Brittany and Western France

Last may Wayne and I found ourselves heading towards France again, this time to Brittany which is a great place to explore a hidden gems of France often overlooked.

The above photo shows the Tourist information office in Pontrieux, a village in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwest France. It is bulit in the traditional style of the area and painted bright blue which makes it hard to miss.

Pontrieux stretches along the banks of the River Trieux which became a prosperous town in medieval times due to its position at the head of the estuary. The success of the port led to the building of many fine bourgeois houses here and each bourgeois house has its own lavoir - a special wash area or house on the edge of the river where the maid could do the family’s washing without having to go to a communal washhouse

Wash houses on the side of the River Trieux.

There are 50 of these private lavoirs along the river in Pontrieux, each of which has been lovingly restored with beautiful flower beds which produce attractive floral displays. In between the houses and lavoirs the river banks are a mass of hydrangeas and gunneras making the river banks very attractive indeed.

Sunset over Chataillion Plage, which is located south of the city of La Rochelle on the Western Coast of France. The main attraction here is the 2.5 km long beach. The beach is backed by a pedestrianised walkway with children's play areas, and as the road above is accessed by steps it makes it perfectly safe for children. It offers fantastic views out to sea offering the chance to see the Iles de Ré, Iles d’Oléron, Iles d’Aix and the infamous Fort Boyard. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes along the whole length of the beach so you don’t have to go far to sample some local cuisine. La Rochelle is a good base for schools to visit Futuroscope

Chataillion Plage harbour, where you can catch your boat to Fort Boyard off west coast of France

St Martin is a bustling town rich in history with lively cafés and restaurants located on the Ile de Re. The town boasts a busy port, seen above, where the local fishermen meet in the bars and cafés after a hard day out on the ocean. This creates a bustling atmosphere and of course offers amazing fresh sea food in the restaurants. The Fort of Saint-Martin-de-Ré is situated in the centre of the island and was capable of protecting all of the population in the event of an attack. The fort is considered to be one of the finest examples of the island’s citadel fortifications constructed by Louis XIV’s great engineer, Vauban and one of the best preserved monuments in the area.

Oyster beds at low tide on the Ile de Re. In the background is the modern bridge which links the island to the mainland of France.

Chateau of Saumur.

The Chateau of Saumur is located on the banks of the majestic River Loire. The Chateau served as a fortress during the 13th century under the rule of Saint Louis before it became the residence to the Dukes of Anjou. In 1480 the Chateau was returned to the estates of Louis XI, King of France, following the death of King René, the last duke of Anjou. The site successively became a residence for the town governors, a prison and a munitions depot. It has housed a municipal museum since 1912. Saumur is a good base for adult tours to visit the Chateaux of the Loire and the famous vineyards..

Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean

This is the 6,000 year old Sillon de Talbert in Brittany it's 3.5 km long and just 35 m wide, and is a protected site. It is a truly extraordinary geological phenomenon: a long, thin trail of pebbles stretching far into the Channel forming a striking headland known as the Presqu’ile Sauvage, or Wild Peninsula. Situated between the large estuaries of the Trieux and Jaudy, the tidal currents of the two rivers helped create and then maintain the incredible structure, standing up to the tough Channel storms which have slowly started to erode the rocks along its length. There are 2 different Arthurian legends which claim that it was painstakingly built by either Morgane to reach King Arthur or by Merlin to join Viviane.

These are just a few of many of the wonderful places to visit in Brittany, we will be back again soon thats for sure. Truth to be told we have just come back from France after a fantastic family holiday in Aquitaine. Like we said, we do love visiting France.

Hope you are all well

Julie and Wayne.

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