France is famous the world over for its food, and every region has its own specialities. So you really can’t pass through Brittany without stopping to try one (or several) of the local delicacies. If you want to make the most of everything Breton cooking has to offer, why not treat yourself to a food-themed holiday? Here is our little pick of the best Breton specialities to seek out on your trip around Brittany.
Kouign-Amann, best discovered by bike
Ah, the Kouign-Amann, that emblematic Breton pastry whose name translates literally as “butter cake”. Inside you’ll find plenty of butter, plenty of sugar and, above all, a generous helping of pure pleasure. Its exact origins are a little hazy, but it is thought to have been invented in the 1860s by a baker called Yves-René Scordia. If you’d like to see how a real Kouign-Amann is made in its home region, plan a stop on your cycling trip at a traditional pastry maker such as the Breton bakery Kerjeanne. By the end of your route you’ll be able to draw up your own top three Kouign-Amann addresses in Brittany. Whatever your cycling itinerary, do pause in the town of Douarnenez to taste an authentic Kouign-Amann.
The Breton crêpe, a classic of Lower Brittany
With the Kouign-Amann ticked off, let’s move on to the second stage of your trip: tasting a proper Breton crêpe. The famous Breton crêpe is known right across France and turns up in crêperies almost everywhere. It is truly the signature dish of Brittany, and it’s up to you how you enjoy it: plain, sweet, savoury or made with buckwheat. Sweet crêpes are made with wheat flour, while savoury ones (galettes) are made with buckwheat. On your cycling tour of Brittany you’ll find crêperies on practically every corner whenever the craving strikes. In fact, you’ll quite likely eat crêpes at breakfast, lunch, teatime and even dinner, so here’s a little tip: get back on the bike to work off all those extra calories. While you’re at it, why not learn the knack yourself? Crêpes are cooked on a traditional flat griddle called a bilig and spread with a little rake-shaped tool known as a rozell.
Far Breton and its prunes
Third day, third culinary discovery on your Breton cycling holiday: the Far Breton. The word “far” comes from the Breton “farz forn”, meaning baked far, a dish that was much loved because it was so inexpensive. Like the Kouign-Amann and other Breton specialities, the Far Breton is made with butter. As well as being a great classic of French baking, it’s a wonderfully simple, quick and reliable cake that lends itself to all sorts of variations. On your cycling trip through Brittany you’ll come across many versions: the most popular is studded with prunes, but you’ll also find others with a dash of rum or even raisins. While you’re there, do call in at the Cartron bakery in Vannes, in the Morbihan, which won an award for its Far Breton in 2019.
Salted butter caramel, a treat for the taste buds
Finally, why not end on a sweet-and-salty note? For your last day, come and discover salted butter caramel. Salted butter is one of the cornerstones of Breton cooking; you’ll find it everywhere, in savoury and sweet dishes alike as well as in pastries. So it was only natural that one day a famous Breton chocolatier, Henri Le Roux, based on the little Quiberon peninsula, came to invent salted butter caramel. If you take the time to explore Brittany, choose a cycling route that leads you to the region’s finest addresses, such as the Maison du Beurre in Saint-Malo or the world of Carabreizh, a factory shop with a fun, mouth-watering trail in the Morbihan.
If you enjoyed your gastronomic cycling holiday, do come back to Brittany to discover more routes, from scenic and historic tours to plenty of other adventures.
