France's Perfectly Preserved Port Town Is A Tourist-Free Medieval Gem With Markets, Festivals, & Cobbled Streets

Nestled on a curve of the River Auray, the town of Auray unfolds much like any other archetypal French village. It's got the usual pretty church, this one perched in the upper part of the town, storied cobbled streets, eventually opening, via a stroll across a 13th-century arched stone bridge to a delightful historic quay: the port of Saint-Goustan. The quay still has its medieval looks thanks to its half-timbered architecture, and there are attractive old fishermen's houses nearby, many of which can be let for extended stays. But just outside of town, there's Sainte-Anne d'Auray too, one of France's most important Catholic pilgrimage sites.

While much of Auray's appeal lies in its pretty quayside, the town has a charming warren of small streets paved with cobbles and slightly tipsy-looking houses draped with shrubs. There's a small collection of boutiques and galleries here, too, and a good collection of terraced restaurants. Throughout the year, there are produce markets that take over the small streets and squares, and in the summer months, there's a program of free music events, encompassing everything from rock and blues to world music.

If you want to go beyond Auray's postcard-pretty Brittany streets, then start with walks into the countryside or along the riverbank. Just outside the town, woodland trails and quiet country lanes lead through the Pays d'Auray, offering an effortless escape into nature. For cyclists, there are various local routes, including short circuits around the town, or ascents into the Tréauray Valley.

By day, Auray's quay hums with local life: terraces that spill out onto the old cobbled square filling with the scent of coffee, and small boats bobbing on the tide. In the evenings, the little quay takes on a more convivial atmosphere, with terraces filled with the clinking of wine glasses over dinner. Auray comes alive during market days, with the bustling Monday market taking over many of the town's streets with fragrant stalls stuffed full of cheeses, breads, and other local delicacies. On Fridays, there's a farmers market in Place Notre Dame outside the attractive Église Saint-Gildas.

There are a few good walks in the area, with the most accessible leading from the town up via the Les Rampes du Loc'h to a viewpoint where a castle once stood. It affords a beautiful view of the water below, but also over the rooftops and far into Brittany's idyllic countryside. But for something a little more challenging, there's a loop trail that takes walkers through the stunning Golfe du Morbihan Regional Nature Park, which you can join from the port of Saint-Goustan.

Auray's allure stretches beyond the town to the evocative Sainte‑Anne‑d'Auray, Brittany's most important pilgrimage site, which honors Saint Anne, Mary's mother and Jesus's grandmother, at the very place where, according to local legend, she appeared in the 17th century. Beyond the local tales, the 19th-century cathedral is stunning, with its wonderfully atmospheric cloisters and cavernous interiors filled with stained glass.

The closest international airport to Auray is the Nantes Atlantiques Airport in Nantes, a gorgeous French city that we think is similar to Paris, but with fewer crowds. From there, the journey to Auray takes around two hours and 20 minutes by bus from the airport in Nantes and then a train from Nantes to Auray. Despite being much further away, Paris is also a good option for onward journeys to Auray as it has a direct TGV train from Paris Montparnasse station, which takes around two hours and 53 minutes, providing a perfect opportunity to explore France's capital — a top-ranked destination for street-free solo travel. If you're an avid train traveller, you could also opt to connect to Paris by one of the scenic trains from European hubs like Amsterdam, London, and Geneva.

During the summer months, you can take a boat trip directly from Auray to the stunning Gulf of Morbihan, to see its lush constellation of small islands, the coasts of which are often lined with sailing boats and catamarans. And at the northern end of the Gulf of Morbihan is the delightful town of Vannes, a 10-minute train ride from Auray Station. The town is more than worth a day trip or more, if only to see its impressive historic ramparts, which today house a tranquil series of colorful gardens.

A highlight of Brittany is close by too, at Carnac, with its 3,000 megalithic stones (or menhirs, if you prefer) spread across numerous historic sites, which have often led to comparisons to Stonehenge. Stay in the area for a while, though, and you'll find stunning white sand beaches like Plage de Ty Bihan and delightful restaurants serving oysters plucked directly from the Bay of Quiberon.