Andrew Douglas is so bewitched by Brittany, he considers going native.

THE fact that I failed to venture beyond a 25-mile radius from holiday HQ is testament to Brittany’s many and varied charms.

I’ve always subscribed to an optimistic theory that the greater the distance travelled, the more pleasurable the destination will be. However, a week-long exploration of this delightful corner of France – plus a recent jaunt to East Kilbride – has, for different reasons, put paid to such an hypothesis.

The Emerald Coast – named for the colour of the sea in spring – forms a towering barrier of wild cliffs and rocky headlands interspersed with sandy beaches and coves along this jagged stretch of northern Brittany.

Inland, rivers have scored their way down through a rolling green carpet of hedgerow-edged fields, forests and heathland.

The countryside is dotted with farms, villages and towns of halftimbered buildings, cobbled streets and medieval ramparts – a tantalising reminder of a fascinating past.

So, you may think that Brittany’s romantic and cultural allure may be diminished by spending a week in a mobile home.

Not so. Our two-bedroomed Comfort Plus was set amid the impressive 200-hectare estate of a chateau close to the town of Dol-de-Bretagne, the Domaine des Ormes.

Equipped to a high standard, the bedrooms were at opposite ends and each had ensuite loo, essential with kids. It also had a large deck which – given the glorious weather – was used to maximum effect.

Supplied by Canvas Holidays, the price includes access to the Domaine des Ormes aqua park, with three pools, a lagoon and wave machine.

The price also includes the Dover to Calais ferry, but for a supplement you can opt for more direct routes such as Portsmouth to Cherburg, Caen, Roscoff – or, best bet, nearby St Malo.

You can also make your own travel arrangements in return for a £50 discount. Short of time, we flew with Ryanair from East Midlands Airport to Dinard, near St Malo, just 20 miles from Dol-de-Bretagne.

The Domain des Ormes is familyfriendly and Canvas Holidays also organises activities for the children, allowing parents a few hours of peace.

Add to that a restaurant, bars, takeaway, a well-stocked shop, plus other extras, including tennis courts, 18-hole golf course, horseriding, paintball and zip wire, and it’s no surprise some families stay put.

It’s a great compliment that it takes a firm resolve to venture off site, but those who do are well rewarded.

The highlight was, without doubt, a visit to the truly awesome Mont St Michel, which lies 20 miles away, just across the border in neighbouring Normandy.

First consecrated in 709, it would seem more at home in a Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings film.

And don’t be fooled by the disabled parking spaces near the bottom; this is the ecclesiastical version of the North Face of the Eiger. By the time you reach the top of this vertiginous World Heritage Site, you will have run an impressive gauntlet of gift shops and dragged yourself up 900 steps.

It was such a memorable experience I almost didn’t mind paying £15 for two sandwiches and a slice of pizza.

The other great destination is the intra muros or “inside the walls” of old St Malo, surrounded on three sides by sea. The cobbled streets lead through a maze of tall granite buildings, lending it a vaguely Scottish air. And after a circuit of the ramparts you can stroll across the sandy beaches to the fortified islands, once the tide goes out.

The other must-see is Dinan.

Oozing old-world charm, its 15th and 16th Century half-timbered buildings hug the narrow cobbled streets. Billed as the Brittany’s best preserved medieval town, it is protected by a castle and encircled by 1.8 miles of ramparts.

Meanwhile, lovers of seafood must head to the fishing village of Cancale, which is lined with restaurants. I went native and tucked into a rather large serving of mussels in garlic butter.

Visitors to Brittany are often warned to prepare for four seasons in one day, but its temperate climate makes it slightly warmer and drier than southern England.

It is so spellbinding that, at one point, I found myself seriously considering buying one of those stripy Breton shirts.

That’s how bewitching it can be. And, sunny skies or not, I look forward to returning.