France, Northern Brittany 2016
Well this year we are just about back to normal, still on a tight budget but away for a fortnight, although we are in the car and staying in Mobile Homes, not the Motorholme. We got an offer from Al Fresco Holidays for France and managed to book two weeks in two different resorts. First week in Château de Galinée near Matignon and the second in Domaine de Ker Ys near Douarnenez.
As for the ferries, we looked at various crossings and they all looked expensive. In the end we called Al Fresco again and got a very reasonable crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff with the same coming back. Although we did have to book a day later coming back but we just got an extra night with Al Fresco. So we are going out overnight on Friday the 3rd of June and coming back early on the 19th June, with plenty of time for the drive home.
Fri 3rd to Sun 19th June 2016
Day One, Friday 3rd June
We had all day to get down for the ferry and we set off at about 10, Dot drove to start with but continued on till we were nearly there. I eventually took over somewhere after Bristol, because of the reports of strikes in France epically petrol deliveries, we filled up just before Plymouth in a Tesco.
We arrived at the port fairly early but there was a bar just opposite were the queue was, so we packed up there and went in. It was a very nice restaurant or posh café, and we eventually ended up having burgers and a couple of beers in there (it was only 1664 but it was ok).
When we came out we didn’t have to wait long before we got on the boat, our rooms were not ready, although it only took a short while before they were done. Down in the bar we had a couple of beers before it was time to get some sleep and headed back to the room for sleep.
Day Two, Saturday 4th June
We were one of the first of the boat and headed in the direction of the first site, it was only about 8:30 and we were not supposed to be there before four. So we drove through Morlaix and were going to stop but it was still closed so we just drove on.
It was overcast when we arrived at the coast near the campsite and it was still only around quarter to 11. We pulled onto the front at Saint-Cast-le-Guildo and sat and watched kids get there boats into the water and sale off. We then moved on to the next beach at Pen Guen, were the was a beach bar come night club called k-nells (don’t laugh). It was now that I said that we should just go to the site and if we can not get in we could just go into the pool area.
The Al Fresco rep just led us in to our Mobil Home and we got settled in. Later with the sun shining we wandered to the pool area and bar for a couple of drinks, although the Leffe went off and we had to have Stella.
By the way we passed plenty of petrol stations, all seemed to have plenty of fuel and there were no problems at all.
Day Three, Sunday 5th June
Well it was sunny, we had had a long trip to get there, so we just spent the day by the pool and I got sunburnt but not bad enough to hurt. I will have to be more careful in the future.
Day Four, Monday 6th June
Today was a day for exploring, so it was up and out in the car, well out but not too early. First place we stopped was Plancoet, we were just driving through and spotted some old bridges. We had a quick wander around and bought some beers (I just have to) took photos of the bridges and the train station.
Back in the car and the next stop was planned to take suspension bridge photos and also the new replacement bridge at Port Saint-Hubert. We took the photos and then had sandwiches down at river level with a great view of the old bridge.
Next it was a visit to Dinan, we parked up by the river (just passed were you have to pay), and wandered back to have a good look around. The boat that we had expected to be able to have a trip on wasn't running, looked like it was now not operating.
Dot had an nice ice cream, then after a long walk by the river we popped into a bar and had a nice beer each. Dot had a Lancelot, Blanche Hermine, a wheat beer we had had it before and I had a Lancelot, Duchesse Anne Triple, new to me, stronger than the Duchesse Anne, and it was lovely.
By now it was getting late so we put off visiting the town at the top of the cliffs so we headed back to the site. We stopped again on the way back to take more bridge photos after we passed over one. The bridge was the Pont Reny Pleven and there was also a castle in the distance along the river.
When we got back to the site we wandered off down to the bar for supper and a couple of beers, still no Leffe in there though.
Day Five, Tuesday 7th June
Today we just went to the beach for a quiet day and picked out a nice little one, out of the way. Only when we got there there was a mist rolling in off the sea, so we just moved on.
Dot suggested we make for Fort la Latte, if it was a bit overcast it didn't really matter. Only when we got there driving through the mist, it was as clear as it could be and the sun was shining. It is a fairly long and steep walk down to the fort but if you take your time its ok and it was nice and warm.
As we arrived at the main gate to get in though, a French guided tour was just about to set off and we could not get in passed them. They took an age to move on and make room for everyone else to get in, very badly organised. We moved passed them and went to the far side of the fort to start our look around. On the top of the tower there, I was not feeling very good at that height and was glad to get down from up there.
We eventually had to pass the tour group again and again they all got in the way and would not move to let us through. I just pushed through but Dot was stuck for a while.
The walk back up to the car was a bit arduous but we took our time and had a sit on the benches along the way. Once back we headed of to Sables-d'Or-les-Pins but it was in the fog again, shame as it looked nice there. So we drove back towards the campsite but first visited the place we went too at the start of the holiday. It was sunny there so we stopped of at k-nells bar (I said don’t laugh) and had a couple of drinks there (Leffe).
Day Six, Wednesday 8th June
Today we went back to Dinan, we went to visit the main part of the town and not just the riverside as we did before in the week. We got stuck in road works in the town but eventually got parked in a multistory right where we wanted to be.
We started by going to the tower you can see from the riverside, witch was just next to were we parked (that was the plan but sometimes they do not work). As we expected, there was a very good view of were we had been earlier in the week, and we could see more towers leading back into town. So we set off to visit them.
After walking the walls, we did a couple of shops then went looking for a toilet, it was against the town walls on the opposite side, so we fallowed the walls around back to the car park. We were both hungry by this time so we went back to the car and moved down to the riverside again. It is much quieter and nicer down there. Oh I almost forgot, we could not get out of the car park, up in town, the ticket machine would not work for us. We had to find an operator to get out, not using multistory car parks again.
The boat that we fancied a trip on last time we were here had gone (very strange no trips on a Monday but ruining on Wednesday), the next trip would be in half an hour so we got a ticket. We sat and had our sandwiches as we waited for the boat.
The boat ride wasn't very long but is was fairly enjoyable and we had a seat at the front of the boat in the sun.
When we got back into Dinan we had a look at were we had a drink last time but it was all closed up, bit like the boat was on Monday. By now it was about half five so we made our way back to the site and had a couple of beers back there.
Day Seven, Thursday 9th June
Well it was sunny again, so we just had a day by the van and did nothing at all, nothing.
Day Eight, Friday 10th June
Today was still warm but slightly overcast, so we headed off in the general direction of Dinard, which is just opposite St-Malo, on the other side of the river Rance. We had been to St-Malo on the way in and out of France in 2010, this was when the Wold Cup was on.
We drove round the coast to Saint-Lunaire but the one way system there meant that we just drove on to Dinard. We paid to park there but in the end didn't stay long at all, we had a walk along the front and a look in a beer shop then just left.
We stopped on the way out, next to a water fountain with a Jules Verne picture under the water. I didn't even know he was French before this.
We then drove back to Saint-Lunaire and parked up just behind the sea front, where there were a load of old British cars, probably on a rally. They were all Alvis cars I think, its a shame but my memory is useless now. We had a walk along the front there and then moved on.
Dot wasn't keen on going back to the site so we drove around to Saint-Cast-le-Guildo, where we parked up and went for a walk around the front.
We walked from the town around the front, to the marina and then walked back again. It was then back to the site to get ready to move on tomorrow.
Day Nine, Saturday 11th June
Time to move on to the next campsite, we got ready to go and it was raining, well it didn't matter to us as we had to drive to the next site. Took a photo of the van before we left.
It was a two and a half hour drive on the map but it took us slightly longer. We did stop off in Châteaulin for a look around and to get some shopping, not much though. We did take photos of some bridges though and used the toilet.
When we arrived we were shown to our mobilehome and we were the only people there from Thompsons, still early in the season. One thing though it was sunny here and nice and warm, not raining as it had been when we left the last place.
We went for a walk and considered getting food from the bar just outside the site but the people running this place didn't seen to be that friendly. So we wandered back to the van for something and watched the football (the European Cup), England didn't win though, we only drew with Russia.
Day Ten, Sunday 12th June
Another rest day, we did go out for a walk and a couple of beers but didn't do much else.
Day Eleven, Monday 13th June
It was a bit damp this morning so we went out for a drive. We drove into Douarnenez, probably the nearest big place. We parked on the east side of the Pouldavid River and as it wasn't raining anymore, went for a walk along the river. The horrible weather conditions did make for some very good photos though.
After our walk we drive around to the other side of the river and into the bay where we had our picnic, the weather wasn't improving much. So we drove on to the end of the peninsular.
The weather got much better as we drove and was pretty nice by the time we got to the end. Although we didn't stop there long. Back at the site we went out for a beer, we tried the place just outside again but didn't stop long and moved on to the bar on the other side of the gate.
Bar Le Transat, was much more friendly but much more expensive, although we did have a couple of Affligem's before we went back to the van.
Day Twelve, Tuesday 14th June
It was a bit overcast today, so we went for a drive. We headed for the next big town Quimper, it wasn't that far and we got parked fairly easily in the centre. We had a good wander around the shops and had our lunch time snack sat in the rain but it wasn't cold. I can only take so much of these big towns so within two hours we were on our way.
The next stop was Bénodet on the coast, we know many people that have been there but did not realise that it is so small. The weather was on and off while we were there so after a walk about with the umbrella we set off back towards the site.
Once back there we went into a Tabac and had a couple of glasses Grimbergen each, I had couple of glasses of the Blonde and Dot had a Blonde and a Blanche. It was a lot cheaper than Bar Le Transat and only a very short walk away.
After that we got some chips from the bar just outside the site, to have with a cooked chicken we had bought in Quimper, for our tea.
Day Thirteen, Wednesday 15th June
A much better day and we went out for a drive the oposit way to the way we had been previously. We headed north and crossed over the Pont de Térénez, a new bridge, the old one had been demolished before we got there, it is still on the old maps though.
After stopping there, we moved on but it was that busy around Brest that we just drove on towards the end of the peninsular. We stopped off at a lighthouse the Phare du Petit Minou, it was well surrounded with old German defences. This was the channel into Brest after all.
From there we moved on to the end, where there was another lighthouse and the ruins of an old abbey. We had a good look around and then moved on to a nice quiet place and had our sandwiches (I say sandwiches but I think we just had a baguette that we had just bought).
Next we stopped at Le Conquet a lovely little town and had a nice wander round. We made a plan to bypass Brest on the way back to the site and that worked out really well.
Once back at the site we went to the Tabac and had another couple of Grimbergen's each before heading back to watch football.
Day Fourteen, Thursday 16th June
Today we just headed off for the short rive to Crozon the town we could see just to the north and west of us. We spent some time down by the marina and even had our sandwiches down there, before having a walk around the town.
After that we drove on to the end and visited the memorial there, the Mémorial de l'aréonautique navale du Cap de la Chèvre. We had a good wander about before heading back to the site.
Tonight we beat Wales 2-1 in the European Cup, only the Welsh seem to have not noticed this fact at all, very strange that.
Day Fifteen, Friday 17th June
Another fine day, only all of my photos do not show it that way. We went for a drive but I wasn't that keen on driving so we made our way back to closer to the site. Although we did take some photos of bridges in and near to the town we passed the first day down here.
We drove slowly along the front near the site popping into all of the little places along the way. Dot even went for a plodge at one point along the way.
Back at the site we went out for a walk and found a bar open along the end of the road, it had not been open before. We popped in but they only had Amstel and if you have read any of my writings before, you will know I am not a fan of it. We had one and moved on.
We ate at the bar just outside the site tonight, I know we have been avoiding doing this but it wasn't that bad at all.
Day Sixteen, Saturday 18th June
Just a quiet day getting ready to leave, That night we had to park the car in the car park outside the gates as we were going early. So that took a bit of sorting and getting ready.
There was a band on in the bar just outside the site, well not so much a band more of a just turn up and play sort of thing. One man told us he was the turn and then got up and played the squeeze box, so you decide.
Then it was an early night, well just about.
Day Seventeen, Sunday 19th June
We got up early and set off, the gates were open we didn't need to have messed about, buts that's the French for you.
We got to Roscoff with plenty of time to spear and were soon on the ferry home.
We only had one problem on the way home, some fool ran into the back or us in stationary traffic on the M5 and wrote our car off. It took ages to sort out (over two hours) and we got two cars to take us home (very long story). A real bad ending to a very nice holiday.
