Brittany's coast winds along northwestern France in a dramatic procession of granite cliffs, sheltered coves, and endless beaches, where ancient Celtic heritage combines with maritime traditions to create a distinct regional identity set apart from mainstream French culture. This jagged coastline stretching over 2,800 kilometers alternates between the wild, weather-beaten northern shore facing the English Channel and the more sheltered southern coast along the Bay of Biscay, each section offering distinctive landscapes and cultural experiences. The Pink Granite Coast near Perros-Guirec presents otherworldly rock formations glowing salmon-colored at sunset, while the Gulf of Morbihan creates a protected inland sea dotted with 42 islands, many accessible only by boat. Brittany's coastline preserves evidence of prehistoric human presence through imposing megalithic monuments like Carnac's extraordinary alignment of over 3,000 standing stones dating to 4500 BCE, the largest such collection in the world, while medieval heritage manifests through fortified towns such as Saint-Malo, whose massive ramparts once sheltered privateers (legal pirates) operating against English shipping. The coastal landscape reflects centuries of human adaptation to maritime conditions, with distinctive architecture including granite houses with steeply pitched roofs designed to withstand Atlantic storms, and calvaires (sculpted crucifixion scenes) marking crossroads and parish enclosures. Maritime traditions continue through working fishing ports like Concarneau with its fortified old town and the tuna fleet of Etel, while the lighthouse heritage represented by structures like La Jument and Phare d'Eckmühl documents the region's historically treacherous shipping conditions. Breton coastal cuisine celebrates the Atlantic's bounty through distinctive dishes including cotriade (fish stew), kouign-amann (a buttery layered pastry), and the ubiquitous crêpes and savory galettes made with buckwheat flour, traditionally accompanied by local cider served in ceramic bowls. The coast's cultural identity remains proudly distinct from the rest of France, with the Breton language (related to Welsh and Cornish) still spoken in western areas and regional music featuring the distinctive sounds of the bombarde (a woodwind instrument) and biniou (Breton bagpipe), which animate summer festivals throughout coastal towns. Throughout its extent, Brittany's coast offers Atlantic ruggedness with surprising Mediterranean-like microclimates in sheltered bays, creating diverse experiences along a shoreline that maintains tangible connections to both ancient Celtic origins and contemporary maritime ways of life.