Brittany 2024

 Thursday 30th May  Today was an interesting day regarding finding a campsite by the coast near St-Brieuc.  We were heading for Les Madieres, but following the road signs to 'camping', we turned a corner on a tiny lane and there was an entrance to a site.  The gate was closed, but we parked outside and walked in to find the reception was all bolted and barred and then saw a sign that said 'closed Thursdays'!!  So we got back in the van and realised that this wasn't Camping Les Madieres after all.  That was a mile or so further on down the lane.  So we turned up there, it looked very attractive and a very nice lady greeted us in reception.  So far so good - but then she told us that as we had arrived at 12.15 (before their opening in the afternoon time of 2.00pm) we would need to pay a supplement of €10 as well as the usual night charge.  We shrugged, but then I said 'we need to use the washing machine' - reply was that it was en panne (out of order)!!!  Need

 Tuesday 28th May Rather a dull day to explore the small town of St-Cast-le-Guildo, so time well spent in a cafe for lunch.  We ordered gallettes again - this time served in a completely different way - and just as good as St.Malo.  Need to click on this one to read the significance of the bottle! Mine is veggie - no sausage! The huge church at the top of a steep hill.  Beautiful stained glass windows.  Young Jesus helping carpenter Dad. Pretty house on our way to a footpath that followed a stream through woods back down to the seafront.   Wednesday 29th May  A grey start again today, but after some shopping moved on via this picnic area at Pleboulle eat our lunch and have a short walk then  continued towards Cap Frehel.  Staying a night at the CCP at Pleherel-Plage.  An afternoon walk to the beach, still very cloudy, but by the time we'd climbed up the hill onto the lookout point, the sky and the sea had changed colour. Back down, we sat for a rest by this ancient chapel. We'v

 A lovely sunny morning for walking a section of the coast path from our campsite to the Pointe de St-Cast.  The path and coastline here is very much like Cornwall.  First photo is looking back to 'our' La Mare beach from the path high above the rocks.    This monument is dedicated to the crew of the frigate Laplace, mined in 1950. The 'semaphore' signal station. Another monument (the one on the left of the picture!) is dedicated to the Escaped Prisoners of France. Then around the Pointe, we came to the harbour and a cafe with the best ever hot chocolate! Then on further on a concrete walkway, passing this young lady getting a suntan .... ..... she is actually very tiny (and much photographed) - you can just see her as a tiny pointy bit on the top of the big rock behind me! Following the path around this rocky bay.  Between the rocks it looks like pebbles but they are all shells. Eventually we reached the huge sandy beach of St.-Cast and sat on a wall to eat our picnic.

 Last night (Saturday) we stayed at a Camping-Car Park at St.Jacut-de-la-Mer.  Our afternoon walk there along the beach was lovely but not very sunny, so I didn't take any photos. This morning was back to blue sky and sunshine, so we parked the van opposite the church,   joined the coast path a little further north - and I took umpteen photos!!  We passed the abbey which we believe is now a retreat. Attractive street, almost to the sea. We joined the coast path here, negotiated a very rocky stretch watched a kite surfer (not sure if that's what it's called) then decided to walk in a northerly direction avoiding the rocky section.  (Not sure where this cotton wool came from) At the northerly point - Pointe de Chevet - we enjoyed the view to several islands which can  be reached on foot at low tide.  Zoomed in on the beach on the big island. We were then moving on to our next stop at St. Cast-le-Guildo, stopping by this estuary to eat our lunch.  So glad we were sitting in th