Fort La Latte in Brittany France

We are always up to visit a good castle. Little did we know when we set our sights on Fort La Latte that we would be stepping into our children’s dream castle. Fort La Latte has two draw bridges, secret passageways and plenty of space to run around — the perfect stop on our RV adventure.

As usual, we were up and out earlier then most things are open. This is when we typically set our sights on outdoor options. Cap Frehel is home to two lighthouses. It is an easy walk from the parking lot to check them out. The taller one (98ft) was built in 1950, while the smaller one is no longer in use. We arrived before the lighthouse was open and spent the time exploring the terrain and looking out over the ocean.

We moved the RV to the Fort La Latte parking lot and started the long walk down to the castle. We brought the stroller as the middle little is a notoriously slow walker. The dirt path easily accommodated the stroller and we parked it once we were inside the fort while exploring the more treacherous terrain.

The admission booth is at the very end of the long dirt road. (Check here for current admission fee.)

The best dad in the world let the kids mess around capturing him and locking him up in the stockade outside the castle walls. The boys were so geared up for the castle after pretending to capture Jeff that we knew we were in for a great visit.

The first draw bridge takes you over a deep crevasse in the rock and into the castle gardens. This area stood between the two drawbridges, making it possible to trap the enemy. The cable and counterweight of the first drawbridge are in full working order.

The first courtyard is now a lovely garden for the castle’s occupants. (Yep, it is still occupied!) You’ll need to cross the second draw bridge to get into the actual castle.

A round tower – the keep – dominates the center of the castle. You can enter and explore this tower, including heading onto the roof. (See Jeff and our middle little up there!) The tower has a main staircase, but also has several secret passageways that run between the archer’s seats. The Big Little was in his own world by this point and I gladly joined in; We ran through the passageways looking for oncoming armies and navies.

The windows of the tower provide the best views of the surrounding landscape. We were able to see the lighthouses we had visited earlier in the day.

The most spectacular views, though, were back at the castle grounds. You could see how this fortress, perched on the rocky outcrop, provided a perfect defensible position.

The coastal landscape in this part of France only adds to the storybook characteristics. Fort La Latte actually featured a false door. From the sea it appears to be the entrance to the castle. As ships would approach they would encounter unpredictable currents that would wreck the ship on the rocky shore.

The current occupants maintain an incredible garden, true to what may have been here originally.

Our big little was absolutely enthralled. He soaked up every moment here. Passerby’s were happy to participate in his game. He stood watch while I read signs and called orders to other archers and knights.

 

Fort La Latte on its own is an outstanding stop. The restaurant in its parking lot made this an amazing stop. La Petit Gallet has a great selection of delicious food. Trip Advisor reviews suggest you will need a reservation, so we must have just gotten lucky. We were there when it opened and the place was full when we left.

 

The boys both chose savory crepes with honey, nuts, and butter. La Petit Gallet even had fun placemats full of activities for the kids, colored pencils, and a high chairs.

Everything we ordered was amazing. Just look how tasty our salad looked. Everything was fresh and the staff was incredibly nice!

We headed south to our favorite France Passion stay of the trip: Chateau de Coing in Saint Fiacre. They are new to France Passion and we had the place entirely to ourselves in the evening- it was lovely.

We hit the tasting room before they closed and were able to sample some of the amazing wine produced here. In the back room, we peeked into the shop to see them actively corking bottles – fascinating! We bought a case of wine to bring back and enjoy at home.

The estate was undergoing renovations when we were there. Although the estate is already a popular wedding location, they are making many improvements to increase the useable space. We were literally able to walk through the vines here and enjoy the beautiful property. Even if you’re not with France Passion, it would be worth a visit to taste the wines.

If your looking for more activities in Brittany, check out Mini Travellers post about Belle-Ile off the coast of Brittany.

This post is linked up with: