Northern Brittany

4 August

Today we decided to look at the "Cote de Granite Rose", an area around Tregastel that features rock of pink coloured granite, often sculpted by the weather into interesting shapes.

Arriving at our first target of Perros-Guirec we discovered a traffic jam leading into the town, so took the line of least resistance ant went on to Ploumanoc where there is a large area of protected coastline with piles of the granite boulders.  The rock is made up of  quartz, mica and feldspar and has s coarse texture of pink and gray  The gray areas are obviously softer and weather more giving the rocks a rough surface.  Some of the rock piles are spectacular with large rocks perched precariously high is the air.  There were a lot of people, many with cameras, enjoying the sunshine along the walkways through the rocks.  Off the coast we could see the "Iles Sept" which are small barren islets that are the home of many seabirds, including puffins, though we didn't see anything other than seagulls.  Although named the Seven Isles there are only 5 official islands so they have roped in a couple of rocky reefs to make up the number.

Gillian was very taken with the heathland vegetation with heather, gorse and blackberry and red current growing intertwined - it looked like the gorse had purple flowers.

We moved on to Tregastel where (surprise!) we found a big market, so we found a park and wandered around as the stallholders started to pack up.  I wonder how the shop owners feel about having the town effectively closed down for most of the day once a week as the market took over all the main streets and completely blocked the shop fronts.  This market was more arty-crafty than most and had fewer vegetable, meat and fish stalls and prices were somewhat higher and aimed at the tourist market.

As the sun was out we headed down to the towns main beach, Greve Blache.  Although our tourist guide had mentioned that the beaches around here tended to a pink colour from the granite, the sand here is pure white.  Quite a few people were in the water, but it wasn't warm enough to tempt us in.  There were many large rocks out in the bay and 2 teenagers were climbing and leaping off one that would have given them a drop of 6m even with the tide well in.  As the beach sloped reasonably steeply there wasn't the endless distance down to the water we have seen in other areas even though the tidal range is extreme.Gillian went in for 2 paddling sessions up to her knees. The water is beautifully clear and after the shock wore off it was quite pleasant.

After spending some time in the sun we went looking for dolmens down the coast, finding 1 in the weeds beside the road and another in a field on Ile Grande, a small island accessed by a causeway through the mudflats.  The second ( circa 3-5,000 years BC) was the better example with 2 large flat stones perched on 2 rows of vertical stones with another smaller row of vertical stones to one side.  The sheer manpower required to move these stones and lift them into place is astonishing.  But then, how many of our modern monuments will last 5000 years?

Our final stop of the day was at Trebeuren when the main point of note we saw was a huge stand of rocks standing by the port.  We skipped trying to find the chapel listed in the guidebook and headed home to the gite.

5 August

Today we headed east to St Malo which was a basic exercise in deciding which carpark queue to join.  On the way in we had to stop for a bunch of trawlers to come into the inner harbour and yachts to leave as the road we were on passed over a swing bridge giving access to the harbour from a lock.  The whole exercise took about 15 minutes which would be frustrating if you used that route regularly but we found it fascinating.  Having patiently waited we scored a park and wandered into the old town which is mainly characterised by the thick defensive walls that entirely surround the rock the town is built on.  As much of the town was damaged during the war there is a more modern feel and the streets were crowded with tourists.  However the beaches on the seaward side look nice and there is a picturesque island that is only accessible at low tide just to the north.  As with many French towns much of the commercial area is dedicated to food with creperies, restaurants and sandwich outlets jostling one another.

In the centre of town there is a memorial for WWI and WWII combatants, resistance fighters and civilian casualties.

We moved on to Dinard, but didn't find anywhere near the beach or town centre to park so headed up to the headland at the east end where we had a spectacular view over the town.  The beach is a reasonable size and has a row of blue and white striped beach tents for the sun-shy which are apparently peculiar to Dinard.  The town is notable for a number of huge houses and the headland at the west end has a group of around 6 grand houses standing like huge teeth.

A hike back to the gite via the supermarket at Yffiniac - a Super U which makes me realise what The Warehouse could have done if they had moved on with their move into the supermarket business as more than a few of the chains here force you to walk though the general merchandise and clothing areas to reach the fresh food areas.  It obviously works.
Gillian once again had to be bought to heel - drooling over cabinets of fish products is not done in France nor is excited jumping up and down in front of shelves of varieties of bread or assorted pate and meat products - not to mention mouth open gawping in the vegie departments e.g mushroom varieties, artichoke hearts, fennel, sorrel etc.

6 August

A quiet day at the gite.

7 August
Today we went back to the west  of  Cotes d'Armor Brittany - about 80kms. The first stop was Paimpol. this is another pretty fishing village. This was at one time the port for the Icelandic fishery. men would go to sea around Iceland for 7 months or more at a time. Today it is working fishing port. There are 2 harbours - we saw one of them as well as a couple of bays in the surrounding district.  The harbour is a basin surrounded by walls and  wharves, entered through a lock. In times past the port had been flooded by high tides  until a sea wall was built to deal with the problem. In the harbour were many leisure  sailing craft and several fishing boats. The latter are small in size, many aged and quite rusty but carry serious fishing tackle.Stephen noted a number of gaff rigged and with tan sails. Some small  wooden hulled boats were  docked at the quay in front of the village main  street. These were quite intriguing -I noted that on one boat the washing up had been left to drip dry. We were told that this weekend there was a festival of wooden hulled boats so these must have been the early birds.

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When we arrived at Paimol the road leading to the town centre was blocked with traffic. Hearing something like a loud speaker I rolled down my window and sure enough there was a small van with very large speaker on top blasting out the news - in French - that the circus was coming to town. No surprise as we had noted the advertising banners for these on almost every power pole coming into town and saw on the outskirts the tents being set up. What was a surprise was a large truck following the van with an equally large open sided trailer attached. In the trailer was an elephant with nothing hobbling it - it could have stepped off at any time when the truck stopped, which was often as this huge contraption maneouvered its way through narrow streets, round a bouts and cars circling it. Stephen took evasive action, changed lanes and using the GPS map we headed to the outskirts of the town. We found a small building beside an inlet from the sea. A gate had been built at the end of the inlet, capturing water for a small lake. The usual bouys circled an area for swimming. We walked along ontop of the low dam over the gate where a man was teaching a little boy to fish. On inspection the water was greenish and sludgy looking. We thought the gate hadn't been open to fresh sea water for some time! there was a flock of dark gray coloured geese  swimming across the lake in a very precise line, one after the other. As each bird arrived on the beach ( a little artificial golden sanded beach) the paddled became a seamless waddle up the beach directly to some bread that a mother and child had just left ! Amazing they sensed that from  a good 25 meters, also 2 large white swans were feasting there already. These large swans made no demur at the arrival of the geese. They decamped and swam quite close by us - immaculate white feathers, not a feather out of place.

We had a look at the bay. the tide was out and there was no water at all in the bay.A vast expanse of mud flats, some low lying rocks and a few boats lying on their sides and some with props.

We then went back to Paimol by local roads and parked by the harbour. .As we crossed the road the circus reappeared and we watched up close as they drove by. The elephant as standing on the truck bed waving its trunk constantly surrounded by young 'handlers' dressed in circus attire. My heart went out to the elephant, surrounded by the noise and traffic driving past in the opposite direction. And knowing also this was a regular way of life - as well as performances in the ring. The posters had also shown camels and lions that are part of the circus act - not something I am at all comfortable with.

Having looked at the lovely medieval half timbered houses and shops, cafes etc we drove next to see the remains of an Abbey de Beaupport, founded around 800 AD. The Napoleon and co. destroyed the church there but you can see something of the interior that remains. It must have been a very beautiful building and accommodation for the monks in its day. Given the age of its construction we again were reminded of the mammoth task that was accomplished - not just the building itself but the intricate embellishments. The surrounding lands owned by the abbeye are extensive.

Next port of call was a point in the area of Circuit de falaises  at Pointe de Ploueze. This is an area where the highest cliffs in Brittany can be viewed. This was another stunning view of crystal clear sea, very little surf lapping at the rocks and steep cliffs framed by lovely sky, with high light cloud and warm sunshine. We drank our fill of the beauty and quietness and then left for the final stop of our day. this time we traveled further west of Paimpol to a lovely town nestling beside the river Jaudy. This is Treguier. We had lunch at a fish restaurant facing the river port - I had fish soup for the first time - quite nice and very fishy to taste. Stephen had a wonderful tomato gazpacho soup. Our poor waitress, struggling with about as much Englsih as we had French kept asking us if this was all we wanted - not the 3 courses then? In the end Stephen patted his tummy and said 'Je complet!" She understood then but obviously thought we were mad English - "tres fou!"

We wandered up a fairly steep incline to the town square and there visited the Cathedrale Saint Tugdual. This is another particularly gorgeous building. Inside the organist was practicing - as we have found several times in Brittany.This was a serous organ .I could sense that with all stops out  it could make those massively think stone walls quiver. The quality of tone was pure and a joy to listen to. It was lovely to sit and reflect in this peaceful cathedral, enjoying the atmosphere, again a tangible feeling of peace. The stained glass windows are fabulous, sun shining through them brought the colours alive.
There is a relic of St Tugdual in a small glass box attached to the wall of a side chapel.A thin bone of his with his name engraved into it!!! Not my thing at all!
Outside we reveled in looking at the three towers , fist the more modest Romanesque tower, then the Gothic tower, and finally the Classical era tower. From this rang the bells at 1/2 hourly intervals - a lovely combination of sounds low to higher register. Wonderful to stand still and listen as they rang out over the town, as they have for hundreds of years.

Just beyond the tower is the most moving memorial to the young soldiers killed in the first world war. This is a woman in typical Breton mourning clothes . She epitomizes all the women, mothers, wives, sister etc who lost their young men in that great slaughter.

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We continued to wander and marvel at the streets and building - noting the birthplace of the man who sculptured the grieving woman.

It was time to call it a day so we traveled back to the gite again - via the Super U again! Oh joy and bliss.