There are a variety of great activities that can be enjoyed in the surrounding area. For those requiring the peace and tranquillity of rural France, the surrounding area is perfect for walking, cycling and many other countryside pursuits. St-Nicholas-du-Tertre even has its own communal forest (Bois de Grisan)! The nearest large supermarket is SuperU at Carentoir, which is approximately 10 minutes by car. Carentoir also boasts a man-made beach area and lake, which is very popular with the local population during the summer. There are lovely walks and cycle paths around the lake and there is also a very good restaurant and hotel located in the grounds.
Although very rural, the cottage's central location, coupled with the very quiet Brittany roads, means that many interesting and historical sites are but a short drive away. The historic town of Malestroit can be reached in 20 minutes and boasts several good restaurants, as well as a number of supermarkets and an excellent street market held on Thursday mornings in the church square. Famed for its Museum of Brittany Resistance, the town is also a Cité Fleurie, which means that every summer the streets are decorated with beautiful floral displays.
La Gacilly (only 10 minutes away and another town full of flowers during the summer), is the home of the Yves Rocher beauty products company. Guided tours of the botanical garden are available, where many of the plants used in the products are grown. Just over the river (on which boat trips may be taken), is the famous Végétarian museum, where different natural environments from arid desert to tropical rain forest are created. The town is also famous for its artisan workshops, where the products of painters, sculptors and glass blowers can be viewed and purchased. Several excellent restaurants complete the scene and cater for all tastes, including oriental (Vietnamese).
A little further away may be found Rochefort-en-Terre, another delightful 'floral town' with a distinctive château and associated museum. Nearby is the Parc de Préhistoire at Malansac, which boasts life-size models of dinosaurs and depictions of early human civilisation.
For those wanting to visit a more spectacular château the one at Josselin is definitely in that category. With its riverside position and remarkable Renaissance architecture it truly dominates the skyline and is most people's idea of what a French château should look like. Josselin itself is a very picturesque town, with many medieval buildings dotted around the narrow streets.
Sandy beaches of the southern Brittany coast are less than 60 minutes ' drive from the cottage. There is a good road via Malestroit to Vannes, the main town on the Gulfe du Morbihan. If you want to venture further a field, there are lots of beautiful coastal towns and villages in the south, which are well worth a visit.
