| Though on the whole the exposed southwestern extremities of Brittany are not areas you'd immediately associate with a classic summer sun-and-sand holiday, AUDIERNE, 25km west of Douarnenez on the Bay of Audierne, is an exception. An active fishing port, specializing in prawns and crayfish, it spreads along the northern shore of the Goyen estuary a short way back from the sea. At the inland end of town, a new aquarium holds tankfuls of mostly local fish, captioned as ever with the stress on gastronomy – "the flesh is firm and much enjoyed" – and captive cormorants and gulls put on regular aerobatic displays (April to mid-Sept daily 10am–7pm, €10.50, under-15s €7.50; mid-Sept to early Jan, Feb & March daily except Fri & Sat 2–5pm, adults €9, under-15s €6). From the town centre, the road continues just over 1km to the long, curving and surprisingly sheltered beach of Ste-Evette. Audierne's tourist office is on the main square in the heart of town, at 8 rue Victor-Hugo (July & Aug Mon–Sat 9am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Sat 9.30am–noon & 2–6pm; tel 02.98.70.12.20). On the seaward side of the road, in a superb position right at Ste-Evette beach, stands the hotel Au Roi Gradlon, 3 bd Manu-Brusq (tel 02.98.70.04.51, www.auroigradlon.com; €40–55; closed mid-Dec to Jan). Its unusual design means that its high-quality street-level dining room is in fact on the top storey, with several further floors, concealed from the road, dropping down below it to the beach.
| 
