Douarenn

As surprising as it may seem, Yannick, a Belgian, and Cloé, from Champagne, had never set foot in Brittany before deciding to settle there. In 2018, they made the bold decision to leave Belgium behind and move to Finistère to open a guesthouse. In these highly preserved landscapes, which Cloé compares to Ireland, they discovered another side of Brittany, far from the coast but not without its advantages: ‘It’s right in the center, so it offers a multitude of possibilities!’

After finding the perfect piece of land, they spent a few years exploring the surroundings to provide the best advice to their future guests. Inspired by their travels to Morocco and California, Canadian fisherman’s cabins, and Scandinavian warmth, they envisioned a wooden house chosen for its aesthetic and ecological reasons. They named it Douarenn, which means ‘burrow’ in Breton because it’s a cocoon to retreat to in both good and bad times!

Built from scratch, the house was designed to offer views of the outdoors from every room. In this compact space, maximizing the layout was essential. To achieve this, Yannick and Cloé enlisted the help of interior decorator Léna Guillon-Autret from Lab Décoration. Despite its ‘small’ size—74m² nonetheless—the large windows ensure the cabin-house is warm and bright regardless of the weather. This is what visitors seek at Douarenn: good times in simplicity and tranquility.

Sensitive to both beauty and sustainability, the hosts chose furniture and objects made in France and Europe wherever possible: a solid wood table from Tikamoon, a high chair from Charlie Crane, and more. Other items are souvenirs from their travels, such as a cutting board from Morocco and a screen print of Joshua Tree desert from California. Each item tells a story, adding to the undeniable charm of Douarenn!

On the 8000m² grounds, adorned with a Bird Protection League refuge, you can spot small Ouessant sheep living their lives! ‘The grounds are very large, and children love to wander and explore every corner. Guests enjoy visiting our sheep or picking vegetables from our garden. Some are lucky enough to see deer in the early morning.’

In this former field, Yannick and Cloé set themselves the goal of reforesting part of the land to promote biodiversity. In other areas, there are aromatic plants for infusions and salads, a vegetable garden, and a small flower cultivation. Guests fully enjoy the garden by slipping into the Nordic bath or the hammock.

To end the day beautifully, there’s stargazing around the fire pit. The house is located in one of the regions of France with almost no light pollution at night, making it perfect for observing the stars. From morning to night, guests make the most of Douarenn’s potential, eagerly looking forward to coming back!