Tucked away in inland Brittany, La Gacilly is a village where art lives on every corner, from metalwork poppies climbing stone walls to a Michelin Green Star restaurant celebrating the land. A place that truly deserves the detour.
La Gacilly is one of those rare villages that stops you in your tracks. Tucked away in the Morbihan countryside, roughly an hour from Rennes and 50 minutes from Vannes, this small Breton gem has quietly become one of the most creatively rich destinations in Western France. I recently spent a day wandering its flower-lined streets, and I came back genuinely moved.
This is not the Brittany of dramatic coastlines and windswept cliffs. This is inland Brittany at its most poetic, stone cottages draped in wisteria, narrow lanes opening onto hidden gardens, and a creative energy that hums through every workshop and gallery. If you think you know Brittany, La Gacilly will make you think again.
Spring in La Gacilly, flower-lined streets invite you to slow down and wander
Where Art Lives on Every Corner
La Gacilly has long been a home for artists and craftspeople, and that spirit is alive and thriving. Walking through the village, you encounter art at every turn, not in sterile galleries, but woven into the fabric of daily life.
Handcrafted metal poppies climb the stone facade of an artisan’s workshop, art and architecture inseparable
Benjamin, Goldsmith Turned Sculptor
During my visit, I discovered Benjamin, a goldsmith by training who has evolved into something altogether harder to categorize. A true poet in both heart and medium, Benjamin creates jewellery and sculptures from recycled steel and antique coins, transforming discarded matter into objects of quiet beauty and remarkable originality. Some of his techniques are, by his own account, unique in the world, and I believe it. Standing in front of his work, you feel the weight of time, material, and intention all at once. I left with two pieces, and I suspect I will be back for more.
One of Benjamin’s striking recycled steel sculptures, a figure brought to life from discarded metal and mechanical parts
An artistic lamp crafted by Benjamin, where recycled metal becomes functional art
One of La Gacilly’s many artisan studios, sculpture, metalwork, glass, and more
Hermine Goutelette, Handcrafted Bags and Linen Creations
I also had the pleasure of meeting Hermine Goutelette, a talented seamstress who crafts one-of-a-kind handbags, crossbody bags, and tote bags entirely by hand. Each piece is unique, assembled from carefully chosen fabrics with a distinctive patchwork style that is instantly recognizable. But Hermine’s work goes well beyond bags. She also creates weatherproof coats built to last a lifetime, elegant linen scarves and clothing, all made right here in Brittany. Nothing is mass-produced, nothing is replicated. If you visit her workshop, you will know immediately that what you are holding is genuinely singular.
A handmade crossbody bag by Hermine Goutelette, each one unique with its own character
Hermine’s signature patchwork tote bags, crafted from carefully assembled fabrics, functional art you can carry every day
A linen scarf by Hermine Goutelette, soft, natural, and finished with a hand-selected floral trim
Metal art adorns walls throughout the village, whimsical, poetic, unmistakably handmade
The village is home to glassblowers, potters, leather workers, painters, and jewellers, each working from their own atelier along the winding lanes. This is exactly the kind of encounter La Gacilly offers if you slow down enough to notice.
Verre Soufflé, one of the many artisan signs that beckon you inside
The Festival Photo La Gacilly: A Gallery Without Walls
Every summer, La Gacilly transforms into what may be the most accessible open-air photography festival in Europe. Now in its 23rd edition, the Festival Photo La Gacilly runs from June 1 to October 4, 2026, and draws over 310,000 visitors each year. Entry is entirely free.
The 2026 edition is titled “Photography, a French Adventure,” celebrating 200 years of the medium with works by photographers including Nadar, Raymond Depardon, Sebastiao Salgado, Willy Ronis, Vincent Munier, Pierre et Gilles, and many others. Giant-format prints hang in gardens, along village walls, and down narrow lanes, creating an immersive experience that feels nothing like a traditional museum.
The festival was founded in 2004 by Jacques Rocher, and its guiding philosophy has always been the same: to make photography, and the questions it asks about our world and our environment, accessible to everyone, at no cost. Walking through La Gacilly during the festival season is an experience unlike any other in Brittany.
The Yves Rocher Botanical Garden
La Gacilly is the birthplace of Yves Rocher, and the Maison Yves Rocher has long been woven into the fabric of the village.
“It was here, in the attic, that Monsieur Yves Rocher created his first plant-based cream in 1959”
It was in 1959, in the attic of a modest stone house, that a young Yves Rocher formulated his first plant-based cosmetic cream, an act of quiet innovation that would eventually grow into one of the world’s leading botanical beauty brands. That founding spirit of working with nature, not against it, remains deeply embedded in everything that bears his name in this village.
Botanical beauty is everywhere in La Gacilly, from cultivated gardens to wild hedgerows
The botanical garden, set on the hillside above the town, spreads across more than two hectares and gathers over 1,500 plant species, from medicinal herbs to cosmetic plants to rare botanicals from around the world. It is a place of genuine beauty and serious biodiversity, and it pairs naturally with a visit to the immersive Yves Rocher museum and vegetarian restaurant just below in the village center.
The Yves Rocher Botanical Garden, over 1,500 species across two hectares of living biodiversity
La Gree des Landes: Luxury with a Conscience
Perched on a hill at the edge of La Gacilly, La Gree des Landes is the four-star eco-hotel and spa of the Yves Rocher group, and it is quite simply one of the most thoughtfully conceived hotels in Brittany. Every detail, from the sustainably sourced oak-paneled rooms with private terraces to the solar-powered infrastructure and green rooftops, reflects a genuine commitment to living lightly on the land.
The view from Les Jardins Sauvages, where the kitchen garden meets the Breton countryside
Les Jardins Sauvages: A Michelin Green Star Experience
The restaurant, Les Jardins Sauvages, holds a Michelin Green Star, awarded for its outstanding commitment to sustainability. Chef Anthony Le Fur works closely with local organic producers and the hotel’s own kitchen garden to create a menu that changes with the seasons and celebrates the Breton landscape on the plate.
The lounge bar at Les Jardins Sauvages, refined, warm, and unmistakably rooted in nature
I have had the pleasure of lunching there, and the experience is one I still think about. Each dish is a small work of art that tells a story about the land it came from.
Garden beetroot, a dish as visually stunning as it is deeply flavored
Seasonal starter, local ingredients elevated with precision and creativity
Dessert at Les Jardins Sauvages, where Breton terroir meets pastry artistry
I have not yet had the pleasure of spending a night at La Gree des Landes, but that is a situation I fully intend to remedy, and soon. Sitting in the lounge bar with a view over the garden as the evening settles in, it is not hard to understand why guests return again and again.
Plan Your Visit
La Gacilly is easy to pair with a broader itinerary through southern Brittany. It sits within easy reach of the Broceliande forest, Rochefort-en-Terre (one of France’s most beautiful villages), the Carnac megalithic sites, and the Gulf of Morbihan. Together, these destinations paint a picture of a Brittany that most foreign visitors never discover, one of enchanted forests, artistic villages, ancient mysteries, and refined gastronomy.
Getting There
- From Rennes: approximately 1 hour by car
- From Vannes: approximately 50 minutes
- From Saint-Malo: approximately 1.5 hours
- From Nantes: approximately 1.5 hours
Best Time to Visit
- June to October for the Festival Photo (free entry)
- Spring for the botanical garden in bloom
- Year-round for artisan workshops and Les Jardins Sauvages
If you are travelling with BELLIDAYS, I would be delighted to build a curated day or multi-day circuit around this part of the region, combining cultural highlights, artisan encounters, and the kind of authentic Breton atmosphere that photographs simply cannot capture.
Come and see it for yourself.
Planning a trip to inland Brittany? Contact Bellidays for a private, tailor-made itinerary that includes La Gacilly and the hidden gems of southern Brittany.
