Located at the end of the Black Mountains (Montagnes Noires), the Ménez Hom is a small mountain culminating at 330 metres in altitude. From the top, the view over the Crozon Peninsula is stunning : the Ménez Hom was once a strategic site that was used to alert locals of dangers coming from the sea, signalled from Ouessant.

There is an orientation table to help you find your bearings, from the Crozon Peninsula to Cape Sizun and the Bay of Douarnenez, and from the roadstead of Brest to the Aulne Valley.

A sacred mountain for the Celts that later became a wild land of legends, the Ménez Hom is nowadays popular with paragliding fans. It can be explored via its many marked paths, which run across this arid land dotted with gorse, pebbles and heather.

This is a paradise for the white and black sheep of the thousand-year-old "Landes de Bretagne" breed. At the Ménez Hom sheepfold, there are special events at sheep-shearing time.

Don't miss Sainte-Marie-du-Ménez-Hom, a hamlet that contains one of the most beautiful chapels in Brittany. Inside are 18th-century Baroque altarpieces which are listed Historic Monuments !

The second territory in France to have earned the "Regional Nature Park" label, Armorique Regional Nature Park is home to some exceptional natural heritage, from its varied landscapes to the plants and animals that live there.

This part of Finistère's territory covers 125,000 hectares and encompasses the Arrée Mountains, maritime Aulne, the Crozon Peninsula, and the three inhabited islands of the Iroise Sea, Ouessant, Molène and Sein, which are UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

The sea part of these wild landscapes is the kingdom of otters, seals, salmon and beavers, while the land part is home to Montagu's harriers, Dartford warblers and Eurasian curlews. This remarkable biodiversity is spread across the moors and hedged farmland, along the ridgelines of the Arrée Mountains and Black Mountains, and around the islands, cliffs, dunes, marshes, peat bogs, and oak and beech forests.

There are nearly 500 kilometres of paths for exploring this amazing terrain by hiking, on foot, on horseback, by bike… alone or with the family. You will often be met with splendid views of jagged cliffs, small coves, and fields of heather and gorse.

The culture, Breton identity, skills and natural habitats spread across the Park are particularly well-preserved and proudly displayed. Not to be missed: the Arrée Mountains Ecomuseum in Commana, the Lighthouse and Beacon Museum in Ouessant, the House of Minerals in Saint-Hernot, the Wolf Museum in Le Cloître-Saint-Thégonnec, the parish closes and more.

This stunning little town in Finistère, 5 kilometres from the sea, has earned the Small Town of Character and Most Beautiful Village of France labels, and is also a listed Historic Monument ! So that makes three reasons to stop by there and admire its architectural heritage : a 15th-century church featuring a pulpit telling the story of St. Ronan, its founder ; some beautiful Renaissance homes made of blue granite ; the Chapel of Our Lady of Good News ; the St. Eutropius fountain, and more.

Locronan became a weavers' town in the 15th century with the development of sail cloth manufacturing. This industrial past is on display at the Art and History Museum, which also has a collection of Breton paintings from the early 20th century.

Other curiosities include the creative craft shops, including a glass works run by a master glassmaker, an expert in the various glass-blowing techniques.

From Locronan, you can go into the Névet woods, which are ideal for outings and hikes with the family, on foot, horseback or mountain bike.

Visitors may be interested to know that Locronan is a location of choice for film directors : scenes from "Tess," "A Very Long Engagement" and "Chouans !" were filmed there.

This pretty city in Finistère, 15 kilometres from the coasts, has the Rivers Steïr and Odet running through it. Many footbridges over the two waterways, the medieval old town, the little streets and the peaceful squares contribute greatly to the city's romantic atmosphere, influenced by the medieval period.

Three distinct areas form its historic centre, to be explored on foot at your leisure!

The Locmaria quarter, featuring an old priory, medieval garden that has earned the Remarkable Garden label, and a Romanesque church, which has large amounts of Breton art. In this area, there are some lovely pottery and embroidery shops, including one name that's not to be missed: the Henriot-Quimper faience pottery works, a local institution!

The episcopal quarter, with the old Bishops' Palace and the Cathedral of St. Corentin, built in the 13th century, is one of the oldest Gothic cathedrals in Brittany. Be sure to admire its stained glass windows and two spires, towering 75 metres above the ground.

The Dukes of Brittany quarter, with its Church of St. Matthew, houses with corbels, gables or timber frames, typical cobbled streets named after the medieval corporations…

Quimper is Brittany's cultural capital. To find out more about the history and artistic heritage of the city, head to the Museum of Fine Arts, one of the most extensive in France, based in an Italian-style palace. There are works of art by the Pont-Aven School on its walls, and one section is dedicated to the legend of Ys, a town that was engulfed by the waves.

The region's heritage is showcased at the old episcopal palace, which has been turned into a Breton departmental museum devoted to the popular arts and traditions of Finistère.

Quimper has some lovely shops where you can buy tasty treats, as well as factory outlets, especially for pottery: a good opportunity to acquire a famous "Breton bowl" with your name on it. To find out more about this art form, feel free to visit the Earthenware Museum in the Locmaria quarter, which has a long list of exhibits, some of which are unique.

If you feel peckish, don't hesitate to sample the famous lace pancakes or pay a visit to a pancake house!

Since 1923, Quimper has hosted the Cornouaille festival every year in July, with Breton music. Many shows and concerts take place during this period.

A must-see attraction in the capital of Finistère, the Museum of Fine Arts was founded in 1864, thanks to a donation by the Count of Silguy, who was born in the city. Here you can admire some extensive collections of French, Italian, Flemish and Dutch painting, from the 14th century to the present day. Seen as one of the main art museums in Western France, Quimper Museum of Fine Arts also has themed departments, dedicated to the Quimper poet Max Jacob, the Pont-Aven School, Breton-inspired painting and the graphic arts.

The museum organises three big exhibitions a year, and has several times been awarded the "exhibition of national interest" label by the French Museums Directorate of the Ministry for Culture and Communication.

The "Studio secrets" circuit helps young ones to explore these exhibitions through hands-on activities and games.

Faience pottery developed from the 17th century onwards in Quimper's Locmaria quarter. Inspired by Breton culture, faience-making reached its peak in the 19th century, with a unique manufacturing process. Soon there would be competition from new arrivals on this profitable and popular market. In the early 20th century, three big names were known all over France: La Grande Maison de la Hubaudière, Porquier-Beau and Henriot.

Quimper faience is entirely decorated by hand and the manufacturing process has many stages: creating the mould, preparing the clay , calibration, pressing, casting, finishing, and the first firing. Then come enamelling, freehand decoration and the second firing.

The last big faience house, Henriot-Quimper, offers workshop tours and sells its collections on the premises.

To find out all about this world-famous local craft, don't hesitate to visit the museum dedicated to it, located in a former faience works in Locmaria. Collection pieces from the 18th century appear alongside contemporary pieces, some of which are unique!

This Small Town of Character in Finistère, overlooking the Goyen and built on a promontory, has pretty cobbled streets lined with old houses, a reminder of its medieval past.

This charming environment, enhanced by its unique light, has inspired painters and other artists. Today, there are many craftspeople, painters and antique dealers in Pont-Croix, from Grand Rue Chère to Place de la République.

There is an interpretation circuit for exploring the town centre. A nobleman's house back in the 16th century, the Marquisat house is now home to a Heritage Museum full of furniture, costumes and tools. Its attractions include a recreation of a bistro and grocer's store, a Breton room, a bedroom from 1900 and a stable.

Built from the 13th century onwards, the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of Roscudon has served as a model for many religious buildings. Remarkable for its pillars with thin, small columns, magnificent stained glass windows and many altarpieces, the church has a superb carved porch on the south side, adorned with roses.

Océanopolis, the marine science discovery park, is a museum space entirely devoted to the marine world, which makes up 75% of the planet's surface!

Don't miss this fabulous attraction if you're passing through Brest, at the far end of Brittany: on a visit of 3 hours or more, you can discover 3 very different worlds, polar, tropical and temperate, and see 1,000 animal species, represented by some 10,000 individuals in 68 aquariums and ponds!

To begin with, head to the polar marine world: here, you'll find penguins, seals, giant crabs and anemones, from the Arctic and the Antarctic, two worlds that are both similar and very different. Seals swim around an iceberg or rest on the ice. The giant crabs come from Japan, while the anemones and starfish are of an impressive size. Be amazed as you come face to face with a naturalised polar bear or an elephant seal!

The tropical department is the realm of sharks, the real lords of the place, multi-coloured fish and corals. Six different species live alongside rays and groupers. Sixty species of coral inhabit their own dedicated aquarium, illustrating the marine biodiversity of New Caledonia and the Australian coral reef. Stop in the tropical greenhouse, and discover the mangrove and the plant species that thrive in a wet environment.

Then it's back to our local area, in the temperate pavilion: this is dedicated to the treasures of Brittany and its ecosystems. Seals of the Iroise Sea, algae, jellyfish, shrimp, life to the rhythm of the tides...

To conclude their tour of Océanopolis, visitors can venture onto the otter trail and admire otters from Europe and the Pacific.

At the heart of Brittany, the Arrée Mountains are the highest point in Finistère, which they separate in two. They include the municipalities of Berrien, Bolazec, Huelgoat, Locmaria-Berrien and Scrignac.

Le Roc'h Ruz, at 385 metres in altitude, is the highest point of these small mountains, a territory of wild landscapes that is part of the Armorique Regional Nature Park.

Peat bogs, moors, lakes, rivers, hollow paths and rocky ridges make it a paradise for wild plants such as heather, broom and gorse. In this ideal environment, Montagu's harriers, ermines, Eurasian hobbies and beavers abound.

This natural territory contains some superb parish closes and pretty chapels: the 17th-century Chapel of St. Michael of Brasparts, perched on top of Mount Saint-Michel de Brasparts; the parish close of Sizun and that of Pleyben, around the Church of St. Germain; the Baroque altarpieces of Commana Church, which includes the 15th and 16th-century parish close, one of the most beautiful in Brittany.

The Cragou rocks, surrounded by moors and peat bogs, will appeal to lovers of natural areas untouched by human intervention.

Don't miss the opportunity to scale Roc'h Trevezel, 384 metres above sea level, for its stunning views!

France's second biggest military port, protected by its roadstead, Brest is located in northern Finistère.

All of its architecture originates from historical events, from its 11th-century medieval castle, remodelled by Vauban and now home to the Maritime Museum, to the Motte-Tanguy Tower and its museum about Brest in the old days.

The Second World War left its mark on the area: the city centre was heavily bombed and rebuilt in the Fifties.

In Brest, you can swim at the roadstead beaches, enjoy water sports, take a walk around the marina, or opt for a sea cruise to the islands of Molène or Ouessant.

Every 4 years, many sailboats from all over the world come together in Brest for a big traditional event: the International Maritime Festival. This colourful spectacle at the roadstead attracts thousands of visitors.

In the city, you can enjoy a walk or bike ride in the many green spaces.

Sights to see: the Iroise Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge built in 1994 over the Élorn, a real technical feat; the Museum of Fine Arts, etc.

Plant-lovers should head to the National Botanical Conservatory, one of the biggest in Europe, which works to preserve endangered species.

Ocean enthusiasts won't want to miss Océanopolis: this giant museum devoted to the sea, home to over 10,000 sea creatures belonging to nearly 1,000 species, invites you to learn about the world's various marine habitats at its three pavilions. It is one of Europe's biggest aquariums, and even has a seal clinic!

You can't visit or stay in Le Guilvinec, a small port town in southern Finistère, without watching the fishermen coming in and unloading the fish, langoustines and crabs they have caught at sea.

Le Guilvinec has tourist attractions based on this marine world, with sea trips, introductions to shellfish-gathering, and Haliotika, a veritable city of fishing covering 800 m², where you embark on a journey into the fascinating world of sea fishing!

In the summer, you can enjoy the family-friendly beaches as well as the customs officers' path or GR 34, the Moulin Mer valley, or Men Meur headland, for peaceful walks.

From June to September, the Man and the Sea (L'Homme et la Mer) photo festival takes over the town.

Le Guilvinec also has one of the region's biggest markets, a must for anyone wanting to discover fresh local produce.

At the northern edge of the roadstead of Brest, this cape of steep, windswept cliffs faces the Iroise Sea from a height of nearly 20 metres. Opposite is Béniguet island. Nearby are the village of Plougonvelin and the port of Le Conquet, which gives access to the islands of Molène and Ouessant.

An abbey, built from the 11th century onwards, now lies in ruins there. A lighthouse watches over it, a Historic Monument that offers a stunning view once you have climbed its 163 steps! Of the abbey, you can still admire the Romanesque façade, the arcades of the nave and the vaults of the choir. A small museum, based in the Chapel of Our Lady of Grace, contains some remains of it.

The National Memorial to sailors who gave their lives for France also stands there, erected in 1927.

Saint-Mathieu headland is an ideal place for a hike, along the route of the famous customs officers' path, the GR 34.