To be honest, it’s nearly impossible to predict what the weather is going to be on any given day in Brittany. Except for those dreary winter months when all is gray all the time, you can pretty much expect to experience the entire gamut of weather within the span of a couple of hours: wind, sun, rain, drizzle, and a bit more sun. This means that figuring out how to dress for the Breton weather is a true art.
One word: layers. Between the months of May and October, it’s good to have about three layers on hand: a base layer for when the sun is sweltering*, a light cardigan or long-sleeve shirt to protect you from the both the breeze and the sun, and a light raincoat for the inevitable moment it starts drizzling right when you walk outside. Before May and after October, switch your light raincoat for a heavier coat and don’t forget your sweater.
You know how you always see French people on TV and in movies wearing scarves? There’s a reason for that! A scarf is a perfect accessory to have on hand to keep you warm when the wind gets blustery and shield you from the sun when it gets too hot. They also look pretty snazzy and will help you blend right in with the locals — the French love to accessorize.
You’ll be doing a lot of walking in France, so good, flat-heeled shoes are essential. On some of our plein air excursions, we’ll be going on coastal paths, and you might feel a lot more comfortable wearing hiking shoes or tennis shoes. In general, the French tend to dress more formally than Americans, and there are places in Paris where people will certainly look sideways at someone in jeans and tennis shoes (unless they are the right kind of jeans and tennis shoes, you understand). One of the great things about Brittany, however, is people tend to be a lot more relaxed and unpretentious here, and no one will bother too much about what you wear. In fact, don’t be surprised to see people coming into cafés and restaurants straight from the fields, still in their work overalls. None of our ArtDip excursions will involve much dressing up or looking fancy, so feel free to leave your good threads at home.
The most important thing is simply to pack clothing that you’ll be comfortable in no matter the weather — and clothing you don’t mind getting dirty, as this will be an art trip, after all! If you don’t have a smock or apron already, that would be a good investment, as well as a travel pack of wet wipes to clean dirty hands on painting excursions.
This is not quite clothing-related, but it’s always good to remember that French pharmacies don’t offer the same easy access to over-the-counter drugs you’ll be used to at home. That means, if you’re prone to sinus headaches or getting colds on the airplane, it would be a good idea to pack enough Tylenol Sinus or Mucinex or whatever your drug of choice to get you through the trip. You may have trouble getting a pharmacist to give you the equivalent here, even if you feel really sick. The same is definitely true for things that help you sleep, like NyQuil, and even more true for any prescription drugs you take.
To help you out, we’ve made this handy printable list, which you can download below ⬇️. Feel free to add items to it as needed. As you’ll notice, it’s not super precise — and that’s for a reason. You’re the best judge of what makes you most comfortable. Just remember two things: 1) the main goal is to have fun and make art, so as long as you’re dressed for that, you’re golden; and, 2) LAYERS.
*OK, it doesn’t get sweltering all that often, but recent summers have been more intense, and you can expect it to be pretty warm well into October. Also remember that many places in France are not air-conditioned inside, so you’ll feel the heat a bit more here than you do in the USA.
Any other questions? Contact us here and we’ll do our best to help out!
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