French Heritage SocietyChairman’s Circle Trip

Brittany History and Legends

Monday, October 14th - Saturday, October 19th, 2019

This curated trip will take you to the fascinating and mythical lands of Brittany. Shaped by maritime trade, a strong insular character and Celtic heritage, Brittany offers breathtaking landscapes, renowned fortified cities such as Saint-Malo with its Vauban fortifications, and the extraordinary prehistoric site of Carnac, home to 3,000 standing stones and tombs dating back 6,000 years.

Mont Saint-Michel abbeySaint-Malo

During our first day in Brittany, we will discover the capital city of Rennes in the presence of Maria Le Drian, former Vice President of Brittany and Ronan Le Baccon, Director of Tourism, Heritage and Waterways of Brittany. After lunch, we will explore the medieval streets of the picture-perfect old town, including the Cathedral of Saint Pierre, listed as a Monument Historique since 1906, and the Parliament of Brittany. Designed in the 17th century by Salomon de Brosse, architect of the Palais du Luxembourg, this impressive building was the former court of justice and now houses the Rennes Court of Appeals. Our first day will draw to a close in the picturesque maritime town of Dinard, famous for its 19th-century Belle Epoque and English-style manor houses.

Monday, October 14th - Day 1: Rennes, Capital of Brittany

To continue our trip through the history of Brittany, we will embark on a tour of the port-city Saint-Malo, following the steps of Vauban, France’s most famous military engineer. We will visit the Fort du Petit-Bé, which he designed in the 17th and 18th centuries and is accessible only by foot or boat, if the fickle weather and tide allow. No visit of Saint-Malo would be complete without discovering the Hôtel Magon-d’Asfeld, a stunning traditional corsair home. In the afternoon, our guests will enjoy an exclusive private visit and dinner on the abbey-island of Mont Saint-Michel, iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site and 2017 FHS Grant recipient. We will intimately explore its magnificent abbey and take in the views from its soaring ramparts.

Tuesday, October 15th - Day 2: Saint Malo & Mont Saint-Michel

Chairman’s Circle TripBrittany : History and Legends

Wednesday, October 16th - Day 3: Fort La Latte & Côtes d’Armor

We will be welcomed in the Côtes d’Armor, where timeless villages meet breathtaking pink limestone cliffs and idyllic fishing harbors. Southwest of the Cap Fréhel peninsula, with its spectacular headland offering incredible views over the Emerald Coast and the Channel Islands, we will visit Fort La Latte, listed as a Monument Historique since 1931. This impressive fortress overlooking the sea is the most visited Château in Brittany. The day will end on a high culinary note, as we will be greeted for an exquisite dinner at the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Coquillage. Housed in the Château de Richeux by the Famille Roellinger, Le Coquillage features refined selections from the sea and the land, inspired by the rich Breton gastronomic heritage.

Thursday, October 17th - Day 4: Explore Medieval Times

We will rediscover Medieval times with an enchanting visit of the Château de Josselin, a fairytale Flamboyant Gothic castle and 2009 FHS Grant recipient. In Vannes, we will explore the medieval old town with its 15th and 16th-century half-timbered houses. Our travels will also lead us to the Château de l’Hermine, former residence of the Dukes of Brittany, where Francis I, King of France, stayed in the 16th century.

Friday, October 18th - Day 5: Celtic Heritage, Myths & Legends

Our last day in Brittany will trace Celtic heritage, myths and legends. We will begin with a visit of Gavrinis Cairn, dubbed the “Sistine Chapel of the megaliths”, on the Isle of Goats, exclusively open for our group, allowing us to discover a megalithic masterpiece dating back to the 4th century BC. We will also enjoy a private visit of the extraordinary prehistoric site of Carnac, comprised of three alignment groups, Ménec, Kermario and Kerlescan, which feature an incredible 3,000 standing stones. Our day of visits will end with the 17th-century Port-Louis Citadel and its Musée de la Compagnie des Indes et de la Marine, which displays the illustrious history of the French East India Company. To conclude our journey, we will enjoy an unforgettable dinner under the Breton flag at Avel Vor, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Port-Louis.

Josselin Château Carnac

Over the past 37 years, our generous supporters have helped us fulfill our three parallel missions – to preserve historic French architecture in France and the United States, to organize educational exchanges between

our two countries and to promote French-American friendship.

Preservation

In 2018, French Heritage Society raised over $865,000 in support of 21 restoration and cultural grants in the United States and in France.

To date, we have awarded nearly 590 restoration grants.

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In 2018, 31 French and American students crossed the Atlantic to pursue internships and training programs in the field of historic preservation as part of our Student Exchange Program. Since the program’s inception, nearly 480 students have benefitted from internships in esteemed

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Our dynamic network includes 11 chapters across the United States and one in Paris. Each chapter presents diverse programming that raises critical funds for restoration and cultural grants. Collectively, they

organize over 50 events and programs each year.

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