After a few days wandering around Rennes it was time to take in a lot at what the rest of Brittany had to offer. Unfortunately the weather turned gloomy. Cloudy, showery and dull. Not really conducive to seeing the countryside or taking photographs. We had decided to do a couple of drives along the reportedly picturesque coast.
The first day we headed north to the small coastal village of Cancale, the home of the local oyster and mussel industry. In town we found a monument to the mussel harvesting ladies of the region.
We also bumped into the Sunday morning market. Fruit, vegies, bread, another truck mounted chicken rotisserie and a man with a sucking pig on a spit and other assorted roast meats and potatoes.
How could we resist.
We drove on along the coast to Pointe de Grouin. The coast line is wind swept, steep and rocky. In good weather it would be a real picture. Today is gray, misty, windy and cool. But the French who are on annual leave; the whole nation basically goes on holidays for the month of August. Anyway the French are everywhere. Riding bikes along the narrow country roads. Hiking through the waist high Bracken and Blackberry. Snorkeling in the steel gray Atlantic. Fishing from rocks and boats. Old people, young lovers, families with babies and toddlers; the place is crawling with them. France is not that big of a country but it has it share of wilderness. In August I bet there is no where in the wilderness where you could expect to be alone in France. These people are way more rugged, outdoorsey than Australians.
As we drove further along the weather remained ugly but we came across a really nice long sandy beach. Barely a sole on them. No they would all rather be roughing it in the wilderness than laying on beach.
Our next itinerary items was the old fort city of St. Malo. We drove past the walls of city. There was not a car park to be had for miles and all the French who were not at Pointe de Grouin where in or trying to get into St. Malo. We drove about 5km further before we found somewhere to park. It was at the St. Malo marina/harbour. We looked backed longingly to St. Malo across the port and tried to estimate the value of the yachts and boats in this one marina. In the photo below you can just make out the skyline of the St. Malo city (walled fortress) in the foreground is just a third of the marina.
By now it was early afternoon and the weather did not seem to be improving so we decided to head for home via an inland city called Dinan. Dinan was the highlight for the day. The sun came out, we found a park near town, the scenery was terrific and we discovered completely by chance a huge art show.
The bridge across the river at Dinan.
The Port of Dinan down on the riverfront.
The Art Show was in the buildings and the grounds of a disused Cathedral or Convent. Each artist. ( mostly painters) had an area or a large room to show their work. We came across a Russian born and trained painter, now working in France, who does the most amazing still life and landscape works. Jenelle was enraptured with his work.
By the time we got home the weather was bright, sunny and hot. Just our luck.
The next morning the cloud was still there, but the weather radar showed it was clearing and there was not much rain about. We thought we try to take in the part of the French coastline called the Cote-de-Emeraude (the Emerald Coast).
First stop was Cap Frehel. Just like yesterday, dark, gloomy, wet and windy. But crazy French everywhere again.
We decide to stop at a roadside shop to sample and stock up on the local cider to fortify ourselves against the weather. As cider goes it was a nice drop.
We bounced in and out of the seaside villages. Generally quaint and crowded. The weather did clear as the day went on and we were able to get some photos of the beautiful but largely deserted sandy French beaches.
This could be the Sunshine Coast...
The harbour at Erquy was a real picture. We saw a hint of why it is called the Emerald coast from the colour of the water in the harbour.
The circus was in town and they were parading up and down the esplanade spruking the show with a lion prowling in a trailer behind. This certainly got the kids attention
Third day. Third try. Same old same old weather, but we gathered that the sky tends to clear in the afternoon so we adjust our sightseeing schedule accordingly and left a little later.
One of the most dramatic sights Jenelle saw when she visited Europe in 1976-77 was Mont St. Michel. She desperately wanted to show it to John. So off we went.
Mont St Michel is 1300 year old monastery/one time fort/ one time prison that is built on a very small island about 1km off the coast. It is the only feature in an otherwise flat landscape for about 30km in all directions. Here is a photo we took from about 10kms away.
We get closer and Mont St Michel just gets bigger and more dramatic. The place is absolutely heaving with visitors.
From on the wall of Mont St Michel you can see how massive the car park is. And this is a slow day.
