The region, a large finger of north-west France pointing out into the Atlantic, has many similarities to that extreme peninsula of our own, Cornwall, and indeed, Brittany has an area called Cornouaille on its south coast. Celtic traditions are strong here, too, as they are not only in Cornwall, but Wales, Ireland and Galicia in north-west Spain. In addition, they all have strong links with the sea, and have similar rugged coastlines and granite landscapes.

Visitors sailing directly to Brittany will arrive in either St Malo, providing access to eastern Brittany, or Roscoff in the west. St Malo, a former city of corsairs, is a wonderful walled town which, unbelievably, was virtually flattened by allied bombardments during the second world war, but was rebuilt in its original medieval style. Don't rush on, if you arrive here, because there's much to explore and there are some delightful restaurants to choose from just inside the walls. There are some super beaches, too. If you want to stay a while try the four-star Camping Le P'tit Bois just south of the town near St Jouan-des-Guérets.

To the east Cancale is a quiet seaside village famous for its oyster beds - if seafood is your thing, then don't miss the restaurants here. Across the bay, you'll just be able to make out Mont St Michel. One of the most famous sights in France outside Paris, it is actually in Normandy, but since you're so close it would be a shame to miss this island town looked over by its abbey. A handy campsite for covering much of this area is the four-star Camping Domaine des Ormes near Dol-de-Bretagne.

To the south is Brittany's capital, Rennes, which has successfully juxtaposed the modern with the medieval streets and squares around the cathedral. The Thabor Gardens are a must, too, while you're here. North and east of Rennes, there's a ring of medieval towns all beautifully restored and dominated by fortresses. Dinan occupies a remarkable site on a plateau high above the river Rance. Its ramparts are virtually intact and its main square has a statue of a hero of the Hundred Years War, Bertrand de Guesclin, looking suitably fearsome on horseback. The de Guesclin family also owned the castle at nearby Combourg, its pepperpot towers looking out over a dark pool. In later years, the great romantic writer Chateaubriand lived there for a while. Farther east, Fougères, has one of the largest fortresses in Europe, with no fewer than 13 large towers standing on a rocky promontory protected by a loop in the River Mançon. Despite that, though, history declares it wasn't as impregnable as it looks. To the south, Vitré, again overlooked by a large fortress, is said to be the best preserved medieval town in Brittany, with many of its streets looking much as they did 400 or 500 years ago.

If you take the road west of Rennes to Ploërmel, you'll pass close to the Forest of Paimpont or the mysterious Forêt de Brocéliande of Arthurian legend. The tales of King Arthur are just as strong in Brittany as they are in Cornwall, and it was in the forest here that Merlin and the fairy Viviane are said to have lived. There are some lovely walks through the forest and to some of the higher points, plus a couple of minor chateaux. To get closer to the atmosphere try staying at the two-star Camping Municipal Paimpont-Brocéliande near Paimpont. Beyond the forest, Josselin is another picturesque medieval town, with a fortress reflected in the waters of the river.

 Along the coast west of St Malo there are numerous attractive holiday resorts. Dinard, across the River Rance from St Malo, has always drawn British holidaymakers in large numbers because of its leafy setting, with fine sandy beaches overlooked by grand villas. Farther on, St Cast-le-Guildo and Erquy are more low-key family resorts. Between the two, Fort La Latte, perched on a headland, has commanding views of the coast. From St Quay-Portrieux you can take a boat out to the Ile de Bréhat.

As you continue west you'll notice the rocks take on a pinkish hue. This is the Côte de Granit Rose and its best known resort is Perros-Guirec. On a small peninsula of its own, it has some fine beaches, plus a casino and a thalassotherapy (seawater treatment) centre. Take a walk along the coastal path and you'll not only see the strong colours of the rocks, but also their fantastic shapes which lead to many of them having names like Napoleon's Hat, the Death's Head, the Corkscrew... An attractive campsite with direct access to this coast is Camping Le Ranolien at Ploumanac'h.

From here all roads lead a little inland to Morlaix, a quite pretty town overshadowed by a huge viaduct. Head north and you come to the coast again, with St Pol de Leon, which has a fine cathedral (and a nice three-star site, Camping Ar Kleguer, by the beach) and, farther on, Roscoff, which is a holiday resort as well as ferry port.

Farther on the coast is indented with inlets, where small villages shelter. Some are small resorts, some fishing ports, others sailing resorts, but all are a major contrast to Brest, one of France's main naval ports, sheltering on its own inlet. Not surprisingly, there's an interesting maritime museum, but more attractive to visitors is Océanopolis, an amazing insight into the earth's undersea world.

East of Brest lies the Armorica Regional Nature Park, a wild landscape of bogs with granite outcrops sometimes shrouded in mist. This is where Brittany reaches its heights, a little more than 1200ft above sea level, and on a clear day the views are superb. Habitation is quite scattered here, but to the north, there are some interesting villages famous for their parish closes. These special features of Brittany are attached to a church and the best comprise an ornamental grouping of a calvary, an ossuary and a triumphal arch. Most were built in the 16th and 17th centuries and villages competed to build the best which is why they tend to be so ornate. Two of the best are at St Thégonnec and Guimiliau and there's another good one at Pleyben, but there are others at Lampaul-Guimiliau, Plougastel-Daoulas, Commana and Sizun.

Farther south, Locronan is a lovely granite village with old houses grouped around the square, while not far away on the coast is Douarnenez, a fishing port with colourful quays and an unusual floating museum with numerous historic boats moored in the harbour. There's also a choice of campsites. Continue west and you come to the Pointe du Raz, where Atlantic waves crash noisily against the jagged cliffs. To see it at its most awesome, go there on a stormy day.

For more sheltered spots, though, head east again to the resorts south of Quimper. Most popular of these is pretty Bénodet in its verdant setting (there are several campsites of which the best known is the top-rated Camping de la Pointe Saint-Gilles), but if you're looking for something a little quieter try Loctudy or Beg-Meil. Quimper itself is a big town a little inland and is well worth a visit, especially when the Festival of Cornouaille takes place towards the end of July. The biggest event of its kind in Europe, it is dedicated to popular arts and traditions. Locals dress in their best Breton garb, the women wearing their coiffes, the distinctive lace head-dresses of the region, and there is much waving of flags and banners, music from bagpipes, bombard and harp, and reciting of poetry in the Breton language.

Farther east along the coast is Concarneau, one of France's largest fishing ports, but it also has a fascinating walled town on an island in the harbour, linked to the main town by a footbridge and a ferry. Narrow streets lead throughout the island and you can walk around the ramparts for views over the harbour.

Pont-Aven is the next main centre and lies in a rocky river location which for many years has attracted artists. The most famous of those was Paul Gauguin who, in 1888 founded the Pont-Aven School in rejection of the Impressionist movement which was flourishing at that time.

Next comes the prettily situated Quimperlé, followed by the modern sprawl of Lorient and, across the Blavet estuary, Port-Louis, named in honour of King Louis XIII. These days it is a small fishing port and quiet resort, but hard to avoid is the huge citadel which guards the harbour. Built in the 16th century it contains several museums with a nautical flavour.

One of the most famous sights in southern Brittany is the Carnac alignments, where up to 3,000 standing stones, some as much as 12ft high, parade in rows on sandy heathland to the north of Carnac. There are a number of dolmens and tumuli in the area too. If that is all too dusty for you, then there are fabulous beaches (and plenty of attendant campsites) at Carnac-Plage, along the Quiberon Peninsula and at La Trinité-sur-Mer, also renowned as something of a sailing centre. Off the southern tip of Quiberon lies the largest island off the Breton coast, Belle-Ile, which is 11 miles long and up to six miles wide, a kind of Brittany in miniature. Small cars are allowed but a more enjoyable way to see the island is to cycle, either taking your own or hiring when you arrive.

Another interesting area on the mainland is the Gulf of Morbihan, a large and almost enclosed inlet. Two of the most important towns with access to the gulf are Auray and Vannes, which both have attractive old quarters. The best way to see the gulf, which is dotted with islands, some of which can be visited, is by boat and trips are possible from both these towns.

At towns like La Roche-Bernard and Redon you come close to the official administrative border of Brittany, but the Breton character, both of the population and the landscape, extends much farther south to the Loire estuary and beyond. South of La Roche-Bernard are charming fishing ports such as Piriac, La Turballe, Le Croisic and Le Pouliguen, but there is also the major resort of La Baule, with its miles of sugar soft sands, warm sea and fashionable shops and restaurants which help give it the air of a chic Mediterranean resort. Inland, Guèrande, a delightful walled town, is worth exploring and there is some unusual scenery nearby in the form of salt-marshes and the Brière Nature Park. At the mouth of the Loire, St Nazaire is a major port, where some of the largest cruise ships in the world were built. There is, of course, a maritime museum, which displays some of the luxuries enjoyed on board liners of yesteryear.