I can't get enough of France. We have totally fallen in love with the relaxed way of life, the space, the empty roads and beaches and of course the shutters and geraniums. We had a great holiday in Brittany and are already planning another one next year! It is too easy! 40 minutes drive and we are on the ferry, we find our little cabin, go for a drink at the bar, sleep, get woken by some soft music being played over the speakers in the cabin (!), shower and we're off - off on another adventure.
Bye bye Portsmouth....
We visited 22 places, drove 656 miles and carried 8 cans of Tanglefoot in the boot of the car all around Brittany and back home unopened. We have discovered the French DO like beer after all.
First - breakfast in St Malo at the usual 'Cafe L'Ouest'. We didn't spend quite as much this time. We had the same waiter though. Then on to the pink granite coast.
Cap Frehel has two lighthouses
Very like Cornwall but with pink limestone cliffs
You can see the Channel Islands on a clear day
Sables-d'or-les-Pins - the pine trees smelt gorgeous
A typical English person having a paddle
The beach is 2 miles long
St-Quay-Portrieux - big harbour, lots of boats
We had tea and crepes - v hot
Triguier
- we drank 'Philomen' which restored Sarah's faith in French beer!
I loved the medieval houses and cobbled alleyways
The cathedral has playing card symbols on the spire
St Michel-en-Greve
We were getting slightly confused at this point, staying in a different hotel every night. Sarah tried to exfoliate her heels with the shoe shine kit in the bathroom, I spent the whole day with marmalade down my top and toothpaste down my trousers and Sarah spent a very long time staring at yet another egg boiling machine in the hotel breakfast room.
We had a flask of coffee and a pain au chocolat before walking to the sea for another paddle - it was miles away, but so warm! There was a church on the beach but hardly anyone around, just some women exercising and someone riding a horse on the sand. How civilised.
A tractor with a few artichokes - look we are on the wrong side of the road! Agh!
Montagne St Michel
We discovered this tiny church on top of a hill with amazing 360 degree views.
The view below looked very like Dartmoor but bigger! 25 degrees today and not enough time to explore.
Quimper
Quimper is the oldest town in Brittany. The cathedral has two spires and the alter is off centre which is odd. Lots more wonky medieval buildings. We had dinner overlooking the cathedral at 'Le Finnistere'. I had the most sumptuous pork tenderloin with a salt caramel sauce to die for, followed by a chocolate knickerbocker glory and a walk at 10pm in the light (and heat).
Concarneau
Very like Dartmouth
Brittany reminds me of home but bigger, less people, no road rage and polite, friendly service! The one and only thing I don't like about France is the public loos though!
The signs are all in Breton (related to the Welsh language) and French and they have a lot of the same folklore, Merlin, King Arthur etc - very strange.
The old town is within some ramparts
Sigh.........
We then drove to Carnac - I am covered in heat rash by this time. 8pm and it is still 26 degrees. We have pizza overlooking the sea and try to ignore the rather ignorant male English tourist wiping his plate with his knife and then licking it - ugh! I admire instead, the two tanned, lined, natural French women at the table opposite drinking red wine, supping oysters and smoking all at the same time.
Then on to Quiberon - more coffee from the flask and pain au chocolat before gingerly looking over the peninsular.
Vannes
More wonky painted medieval houses.
Vannes is classy, no tat shops and so many breton tops! I resisted.
Next - Ploermel and a nap in our hotel on the lake.
The hydrangea promenade near out hotel - 5500 plants and 550 varieties.
We ate galette filled with potato, cheese and bacon in the 'Cafe de la Tour' (followed by more icecream) and then watched the sun set over the lake.
Port de Dinan - very like Lynton and Lynmouth in Devon
We especially liked it here. A cobbled street lined with artisan shops leads to Dinan on top of the hill above the port.
We had dinner at a cafe/bar called 'Bords de Rance'. It looked a lot more homey than the more upmarket seafood restaurants on the other side of the port and much more 'us'. I had another gallette (!) filled with goats cheese, tomato and honey, this time with goats cheese icecream! It was strangely nice. We drank with the staff at the end of the evening.
'Bords de Rance'
Sculptures near the hotel
St Lunaire, Pointe du Decolle
Lovely view over to Dinard and St Malo. Rocky with clear, sandy beaches.
Dinard was more like Bournemouth, so not so keen - although had a nice Tarte Provencal overlooking the sea. All I think about is food!
I'd hate to see the baby that lost this dummy.....
Then back to St Malo (my favourite). We managed to sneak in to a concert half way through in the cathedral, dinner and then an evening stroll along the seafront.
The next morning I had crepe and caramel sauce - I'd be huge if I lived here!
St Malo - the city walls
We bought lunch in Avranches and then had a picnic on top of a hill which I had found on the map.
Mont Robin - 276m high with lovely views
We drove back to the ferry port via the Normandy beaches. It was lovely to see Arromanches again. Had coffee and Tarte Framboise (oh dear...) overlooking the sea.
Bit of yarn bombing
Cute
Arromanches - stiff walk on the beach to walk off all the food!
Ouistreham - back to catch the ferry home (depressed)
Having a break from blogging for a while as I have a bad back and neck from sitting at a computer all day at work. I do not bond with technology which is a bit unfortunate as I work for a web design company. I would rather sit on a high stool entering my double entry bookkeeping in to a leather bound ledger with a quill than sit looking at a screen all day. I am a woman who still plays cassette tapes in the car (Frank Sinatra) and didn't see anything wrong with Windows 98. I'm also too busy and it's too nice outside! I need to make the most of it - it looks autumnal out there already - panic!
Au revoir for now......
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