B R E T A G N E
Cancale

Oysters and mussels at restaurant "Julien"

Hike to Pointe du Grouin (in the rain...)

La Gaudichais

Port Mer, a sand beach

 

Saint-Malo

A reconstruction of a frigate of a privateer

Entrance to "Intra-Muros"

Fort du Petit-Bé

Dinan

Many galleries are on rue du Jerzul in Dinan

Beautiful sculpture made by artist Brandily

Cidrerie Kerloïck, a CL/FP with a cider shop

Ploumanac'h: the bizarre shaped red rocks
Plouegat Guérand
Huelgoat

Walk in the dense forest "Forêt Domaniale de Huelgoat

Fantastic forest

"Le Gouffre" waterfall

Roche tremblante or Trembling Rock is a 137 tonne boulder can be made to rock by pushing against on one side

Cycling on the Voie Verte from Kerlivet to Morlaix

Voie Verte to Morlaix

Morlaix

Maison de la Duchesse Anne

Calvary of Saint Thégonnec

Presqu'île de Crozon

Pointe de Penhir

WWII fortifications

BADEN VERBÖTEN

Pointe du Toulinguet, a military secured lighthouse

Fort du Gouin

Harbour of Cameret-sur-Mer

Morgat

Coastal walk from Cap de la Chèvre to Morgat

These rocks look like a dog

The candy trailer has not opened yet, so we sat at the Boulangerie/Patisserie Méniez

Carnac - Golfe du Morhiban

Alignements de Kerzerho, a few kilometers before Carnac

Alignements in Carnac

Locmariequer

Dolmen Les Pierres Plates

Pointe de Toulvern - Baden

Oysters, lobster and many more shellfish

Vannes

CL FP aire "La Cabane des Huîtres" at Pointe de Toulverne

The ramparts in Vannes and the former indoors laundry place

Rochefort-en-Terre
Josselin

Château de Josselin

Guillac: we left our bicycles here and walked the tour 11 Circuit des Croix

Fountain Saint Bertin

Nice hiking trails

The car repair (!) shop in Paimpont

Rennes

Lots of half-timbered houses

Thabor Gardens are situated in the heart of the City of Rennes

Hike in the Magical Forest of Brocéliande and the "Valley of No Return"

This forest is legendary for being the site of Brocéliande, the place where King Arthur received his magic sword, Excalibur, from the Lady of the Lake

The golden tree

Malestroit

The river Oust that runs as a channel from Nantes to Brest

Town centre of Malestroit

Rescue Action

A huge lorry (it looks small under our camper) came to rescue us

Redon
Ile de Fédrun (Saint-Joachim) Parc Naturel Régional de Brière

Crêperie Chez Chantal et Jacky

Lots of lovely thatched roof cottages

Tuesday 29/08/2017: Ducey - Dol-De-Bretagne - Cancale: 82 km, 27ºC hot then cool late afternoon

Drive to Martenat IVECO where the mechanic inspected everything to find the leak of oil, it seems it only was a loosen screw (20€ tip). Drive to Dol-De-Bretagne that features the one of the highest menhir in Bretagne: Menhir de Champ-Dolent. Drive to Cancale, a fishing port tucked into the curve of a shimmering shell-shaped bay. It is famed for its offshore "parcs à huîtres" (oyster beds) that stretch for kilometres around the surrounding coastline. Settled at the aire camping-cars Ville Ballet (10€/day). Walk down to town and lunch with oysters at "Chez Julien" (30€, Place du Calvaire - Port de la Houle, 35260 Cancale). Walk up the hill with views over downtown. Then further on the coast walk. Back through the "normal" town. N48º40'11" W1º51'55"

 

Wednesday 30/08/2017: Cancale - St. Malo: 25 km, 16ºC rain all day!

Hike to Pointe du Grouin (12 km, 3 hours, 150 m ascent, #1 Rother Wanderbuch Bretagne). It was raining dogs and cats, so we arrived home completely soaked! After we changed we drove to a supermarket near St. Malo and bought lots of yummy food and enjoyed it at the parking N48º38'39" W1º59'40"

 

Thursday 31/08/2017: Saint-Malo - Dinan: 44 km, 19ºC rainy with some pauses

We took the free shuttle (navette) from our parking "Paul Feval" to "Intra Muros" in Saint-Malo, the walled inner city of St. Malo. We walked along the top of the ramparts, which surround the town. Constructed at the end of the 17th century under military architect Vauban, and they measure 1,8 km. At the end of our walk we had a second breakfast at "Sanchez) who also has a huge variety of home-made, really delicious ice-cream! With shuttle back to our parking and drive to EDF Rance power tidal station, then we got Volker's front wheel repaired at "Alex Hinault", Av. de Launay Breton in Saint-Malo (57€). Drive to Dinan where we settled at the aire Rue du Port (payment 0,80€ by the hour from 9-12 and 14-19h). When the rain stopped at 17:30 we went up to the old town, which is set high above the fast-flowing Rance River. The narrow cobblestone streets and squares are lined with crooked half-timbered houses of Dinan's old town are straight out of the Middle Ages. N48º27'15" W2º2'15".

 

Friday 01/09/2017: Dinan - Ploumanac'h - Plouegat Guérand CL/FP: 188 km, 25 ºC rainy in the morning, cloudy and sunny in the afternoon

First we had a tyre repaired at "Profil Plus Dinan" (26€). Then we tried to get a part for our Heki (ceiling window) at a business drive with many RV dealers, but it has to be ordered, so no chance for us to have it done here. Stop at the CL/FP Ferme Cidrerie "Kerloïk (famous brand for cidre N48.43924 W2.45895 near Plestan). Drive to Ploumanac'h to see the red granite stones with bizarre shapes. We walked from Plage de Trestraou along the coast for about 4 km then to the Parc de Sculptures. Back to our parking (4€ for the day with no permission to stay overnight from 1:00 6:00). Drive to  Cidrerie de Cozmezou, a CL from France Passion that has a shop with cider etc. in Plouegat Guérand. Of course we bought cider, honey and more. N48º38'28" W3º40'49"

 

Saturday 02/09/2017: Plouegat Guérand CL/FP - Huelgoat (alt 176 m): 53 km, 20ºC sunny, no rain

Drive to Huelgoat, parking "Arquellen" to hit the trail in the forest of Huelgoat (Rother Wanderbuch Bretagne #21, 3 hours, 12 km, 160 m ascent). The highlights were the huge rocks and the Silver River that disappears under the blocks of rocks. A number of geological and prehistoric curiosities can be found by following trails in and around the village and forest. Among these are:

Le Chaos de Rochers, the Chaos of Rocks, is a jumble of hundreds of large boulders below the dammed lake, into which the river vanishes. A 10 m descent down ladders is required to see it again, running rapidly below a dark cave called the Devil's Grotto.

La Roche Tremblante or Trembling Rock, is a 137-tonne boulder nearby that can be made to rock by a person pushing against one point.

La Mare aux Fées, the fairies' pool.

La Mare aux Sangliers, the wild boar pool.

Le Camp d'Artus, Arthur's Camp, a sea promontory hillfort based on a Gaulish oppidum, with a linear murus gallicus rampart. It was used as refuge by the Osisme Gauls against the Roman invasion in 57 BC and later acquired a nickname referring to Arthurian legend. The site was excavated by Sir Mortimer Wheeler.

La Grotte d'Artus, or Arthur's Cave, is a natural shelter formed under a roof of jammed rocks.

Lunch in Huelgoat at a Crêperie (29€). Back home, we took our bicycles and rode into town for some grocery shopping. Aire for motor caravans along the river Le Fao (and the road, free of charge) the  N48º21'39" W3º45'24"

 

Sunday 03/09/2017: Huelgoat - Huelgoat Camping Rivière d'Argent (alt 107 m): 5 km, 18,5 ºC rain rain rain...

The day began with lots of rain and forecast showed it would stay the whole day like that. Since our camper battery seems to be low, we decided to go to a camp site with electricity. So here we are at parcelle 19 in Camping Rivière d'Argent (20,24 €, 2€ for wifi). A relaxing day. N48º21'44" W3º42'58"

 

Monday 04/09/2017: Huelgoat Camping - Kerlivet - Morlaix (alt 33 m): 41 km, 22ºC rainy/cloudy

Drive to the Voie Verte (disused railway lines converted to cycle routes) in Kerlivet where we parked our camper, took our bikes out and cycled north 31 km to Morlaix. There we parked our bicycles and strolled through town. Lunch at "Le Saigon", a Vietnamese restaurant (very good scallops and more, 42€). Volker then cycled back to Kerlivet while Julia stayed in Morlaix, had a coffee at the Terrasse and did some shopping. In the evening, after we settled at the aire for campers, we managed just in time to get through the gate to the viaduc (closes at 19h30 by means of a magnetic lock). A drink and dinner at the restaurant "La Suite 212" (3 Place Allende - 25 €). N48º34´25" W3º49'54"

 

Tuesday 05/09/2017: Morlaix - St. Thégonnec - Presqu'île de Crozon - Camaret-sur-Mer (alt 45 m): 108 km, 20ºC cloudy with some rain showers and also sunny

Drive to Saint Thégonnec to see one of the many calvaries that are in this region. Drive south to the Presqu'île (Peninsula) de Crozon. We explored first the northern pit at Pointe des Espagnols, then we settled at the aire in Camaret at Rue Goerges Ancey (6 €, nice), next to the "Alignements of Lagatjar". After lunch and siesta we walked along the coast (7 km, 3 hours, Rother Wanderbuch Bretagne #25 part 1). N48º16'30" W4º36'27"

 

Wednesday 06/09/2017: Camaret-sur-Mer - Morgat (alt 5 m): 14 km, 22ºC cloudy

Walk of the 2nd part of the walk #25 (7 km, 2,5 hours). Drive to Morgat. Lunch at Saveurs & Marée (excellent 88 €). Aire (4,65 € not so nice but ok). Volker did a walk from the town along the coast southwest (7km, 2,5 hours, 200 m ascent). Dinner dessert at L'île ô Crêpes (very good).  N48º13'31" W4º30´29"

 

Thursday 07/09/2017: Morgat - Le Léry CL/FP near Erdeven, Golfe du Morhiban (alt 30 m): 164 km, 20ºC rain/cloudy in the morning, a bit of sun at 19:00

We took a taxi to Cap de la Chèvre and walked along the coast back to Morgat (12 km, 4 hours, 330 m ascent). At "Le Fournil du Kador" we hat a drink. Drive to Erdeven to the CL France Passion Le Champ du Trèfle, a fromagerie (cheese producer). The shop of this CL opens 17-19:00. We bought some cheese and butter. N47º39'23" W3º7'11"

 

Friday 08/09/2017: Le Léry - Carnac (alt 22 m): 42 km, pretty much bad weather (rain) the whole day

We got our laundry done next to the supermarket LeClerc that has those powerful outdoor washing machines and dryers (18 kg machine 8€, dryer 2€/15 min). So we just park next to the machines and in the meantime we went into the supermarket. Then we drove to Carnac. After lunch we walked into the town centre and bought some presents. Then we went to the "Alignements du Ménec", There we boarded a small bus Carnac Visio Tour (6,5 € pax) that took us around the menhir area and Port de la Trinité-sur-Mer.  The area here is known for its proliferation of magnificent and mystifying Celtic megaliths. Pre-dating Stonehenge by around 100 years, Carnac also tops it with the sheer number of ancient sites found in the vicinity, making this the world's greatest concentration of megalithic sites. There are no fewer than 3000 of the upright stones erected between 5000 and 3500 BC. N47º35'7" W3º4'58"

 

Saturday 09/09/2017: Carnac - Locmariaquer - Pointe de Toulvern, Baden: 48 km - 18ºC unstable like almost every day

Bike tour along the megaliths (13 km). Drive to Locmariaquer where we visited the Site des Mégalithes (6,50 €) with the Table des Marchand dolmen, the broken Great Menhir (> 20 m). Bike ride to the imposing dolmen Allée Couverte des Pierres Plate that can be visited from inside but it was a difficult task to reach the final round chamber. Drive to Baden to a oyster producter "Ivan Selo - Au Rythme des Marées - La Cabane à Huîtres" Pointe de Toulvern, 56870Baden, www.aurythmedesmarees.fr. We had an apéro "kir breton and far (a kind of cheese cake from Brittany 12 €), then, after a shower, we went for a delicious sea food dinner (85 €).  N47º35'43" W2º58´12"

 

Sunday 10/09/2017: Pointe de Toulvern, Baden - Vannes:  17 km - 17ºC rain

After breakfast Volker went for a walk to the Dolmen de Toulvern. Back home we went together across the bridge along the coast and around an island that is only reachable on foot by low tide (5km - 1 hour). Drive to Vannes where we had dinner at the Restaurant Le Vieux Port (good 58€, levieuxportrestaurant@orange.fr). Then we took the little train with audio-guides in all languages (even versions for children in French and English) that "showed" us the town in a comfortable way (6,50€ pax). Back home, with the rain, we decided to stay on the parking lot behind a former school building (free of charge). Our camera had a problem so we had to formate it... almost no pictures toda... N47º38'56" W2º45'36"

 

Monday 11/09/2017: Vannes - Rochefort-en-Terre - Ploërmel - Josselin (alt 66 m): 98 km, 18ºC rain

Drive to Rochefort-en-Terre and visit of the town (we didn't like it so much because it was only touristy and not much to see). Drive to Ploermel where we tried to park along the Etangs du Lac du Duc (lake), but it was too busy so we continued to Josselin. A charming little town with lots of nice old half-timbered houses and an awesome "château" (castle). The tourism office was very helpful and their website is good, you can download tracks for every type of hike you want to do. Visit of the town and the Josselin Castle (8,50 € pax, very interesting because all the furniture etc. is original -supposedly the Rohan.Chabot family still live in the 1st floor). Back home, it started to rain again, we were lucky. Overnight at Place Saint Martin (free of charge) N47º57'23" W2º33'1"

 

Tuesday 12/09/2017: Josselin - Ploërmel - Paimpont - Ploërmel (alt 74 m) : 168 km, 17ºC cloudy/sunny with little rain

Today we started with our bicycles to Guillac (10 km one way) and walked the nice trail "Circuit des Croix" (13 km, 3 hours). Back  with bicycle along the channel "Canal de Nantes à Brest". We then tried to get a new converter at one of the car parts shops but didn't get anything. While driving to Paimpont the inner tyre on the driver's side got blown :( . Volker drove very slow to Paimpont where a small (and wild looking) autom0bile repair shop across the bar helped us find a tyre repair shop in Ploërmel... so back to Ploërmel before they close. We went to Vulco and had our spare tyre installed. We took the opportunity to order 5 new tyres! They will arrive on Friday 25 September, so we have to decided what to do until then. After this we had a good dinner at Buffalo Grill (good 45€), an American style diner. Our aire in Ploërmel is on Rue Mistringue next to an old castle tower. We were able to put fresh water in our tank (free of charge). N47º56'0" W2º23'50"

 

Wednesday 13/09/2017: Ploërmel - Rennes (alt 46 m) : 86 km, 18ºC rain

After a short sightseeing of Ploërmel we drove to Rennes. We tried to stop at Centre Commercial Grand Quartier, but either there were barriers at 2 m height or no space in the open ones. Camping des Gayeulles (32,60€ with electricity minus a 15% discount). A delicious relaxing day. N48º8'8" W1º38'35"

 

Thursday 14/09/2017: Rennes : 19ºC sunny

In the morning we took the bus C3 at "piscine de Gayeulles" into Rennes town and walked around. Lunch at the crêperie "A l'affiche" Then Volker returned home while Julia did some shopping.

 

Friday 15/09/2017: Rennes - Fôrêt de Broceliande/Paimpont - Ploërmel - Malestroit (alt 13 m): 96 km - 17ºC sunny in the morning, heavy rains in the afternoon

Walk into the "Magical Forest of Broceliande" (9,30 km, 2,5 hours). We came back home just in time not to get wet with the rain. Drive to Ploërmel where Julia did grocery shopping at Super U while Volker went to the tyre company Vulco and had all 4 tyres of the rear exchanged for new ones. The old ones were 14 yars old and getting porous. When Volker came to pick me up at the supermarket it was raining like crazy! And I had my shopping cart full of stuff. Drive to Malestroit where we settled at the aire Rue des Tanneurs (free of charge and quite). We walked into town, made an appointment at a hairdresser for tomorrow morning. N47º48'29" W2º22'43"

 

Saturday 16/09/2017: Malestroit - Redon Z.A. (Zone Artisanale) (alt 60 m): ca. 34 km by tow lorry - 18ºC sunny/cloudy in the morning, heavy rain at 16:00

Today is market day in Malestroit. We went to the hairdresser (atelier de coiffure Sabrina & Mickael Touzé - pretty expensive for woman)then Volker did a 32 km long bike tour "Circuit des Landes de Pinieux de de Lanvaux", which was very nice, he said. Meanwhile I had a galette au chèvre (pancake with goat cheese). After lunch we tried to leave with our camper and the clutch broke! So we called our ADAC help line and they organised a towing service (very professional) who managed to put our camper on a strong lorry (auto44redon.com 7/7 service). Mr Jean-Michel, the owner of auto44redon drove us and our camper to his garage in the Zone Artisanale de Redon and we will stay here until Monday when he will drive our camper to the repair shop. N47º41'9" W2º3'11"

 

Sunday 17/09/2017: Redon

We rode with our bicycles to the town of Redon and explored including a flee market in a big hangar along the harbour. I found 2 things that suit her: a bath mat and a small etui for the block battery I carry along. The trip return was 18 km, on our way back we rode along the channel Nantes-Brest.

 

Monday 18/09/2017: Redon Z.A. - Île de Fédrun (Saint-Joachim): 44 km, 19ºC sunny in the morning.

In the morning Jean-Michel from auto44 "drove" without clutch (!) our van to the garage. It was quickly repaired, it seems that only a kind of staple got loose. So we were ready to hit the road again. First stop was at a Carrefour Supermarket in Saint-Joachim and then we drove a few kilometres further to Île de Fédrun, an island around a moorish landscape. We wandered around the island, then had a drink at the Crêperie "Chez Chantale et Jacky" on a terrace along a channel. Back home we learnt about Volker's Mum being hospitalised, so we booked/changed flights so Volker could get to Frankfurt tomorrow and Julia to Brussels. N

 

Tuesday 19/09/2017: Île de Fédrun - Nantes airport: 99 km

We got up early to drive to the airport in Nantes. We both took the same flight from Nantes to Brussels (11:05 - 13:00 with Flybe). Lunch at the very good Brasserie in the airport of Brussels, then Julia went to see her father and Volker waited to catch his flight to Frankfurt at 15:05.

 

Sunday 24/09/2017: Frankfurt - Nantes: Nantes Airport - St. Philbert de Grand-Lieu: 27 km

Volker drives our camper back home

 

Monday 25/09/2017: St. Philbert de Grand-Lieu - Morceux: 466 km

Tuesday 26/09/2017: Morceux (France)  - El Encinar/Terradillos (Salamanca): 648 km

Wednesday 27/09/2017: El Encinar - Loulé: 644 km

 

Total: 6.225 km

 

France 2017

Menhir du Champ Dolent: 9,30 high

Oyster beds in Benoît-de-la-Mer

Nice walk along the coastal path

Aire in Cancale

A bunker with the gun

We were soaked after this hike! So we went grocery shopping and had a delicious cheese & wine & more for lunch/dinner at home

 

Walking on the ramparts

Château de Saint-Malo

Fort National. A former prison built by Vauban in 1689. Standing atop a rocky outcrops, the fort can only be accessed at low tide.

Glacier "Sanchez" with very good ice-cream

A trimaran at the harbour of Saint-Malo

Our aire in Dinan

2 Rainbows in Dinan

Sentier des douaniers

This is the red granite polished

Parc de sculptures

Moulin du chaos

A big rock mess along the Rivière d'Argent (Silver River)

Relaxing rainy day at Camping de la Rivière d'Argent

Aire in Huelgoat

Lunch at the Restaurant Le Saigon - strange fish in their aquarium

Walk on the "first floor" of the huge viaduct in Morlaix

The viaduct is 58 m high and 285 m wide

Camembert rôti avec andouille, avocat avec surimi: everything was delicious, with a glass of crémant and Grimbergen blonde

Outer wall decoration with pieces of tiles in Kermeur

Alignement de Lagatjar, next to our aire

Aire in Camaret-sur-Mer next to the Alignement de

So many beautiful tiny flowers

Les Tas de Pois

Anse de Pen Hat, a dangerous beach because of quicksands

 

Pointe du Toulinguet

Many bunkers at Pointe du Grand Gouin

Aire in Morgat

Morgat: Restaurant Saveurs & Marée

Fort Kador (1861)

Some ascents/descents were like in the Alps

Our aire in Le Léry at a fromagerie

A big slice of cheese Suriet

Carnac-Ville

The Dolmen de Kermario was cut off when the road was built

Our aire in Carnac

On our way back home we discovered this dolmen -with a cross- in a residential area

Dolmen de er-Roc'h-Feutet

Tables des Marchand: Long passage tomb with a chamber covered by a huge stone slab bearing an engraved motif which is typical of megalithic art. This stone was taken from an older monument and demonstrates the re-use of stones

A marriage with cornemuse music typical of Brittany

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Dolmens de Toulvern

We took the "petit train" to visit Vannes

Shoes made with wire

The elegant entrance

The living room in the Josselin Castle.

Over the fireplace is a Latin inscription "APLUS" meaning the is no better

The fortified side of the Château de Josselin

Aire in Josselin

A former village oven

Finally solid food after this crazy day with a blown tyre with a steak dinner at Buffalo Grill Diner

A telephone (still working) booth with flower pots. Somebody wants to protect them from the recurrent rain ?

Overnight at Ploermel

Our Camping des Gayeulles next to a big park and two lakes

Rainbow: a common sight in Brittany -you know what that means...

One of the many locks of the Channel

Many half-timbered houses with carved wood on the pilars

Aire in Malestroit

Mr Jean-Michel was very helpful and offered that we stay at his garage with electricity until Monday when we hopefully get the clutch repaired

An large indoor flea market

These swamps boots are called "challande"

This house could easily be located in north Germany

Bye bye Bretagne...