroix, Kandinsky and Picasso, as well as evocative works shaped by Brittany’s distinctive light and landscapes.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax or further explore Nantes at your own pace.

Tonight, celebrate the conclusion of the tour with a special farewell dinner with Kate and fellow travellers.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)