BRIDPORT TO BRITTANY

Because we were bound for Dorset, we took the ferry from Roscoff to Plymouth. We overnighted at Rennes, staying in a small but very good hotel which had displays of memorabilia on every landing, including a series of signed prints of some rather risqué TinTin cartoons.

Roscoff was beautiful - sunshine, blue sea and sky, little puffy clouds - reminded us of how much we like Brittany.

We had a good crossing and arrived in Plymouth to spend three days with Angela and Neil, it was so good to catch up with them again and to spend some time together.

Nick’s party in Bridport was a great afternoon and evening and we were pleased to share it with him. We met lots of old friends and enjoyed catching up with everyone’s news.

Our B&B bedroom was quite a surprise…

We spent a very happy few weeks in the Midlands, staying with good friends Mal and John and Nick and Val. 

Friends Tonia and Mike, thanks for a great lunch

We also enjoyed time with our family, including our beautiful new great niece, Penelope.

A walk in the park with Hannah, Paddy, Moose and Penelope

We arrived back in Saint Jean de Losne in a heatwave - high 30’s - ‘scorchio’. So we gave Bertie a quick clean and fled to Brittany.

En route - the beautiful Loire Valley

Bléré Plage campsite - great family site beside the Loire

We were apprehensive about this trip because we have such wonderful memories of 20+ years sailing to Brittany and were concerned that we would not find it as magical arriving and exploring by road. We need not have worried - we had an absolutely wonderful time, re-visiting favourite harbours and discovering many new places.

La Forêt Fouesnant

La Roche-Bernard

St-Quay-Portrieux

Sea, sky, and rocks…

Beautiful villages with hydrangeas and agapanthus…

Crêpes and seafood in abundance, and of course chilled Muscadet...

Shady Crêperie in Piriac sur Mer

that’s Brittany for us, we love it!


Although we were travelling in the height of the holiday season, it was easy to find aires for overnighting and quiet parking on cliff tops and near beaches. It also meant that there was plenty of music and festivals taking place.

Traditional Breton Pipe Band in Tréguier

 Shadows tribute band in Le Croisic -it was a great evening 

Beach Bar supper (chiperons), a reggae band and a wonderful sunset

The big tides in Brittany also mean a steep climb to come ashore!

Pete's happy - he's by the sea again

Chenal du Four

And finally an amazing trip to Nantes, visiting Les Machines de l'île and riding on the 30 metre high elephant. The huge redundant workshops of the old shipyard are now home to a company of crazy engineers, designers and artists, who conceive and build a world where Jules Verne meets Heath Robinson.

Check it out - it's really worth a visit...

www.lesmachines-nantes.fr

The Heron 'flies' with people suspended in the baskets below

A ride on this elephant is something else!

Yes, we did!