Côtes-d’Armor guide
An insider’s guide to Côtes-d’Armor in Brittany, including the main attractions to visit on holiday, the best towns and villages to live in, and buying property in Côtes-d’Armor.
Originally known as Côtes du Nord until it was renamed in 1990, the department of Côtes-d’Armor was created during the French Revolution. Located in northern Brittany, the department is known for its colourful coastline and charming historic towns.
Getting to Côtes-d’Armor
Plane: There are regular flights from the UK to Dinard airport which is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes away when travelling by car.
Train: Take the Eurostar to Paris and TGV to Rennes, and then take the regional services to St-Brieuc.
Ferry: Brittany has ferry ports at St-Malo and Roscoff.
Places to visit in Côtes-d’Armor
St-Brieuc: Twinned with Aberystwyth in Wales, the town is named after the Welsh monk Saint Briocus, who evangelised the region in the 6th century and established an oratory in the town. Located near the English Channel the town is part of the Bay of St-Brieuc, a nature reserve that is a bird watcher’s paradise and has the fifth highest tidal range in the world.
Moncontour: The medieval Moncontour sits on a hilltop south of the capital and it is the only Plus Beau Village in the department. Amongst the beautiful town houses that adorn the village, the Eglise St-Mathurin is at the heart of the community and it dates back as far as the 16th century.
Dinan: The quintessence of a fortified Breton town, Dinan has cobbled streets lined with tightly packed, half-timbered buildings. Its ramparts are still in place and the town celebrates its medieval past with the annual Fête des Remparts in July.
Things to do in Côtes-d’Armor
Beaches: Côtes-d’Armor has a long coastline include the Côte de Granit Rose (pink granite coast) which takes its name from the distinctive dusky pink hue of the rocks, and the Côte Emeraude (emerald coast) named after the bright green colour of the sea. The most striking beach is at Ploumanac’h, where there are not only pretty views of the sea, the pink granite rocks and the romantic Château de Costaérès but also curiosities, such as Saint Guirec in his beach oratory, surrounded by water at high tide.
Food: Try the world-famous Breton crêpes as well as the more savoury galettes made from buckwheat flour. Seafood and scallops, particularly from St-Quay-Portrieux, are in plentiful supply too. For those with a sweet tooth, kouign-amann is a traditional Breton cake made from butter and sugar.
Property in Côtes-d’Armor
House prices in Côtes-d’Armor average at €122,000 which is €25,000 cheaper than the average house price in Brittany. The department is the cheapest in Brittany and it is divided into four sectors: Dinan, Guingamp, Lannion and St-Brieuc.
Dinan is the most expensive sector with the average house costing €140,000. Lannion and St-Brieuc are similarly priced and come in slightly lower at €130,000. Guingamp is the cheapest place to buy by quite a large margin and the average house price is €75,000.
If you’re looking for close proximity to the coast and a strong cultural identity, Côtes-d’Armor is a brilliant place to buy property.
You can find properties for sale in Côtes-d’Armor on France Property Shop. If you’d like a little more detail about the department, you can read more here.
For more on the French departments, visit:
For region guides, visit:
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