Trip Report: Ger’s Mad Dash Across Brittany
 

I have had a burning desire to visit Brittany for many years – the shared Celtic culture, the remembrance of the plaintive strains of Alan Stivel’s music from my teenage years, the pictures of its landscapes, so reminiscent of Ireland.

Sometimes my soul is captured by a place, foreign and exotic, and I am seduced by it – a heady, drunken, disorientating experience. Sometimes, my soul is captured by a place foreign, yet oddly familiar and I feel welcomed by it – a warm comforting familiarity like an embrace from a long lost relative. In France, the former was Provence and the latter was Brittany.

Three days exploring the length and breath of Brittany is an insult to this wonderful Kingdom, but that was all the time I had. The more I read, the more I wanted to see and to experience. I could not carve out a reasonably itinerary, because I wanted to see everything – I am such a glutton. I knew I would love everything about this region, I knew I would be at home there, I knew that after this short visit I would have such passion for this region I would always want to return. These are high expectations to start the visit, but I was not disappointed.

I decided on NO itinerary, no plan for the trip. I booked the flight, two hotels and a car and gave myself permission to do as I pleased. Well, not completely true; if I had actually done as I pleased I probably would have bought a house and sent a postcard to the DH: “Not coming home. Wish you were here. Send the dog.”

I purchased the Cadogan guide to Brittany, which I think is the only guide you need for this region – superb book, as all in the series.

I booked a cheap flight with BA through my travel agent (250 Euros) and flew from Gatwick to Nantes, definitely not the best airport from which to explore the area, but the alternative was flying with Ryanair from Standsted, which was impossible, given my restrictions re time and location and my aversion to low-costs airlines.

Arriving at 10am on Saturday, I picked up my absolutely gorgeous VW Passat (I don’t think I will EVER rent a “compact car” again after this experience) from EuropeCar and belted out of the airport at 130 KM/Hour all the way to my first stop – Vannes.

Vannes

It was the end of market day in Vannes, exciting for some perhaps, but the veg, cheese and meat purveyors had obviously sold their wares by the time I had arrived and all that was left were the stalls selling appalling bad knock-off football shirts and handbags from China. Luckily, the market was closing and the tacky merchants were packing their equally tacky merchandise into their vans.

An inauspicious start to the trip, but I squinted my eyes and closed my ears and the ancient delights of Vannes became apparent. Vannes is a town that always was and will continue to be a solidly middle-class and self-assured trading establishment. Its affluence and self-confidence exudes from every rafter.

I had considered having a good lunch in Vannes, but decided on a simple plate of moules and frites at an ordinary restaurant. If you want fine dining, there are several very good restaurants in the town. After lunch, I set about exploring the compact town.

Although there were quite a few visitors, mostly French and a few English, the town was not too crowded at all, which made the walking quite pleasant. This was encouraging, as I was concerned this corner of France would be overrun in July.

Vannes is exceptionally lovely, almost a stage set, but the buildings are authentic and its heritage unquestionable. However, despite the fact it is a working town, you cannot escape the fact that it is also a tourist town; there are too many tourist shops, mostly high-end, and restaurants to fool yourself into thinking it is anything else. But that does not distract from its loveliness.

Every building is a little askew and there is a shocking lack of right angles in the street layout – they just weave and meander randomly with no purpose, even the squares are not square. The cathedral is imposing, too grand for this little town and seems out of place and uncomfortable in its setting: it should have had a larger forecourt, where the supplicants could have appreciated its grandeur.

If you have more time than I did, you might also visit the Archeological Museum and Musee des Beaux Arts.

Vannes Photos:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...xfsot&Ux=0

Carnac

I decided to take the rural route from Vannes to Carnac (D101 and then D28) and found the road surprisingly easily; as always, French signposting was meticulous and accurate.

I settled back into my glorious car, windows open, and drank in the fresh, cool air of the countryside. Isn’t life truly wonderful and glorious, I thought to myself, as I made my way through this bucolic landscape. Every muscle relaxed and every nonsensical business problem evaporated.

It was a pleasant, meandering journey through the farmlands and villages, and I was struck by the similarity of the terrain to Ireland, particularly the drive through the Midlands. As I said before, I felt at home.

I drove straight to the town of Carnac to visit the Archeological Museum, which has an extensive collection of Neolithic artifacts discovered on the site. Exhibits are described in French, and English text is provided, but neither is needed. Actually, I find that when exploring artifacts from the Neolithic, written explanation is an interference, just noise: The pieces were designed to be understood by illiterates and should be felt by the heart and spirit, not interrupted by the intellect. Its an extraordinary museum with a wealth of artifacts and should not be missed.

I drove out of the Town, followed the signs and found my way to the Carnac Alignments. Built in 3,000 B.C. (5,000 years ago), they may have taken between half to one million days to construct. I was disappointed that they were fenced off, and I could only view then from the outside. I walked along the perimeter fence and just marveled at the effort it must have taken to construct this site and why they did it. Life was difficult enough in 3,000 B.C. just to feed the children; what could drive them, in those few hours of leisure they had, to build a Temple?

Have we constructed Temples out of fear of a wrathful God, or to celebrate the extraordinary creativity he endowed us with? I prefer to believe the latter.

It is always delightfully shocking for me to see how sophisticated these ancient societies were and how they had achieved sufficient leisure time to decorate their pots and living accommodation, make jewelry and build massive cathedrals to their Gods, at least as grand and beautiful as Notre Dame and Chartres, given the limitations of their technology. When I see what they achieved, I feel the time gap between them and me is very small indeed.

Beautiful photos Ger! Thanks for sharing.

Great start, Ger! I'm eagerly anticipating more!

"Every building is a little askew and there is a shocking lack of right angles in the street layout – they just weave and meander randomly with no purpose, even the squares are not square."

Thank you, Ger. Your posts always read like good literature, and I try not to miss any post with your name in the title, usually ending up wanting to make my next trip to that destination.

Ger, I have been watching for your report as I am gathering Brittany information for a planned stay of a month.

The more I have read about Brittany, the more I am sure that I will enjoy it. I don't like to change lodging too often, so am wondering about needing two or three locations. I would prefer two, but maybe the distances will need three.

I am looking forward to more from you.

Thanks,
Joan

Many families in south-western Louisiana trace their ancestry to Brittany. I'm looking forward to your report with great interest. Your photographs of Vannes are beautiful. What is it about those listing half-timbered houses that seems so magical. (This is a travel romantic writing.) Merci. J.

ttt

Ger,

I'm, looking forward to the rest of your Brittany report...

Joan

Ger, I had the honor of living in Brittany 3 years many years ago (when not only were you allowed among the menhirs, but were the only person there) and your imagery brings it all back so clearly!

Can't wait for more...et alors....

The road to Sainte-Anne-la-Palud

I had read about so many interesting places to see between Carnac and my final destination for that day. But tiredness got the better of me, as it does after three days solid of business meetings, and I knew I could not consider a visit to Pont-Aven or Quimper as I had a 90 minute drive to my hotel at Sainte-Anne-la-Palud and it was already after four-o’clock.

I took the D781 out of Carnac and it was a delightful drive, in some way compensating for the missed opportunity of seeing Quimper. I finally hooked up with the N165 to Quimper. The scenery was still lovely, but highway driving always makes me want to sleep – not a clever thing to do at 120+ Km/hr.

I had taken it easy on the drive from the airport to Vannes, getting to know the car. This gave me an opportunity to let it rip, which I did, easily getting it up to 160 Km/hr with no effort at all. I adore this car and have decided I will always pay the extra for the mid-class category. What surprised me on this trip is how SLOW the locals drive in Brittany compared to other places in France – or perhaps it was just because it was vacation time? The speed limit was 120KM/hr and most cars were staying within the limit. On the highway, I averaged 140KM/hr, but could have gone much faster, but held back because of “peer pressure” and fear of a speeding ticket.

Anyway, I avoided the sleep demons by plugging into my iPOD Nano and my Audible book. For this trip I had chosen “Gentlemen and Players” by Joanne Harris of “Chocolate” fame. This is her darkest and best work to date. Fans of P.D. James will love this book, although Harris has a better sense of humour – a wicked one in fact!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006...410308?ie=UTF8

Avoiding the temptations of Quimper, I took the D 39 toward Sainte-Anne-la-Palud and was once again back in the countryside. Just before taking the very small road to my hotel, I noticed a sign to Locronan. I did a double-take and a second tour around the roundabout and decided this was a town that I had to visit. Had it had an “H” in its name, it would be an Irish town – LocHronan, and my new Nephew-in–Law is called Ronan, so this was serendipity and a “must see” for the following day!

Hotel de la Plage

The Hotel de la Plage, a Relais et Chateau property (recommended by Karen Brown), is perched right on the beach and the views are gorgeous. I booked a large room with a sea view and paid the full high-season amount, which I am not used to doing, as I generally travel off-season. The question is, was it worth 248 Euros for a superior room with a sea view? I think it was, as the restaurant is top notch, the service impeccable and the location can’t be beat. Overall I would stay there again.

http://www.plage.com/uk/navigation.htm

The view from my room certainly was everything I had hoped for and I am generally willing to pay substantially more for a good view. It was early evening and the sun was perched low on the horizon. There was a gentle breeze, carrying that soothing salty seaweed smell into the bedroom. The room was spotless and the bed and immaculate ironed sheets very comfortable. Decoration is “shabby country chic” and very pleasant. The TV had BBC world service, that worked now and again, and CNN. The bathroom was large, with a deep inviting tub.

Dinner at the Hotel de la Plage

I had a bath and changed for dinner. The restaurant was relaxed – dinners were in casual clothes and almost totally French; there was one North American and one English couple. There were several young kids and a baby and I was surprised and relieved at how quiet and well behaved they were.

The restaurant is renowned for its excellent regional cuisine. The dining room is totally glassed-in on three sides, and it gives the feeling of actually dining ON the beach.

I started with my usual coup de champagne as I perused the menu. I chose the Langoustine for the starter and the Turbot, which I haven’t had in an age, as the main course. I am not a dessert person, but it was included in the price and my hosts expected me to partake, so I chose this gorgeous millefeuille with strawberries. All washed down with a half-bottle of decent Sancerre.

I had chosen the half-board option at an extra 70 Euros for the meal itself and breakfast the next morning. For that price, the meal truly was excellent value. The produce was fresh and top quality (they buy their fish from the local fishermen each morning) and everything was meticulously prepared and presented. The service was delightful and there was an incredibly happy, holiday atmosphere in the restaurant.

My mammoth driving effort and the effects of the sea air, not to mention the champagne and the wine, made me really drowsy by the end of the meal. I was delighted to get back to my comfortable and well-appointed room for a nights sleep. I opened the windows and felt the cool breeze from the sea and slept soundly until my alarm woke me at 7:30 next morning.

Next: The beautiful town of Locronan.

Thanks for the responses guys!

I will try very hard to get this finished before I leave on my trip on Monday - business stuff PLUS Galicia :)

I'm being lazy, Ger. Whee exactly is Ste Anne? (Fantastic report, BTW)

Ger may be gaetting ready for her trip..St. Anne la Palaud is NW of Quimper on the Baie of Douarnenez, and just north of the town of Douarnenez. The village of Locronan is just east of Douarnenez.

Thank you. I've been to Locronan, by not Ste Anne

The beautiful town of Locronan

Sometimes one sight or town can make the expense of a trip worthwhile. For me, that town was Locronan. It was a combination of unexpectedly discovering it, finding out that it had connections with Ireland and an Irish Saint and its picturesque quality. Don’t expect a hidden gem, undiscovered by the tourist masses. Certainly, this is a tourist town and every shop is given over to craft shops, restaurants and art galleries, but look beyond the commercialism at the wonderful structure and ambience of the town.

A brief note on Irish history of the period: Although the Irish were only converted to Christianity in the 5th century, by the 8th, Christianity ushered in Ireland's Golden Age. Schools were opened, laws formulated, the era of the great manuscripts dawned, ancient folklore which had been passed down orally from generation to generation was committed to writing and the great monastic settlements, that were to form such an inherent part of society for centuries, thrived about this time. This was the era of the fabled "Land of Saints and Scholars"

During this time many of Ireland’s Saints and scribes went abroad to Europe, which was then descending into the Dark Ages, to set up monasteries and centres of learning, spread the gospel and literacy and tend the sick, Ronan was one of these Irish priests, a hermit and miracle worker.

It was very overcast that morning (Sunday). I parked the car at the bottom of the town and was given a small guidebook and map by the car park attendant, which highlight the main buildings in the town.

As I walked, the skies opened and it poured down – Irish weather for an Irish saint. I really felt conspicuous, not to say ridiculous, in my white lined shirt and trousers. Long a centre of wealth and prosperity, the entire town is built of dark gray granite and slate grey roofs, giving it a solid, earth-bound feel. Most of the house around the main square date from the 18th century.

The square is grand, spacious and imposing and testament to the easy life of the former inhabitants. The church dominates the square and dates from the 15th century onwards. Mass had just started and as I abhor visitors who gawk and talk in a church during service, I instead wandered around the town for over an hour in the pouring rain. The good thing about this was that there were few others engaged in the same pursuit. Be sure to take the time to walk down the hill of the rue Moal, where the lovely little stone chapel of Nôtre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle. After mass had ended, I enjoyed a brief visit to the church and paid my respects to Saint Ronan.

The town is incredibly charming and, despite the commercialism, a genuine gem of the period, frozen in time. Please get there as early in the day as possible to miss the tourist crowds, which started to arrive as I left. If it looks remotely familiar, its because it was the set of Polanski’s movie Tess, from the book (Tess of the d’Urbervilles) by Thomas Hardy.

Here are the pictures:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slidesho...xmuui&Ux=0

Ger,

Great report--merci!

About the Joanne Harris book: I just got it from Amazon and am going to recommend it for my book group. We've read two of Harris's previous books and really liked them. P. D. James's also, of course.

Ger,
I will be renting a car in Nantes in October, then driving south to the Dordogne. I'll be staying in Nantes the night before, and am trying to decide if it's better to pick up the car in town, either downtown or at the railway station, and brave the rush hour traffic, or take a cab to the airport and rent there. Do you have enough of a sense of the town to make a suggestion?
Thanks!