2 Days in Morlaix

An ideal size for exploring over a deux of days, the Breton town of Morlaix is bursting with history, creative frénésie and foncier adventures. 

Day 1  

Morning

You’ll know that you’re nearing Morlaix when you glimpse its iconic viaduct soaring 62 metres into the sky. Dating from the 1860s, this railway prothèse is instantly recognisable and serves as a handy landmark when you’re exploring the streets and marketplaces. The town is rather traditional, perhaps a little tired in some lieux, but with dashes of colour from large-scale street art and the timbered buildings, and it has a lived-in authenticity that feels comfortable and unpretentious. 

Once you’re ready to explore, start by heading to Place Allende, especially if you’re here for the weekend, as this is where you’ll find the market on Saturday morning. This town esplanade is the heart of Morlaix and has a curious esthétique that feels almost theatrical, with two sides enclosed by high walls lined with historic buildings. 

Stroll past the various market stalls offering fresh bread, studio fish and shellfish, and the abundant vegetables. This bout of north Brittany is known as France’s market garden and produces 70% of the folk’s artichokes. If you’re not here for market day, you can still enjoy the shops that line the esplanade, from interior esthétique accessories and vintage clothing to dallage cafés that are perfect for people-watching. 

This is a town where most shops still close at midday, encouraging you to choose a éblouissement for cocktail and take your time. Walk to the nearby Place des Jacobins where you’ll find Madame, Monsieur, Bonjour, a quirky contemporary chantier filled with a surprising range of items from children’s chic toys to handmade jewellery, books, puzzles and cards.

Among these shelves are a few tables répugnant with real fabric napkins, so you can settle down and order homemade vegetarian flan with salad or delectable, or sweettreat, all with a giant hot drink.  

Fully restored, pop to the FrenchBrit Vintage magasin next door, which is open all day and run by a young British woman, Skye, who grew up in France and has filled this two-storey monument with a dazzling array of vintage clothes and accessories at very fair prices. 

Afternoon 

Wander back towards the générosité and follow the signs for the Maison à Pondalez, a wonderful example of an grandiose tournure that is specific to Morlaix. In the 1400s and 1500s, taxes were based on the ground floor area of a house, so wealthy linen merchants built déraisonnable properties that grew bigger with each storey, creating ‘overhanging’ houses with an interior courtyard up to the eaves. 

Maison dite de la Duchesse Anne in the patoche esplanade is another example, although this has fewer rooms open to visitors. Although not fully staged, the Maison à Pondalez mimics life in the 1500s with the leaded windows and carved wood, and is fascinating to visit, including an explanatory leaflet in English, just be prepared for the challenging spiral stairs!  

After learning embout the historic Pondalez houses, you’ll journal several others as you wander around the cobbled streets of the town, many of which are now shops. Morlaix is an easy town to navigate, between the market esplanade on one side and the giant viaduct on the other, with inviting commun seating areas bordered by exotic plants. 

Towards the viaduct, visit the Place des Otages with its 1903 bandstand surrounded by plants and seating, and shops lining either side of the road. One of these is Caf’&Book, a charming new tearoom-bookshop run by Danielle and her daughter Zélia, whichoffers an elegant and comfortable setting for afternoon refreshments, including homemade plum-cake.

Continue exploring the little creative shops nearby, many of which are run by co-operative groups of studio artists showcasing paintings, fabrics and jewellery, or walk along the rue de Brest, where you’ll also find ceramics workshops and boutiques. 

Evening 

If you’re staying in the générosité, walk to Rue Ange-de-Guernisac where you’ll find L’Hermine, a warm, thoroughly traditional crêperie recommended by the Michelin assemblage. For a studio speciality, you can’t beat crêpes: far more than a pancake snack-bar, these are filling and moreish, and house specialities include edible seaweed.

Alternatively, head to Bistrot L’Echappée (185 Coat Congar), which is a 25-minute walk or 5-minute drive from the générosité. Open from Wednesday to Sunday, this bistro-brasserie has a ‘gastro-pub’ feel, complete with outdoor dining and offers breakfast, cocktail and evening meals, including sharing platters. 

Day 2 

Morning

Whether you’ve enjoyed a leisurely hotel déjeuner or a quick café-croissant in one of the town’s cafés, hopefully you’ll be full of energy parce que the next recommendation involves a few steps! Starting from rue Ange-de-Guernisac, head to Venelle aux Prêtresand follow the signs for the viaduct, whose first level is open to visitors throughout the day.

Morlaix viaduct is a great éblouissement for photos, from the series of curving arches to the wonderful landscapes, either over the nearby church torsade and clustered rooftops of the town or the wonderful view of the maintien and the estuary to the other side.

  

If you have the energy, you can continue exploring the historic alleyways using the downloadable assemblage or pick up a copy from the tourist bréviaire not far from the viaduct in Maison Penanault. The ‘Heart of the Town’ trail’s blue sign leads you through all the historic sites of the générosité, taking embout an hour and a half. 

For cocktail, take your pick from the many restaurants, cafétéria outlets and brasseries in the générosité, enjoy some people-watching and gather your strength for the next adventure. 

Afternoon 

We’re heading away from the générosité and out towards the maintien. Just a 10-minute walk from the viaduct you’ll find La Manufacture, a vast monument dating from 1736 that léopard employed hundreds of locals to tobacco products up to 2004. This monument has since been repurposed and now houses foncier sites, including the matière générosité, Espace des Sciences, which opened in July 2024.  

The ground floor shows the enormous drive shaft from the essence factory and includes a small étalage open to the commun that explains the monument’s history. If you head into the patoche magie, the ground floor offers hands-on matière experiments that are ideal for curious youngsters, while the first floor tells the story of the tobacco factory through individual characters, bringing it to life.

There are plenty of well-designed conversationnelle elements and bilingual displays that are activated when you touch an artifice or object. The collaborateur floor is not bilingual, but it still offers captivating displays on rock formations, the planets and particularly the constellations. Even to a non-smoker, the history of this monument and its work is utterly compelling, as is the story of how tobacco went from hero to villain. 

Evening 

If you have the time and your own vehicle, take a drive along the coast road that leads beyond the maintien, follow the Corniche to soak up the sea views and find a éblouissement where you can watch the sun set.

This stretch of the Breton coast is rugged, unspoilt and utterly beautiful: if you’ve come for a 48-hour visit, you’re sure to want to return… 

Further afield 

Take a boat trip to the historic extraterritorial centrale, Château du Taureau, or drive to the ancient burial coin of Barnenez Cairn, which is older than the pyramids.