Sometimes, the slow way is best.  A strange statement to come from people focussed on providing the most exciting grand tours to owners of sports cars and grand tourers, perhaps.  But it’s true.

 

Because let’s be realistic.  While our grand tours are absolutely epic experiences which live large in the mind for years afterwards, sometimes it’s nice to just slow things down, and take the more relaxed road for a while.

 

This is the thinking which, in 2024, led us to launch the Brittany Steers.  This tour of picturesque northwest France is designed for those classic cars in which undertaking our longer trips would be a chore, as well as those people who prefer a slower pace of holiday, with less driving involved.  In short, while it’s designed for classics such as Minis, MGs and Mercedes W123s, it’s open to anyone who fancies a relaxing week away, covering a chilled-out average somewhere south of 100 miles a day.  We're talking Fiat Panda perfection; Hillman Imp Heaven, a Lotus Elan's elation.  And naturally, TVRs are still most welcome – they won’t even have to keep the noise down, so feel free to leave those cats off.

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So, where are we heading on this trip?  Well, I’m sure you’ll have figured that one out already – the Brittany Steers follows a lap of the pretty coastline of Brittany, with a slither of Normandy thrown in for good measure.  In 2025, we’re planning to follow a similar route to the 2024 event, taking a ferry out from Poole to Cherbourg on Saturday 30th August, before returning on the following Saturday.  But hidden within that summary, there are some pretty compelling places to visit.  And naturally, because we’d hate to be predictable, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that it all kicks off in Normandy, rather than Brittany. 

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Starting the trip in Cherbourg means that you can begin the drive with a mixture of all that Cherbourg’s Cotentin Peninsula has to offer, from the Titanic exhibition in the vast ‘Cite de la Mer’ to the endless golden beaches around Granville; from D-day museums to the hulking great icon that is Mont St Michel.  And that’s all before we even reach Brittany.  Once we do, the interest just keeps on coming.  There are the U-boat pens and the chance to tour a submarine in St-Nazaire.  There's Europe’s best car museum, just outside Rennes, and pretty towns and villages, from Dinan to Pont-Aven.  You can plan on visiting the rugged rock formations of the Pink Granite Coast and the wild vistas of Finnistere, as well as tasting the wonderfully fresh seafood of Camaret, climbing the medieval ramparts of Vannes and gazing upon the sweeps of Neolithic standing stones at Carmac.  And plenty more besides.  If you’ve already been on a Pub2Pub trip, you’ll know the level of research we put into the itineraries, and we’ve kept the tradition going for the Brittany Steers – you can expect a wide variety of interesting options for each day on the road, through which you’ll be able to shape the trip into your perfect Brittany exploration.

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But while all the above might sound great, the real beauty of the Brittany Steers is the relaxed slowness of it all - you can shape it into exactly the holiday you’ve been craving.  Start the day late if you wish, or stop off at that beach for the afternoon if you fancy it.  Pull over at that café for a bit, or stroll around that village or market for an hour or two.  The low mileages mean you’ll be free to enjoy your immersion into French life in the most relaxed way possible.

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Appetite whetted?  The 2025 Brittany Steers will be taking place between 30th August and the 06th September, and we’ve set entry to the 2025 event at a rather reasonable £1,425.  This includes the channel crossings (provisionally Poole-Cherbourg outbound, St-Malo to Portsmouth return), all hotels, a buffet breakfast every morning, the full itinerary, and on-the-road support from Pub2Pub’s support car, which will be coming along loaded with tools and spare parts, to assist if you have any on-the-road issues.  You'll also get the loan of a two-way radio to stay in touch with your fellow Brittany Steerers while on the road, full Google navigation instructions, a trip sticker pack and, of course, the camaraderie and future friends which are a standard part of every Pub2Pub trip.  We throw that bit in for free, in fact.

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If you’ll already be on the continent, and you’d like to join the fun without the channel crossings, you’re welcome too – the more the merrier, and you’ll get to take £200 off the entry price as well.

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So, if you’re tempted by a chilled eight day tour of France’s less-peopled version of Cornwall, drop us an email at ben@pub2pubadventures.com, and we’ll reserve you a place on the trip.

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Here’s a summary of what to expect:

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Dates -             30th August to 06th September 2025

Duration -        Eight days, seven nights

Distance -        Expect to cover around 600 miles on the continent, depending on your chosen route

Eligibility -       The Brittany Steers is open to all classic and enthusiast cars – in short, if your vehicle would fit in at a ‘cars and coffee’ event, it will fit in here.

Price -              The £1,425 entry fee covers event entry for one car, occupied by either one or two people.