How to get here safely and what to bring:
Directions and Map Driving on French Roads Don't forget to bringDirections and Map
Brittany Country Gite is located in La Haute Houssais near St Maden, close to the medieval port town of Dinan. To find us on a map, locate Dinan, then trace down the D766 (to the west/left of Dinan) and you'll find St Maden to the east/right, before you get to Caulnes.
(Note that Houssais is misspelt on some maps as "Houssats".)
We will supply you with detailed directions that will help you find us easily. Please beware of relying on a GPS system as our postcode of 22350 is shared by several villages.
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By Ferry There are crossings from Dover to Calais, Newhaven to either Dieppe or Le Havre, Portsmouth to Caen, Cherbourg and St Malo and Plymouth to Roscoff. Your choice will depend on where you're coming from and your preference for price versus driving distance in France. St Malo is the nearest port being only about 40 minutes drive but it is also the most expensive crossing.
By Plane Ryan Air flies from Stansted, East Midlands and Leeds Bradford to Dinard; FlyBe flies from several airports into Rennes.
By Train. To take the train you could travel from London to Paris (or change at Lille) and then on to Rennes on the TGV. At Rennes you can either hire a car or take a train to Caulnes, which is only a few km away from St Maden.
We are happy to discuss your travel options with you.
Driving on French Roads
If you are bringing your car to France there are a few things you must do to ensure that you are legal. Not doing these things could invalidate your insurance. Some you will be familiar with but there are some new additions to the law in France. • Warning Triangle and Reflective Vest- Motoring law in France and in most other EU countries now requires that all vehicles carry and warning triangle and a reflective vest. It is strongly advised to carry vests for all vehicle occupants. • First Aid Kit and Fire Extinguisher • Headlamp Beam Adaptors • GB Plate – this must be placed on the rear or your car, caravan or trailer • Spare bulbs- you must be able to replace any blown exterior light and you should have a spare set in the car at all times.
back to topReminders of Things to Bring
We have a Roberts iPod dock that can play music from your iPod, iPhone or MP3 player and will also play CDs, so don't forget to bring your music.
WiFi is available, so feel free to bring your laptop. Bandwidth isn't great as we're in the French countryside: you'll be able to surf the web but don't expect to stream films.
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