An immersive photo festival in Brittany
For the past 5 years, I’ve made my yearly pilgrimage to a wonderful village in the middle of Brittany to witness the spectacular La Gacilly Photo Festival. The entire village is transformed into an open-air gallery where incredible photographs are blown up to cover entire buildings, walls, gardens and forests throughout the town. I can’t tell you how much fun it is to spend an entire morning or afternoon strolling through the narrow streets to take in some of the most inspiring visual imagery around.
Each year the festival introduces a theme and invites both well-known and budding photographers to display their works. Behind the collection of images are eye-opening stories of survival, humanity, culture, political unrest, climate change, and natural beauty. I’ve been introduced to some incredible artists I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Past years have included themes such as Le Plein Nord, Viva Latina, I Love Africa, La Terre en Questions, À L'est du Nouveau—typically focussed on a particular region of the world.
Amazingly, this festival is completely free and welcomes over 300,000 visitors annually between July and the end of October. It’s an ideal Covid-friendly activity as it’s totally outdoors. My best advice is to go on a week day and arrive early to avoid the afternoon crowds (it tends to get more crowded after lunch). It’s also nice to book your lunch in advance at one of the cute crêperies or restaurants that line the adorable paths. Or simply pack a picnic and eat on a bench along the lovely canal. There are also plenty of nice shops selling artisanal goods so be sure to stop in for some nice local souvenirs.
PRACTICAL INFO
Getting there from the larger cities of Nantes or Rennes is a little over an hour’s drive.
More practical travel info can be located here.
Restaurants can be found here. We like La Mauvaise Graine: 16 rue Lafayette - 56200 La Gacilly - 02 99 08 57 83
