Brittany, or Breizh in the Breton language. In many ways, Brittany has more in common with parts of the British Isles than it does with the rest of France. The name itself is a clue to this; Brittany and Britain come from the same root, and in French the connection is even more obvious; the French call Brittany “la Bretagne”, and call Britain “la Grande Bretagne” - or “big Brittany”, translated literally. For thousands of years there have been comings and goings across the western reaches of the English Channel, between Brittany and the southwest of England, and many of the Britons who vacation in this western region of France are visiting an area where some of their own ancestors came from.

Still today, Brittany is much different from the rest of France. Brittany has its own language, its own music, its own food and drink and its own laws. Much like Wales and Scotland are to the U.K., Brittany is independent with a strong Celtic background steeped in tradition and legends.

The best time to visit Brittany is summer, from June to August, since it is the warmest time of the year, although even in this season it's better to bring a sweatshirt, a light jacket and an umbrella. June is a bit cooler, so you may prefer July and August. September is a good month as well: it's a bit rainier than the summer months, but the temperatures are still pleasant, especially in the beginning of the month.

In Saint-Malo, frequented mainly by tourists from central and northern Europe the sea is very cool even in summer, however, on sunny days, when the breeze is not too cool, you can sunbathe.

Crêpes are the specialty of Brittany, or more specifically, galettes, which is a version popular in upper Breton made with buckwheat, eggs, milk and melted butter, made into a thin dark pancake and then filled with everything you can think of.

The traditional is ham, egg and cheese, but you can get them stuffed with scallops, shrimp, mushrooms and more.

The menus offer perplexing combinations of ingredients, but you can just order individual crepes and have them filled with whatever you want.

Due to the location of this region, seafood is naturally a common dish, especially oysters. If you're a fan of oysters on the half shell, Brittany is the place to indulge. There are many distinctive varieties of oysters raised off the Brittany coast and are known as some of the most delicious and most prized oysters in the world.

Pot au Feu d’Homard is a famous region lobster stew made with all the best shellfish of the region, including mussels, oysters, scallops, and shrimp. Be sure to visit the seafood markets, they are colorful and exciting places filled with strange sea life you have never seen, let alone eaten. There are fresh blue lobsters (yes, blue), crabs, scallops and mussels.

To this day, Breton culture derives as much or more from Celtic customs as it does from the French. Breton is spoken by most residents of Brittany and road signs and store marquees in the province carry both languages. Traditional Breton music, a lyric folk music that incorporates the Celtic harp, is heard throughout Brittany. Popular summer festivals, called fest noz, are held throughout Brittany, and celebrate the region's music and culture. The oldest of these is the Festivale de Cornouaille, held in Quimper. Traditional Breton dress is still worn by many of the elder Bretons. It is common to see the white lace coiffes headdresses worn by women of the region.

The drink of choice is Breton hard cider, a natural sparkling alcoholic beverage made from apple juice and served in earthenware cups.

There are hundreds of local farms producing them – the best local ones come in bottles that look like champagne bottles with a wired cork. The taste is unlike any commercial cider you have had - closer to the wine family than the beer.

When it comes to beer, there are 500 different named beers made in Brittany. Local beers are strong and with many Belgian and sour style varieties.

There are some Breton wines, but since Brittany borders the Loire Valley, one of the most outstanding wine producing areas of the country, there are many reasonably priced local white wines from nearby.

Visitors to Brittany can fly into Rennes and Brest from Paris or take the high-speed (TGV) train from Paris to Brest. Accommodations vary from full-service hotels to small bed and breakfast inns. There are also a couple of chateau-style resorts in the province. Generally, accommodations are much less expensive than you will find in Paris or in the south of France. A rental car is recommended for touring the area, as some of the most picturesque sights are outside of the main cities.

The currency of France is the Euro. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airports and train stations. For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in France by clicking here.

The people of Brittany all speak French, and many speak English quite well. English may be spoken at your hotel and in the tourist areas, but not everywhere. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook or app and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10. Most

In an emergency dial 112 is the general emergency services number or 114 for hearing assistance.