The Rest (and Best) of Brittany

Little do we know, the most beautiful treasures of Brittany await us in the forested interior and along the southern coast. Also the loveliest accommodation yet. Dave’s winning streak continues!

Click on any photo to enlarge.

Rose: Our stay at the Hôtel les Empreintes, in the Manoir du Moustoir, halfway between Quimper and Concarneau. In the Middle Ages, this fortified manor house was a knight’s stronghold; now it is a hotel with just the right balance of modern luxury, casual comfort and artistic flair. The setting, at the end of a tree-lined drive on twenty wooded acres, feels intimate, peaceful, and imbued with a sense of history. Climbing roses frame the stone arch of the doorway to our tiny apartment and original art hangs in every room. We sleep and wake to the sound of birdsong. A slice of heaven on earth.

Rose: A solo walk for Anna in the woods surrounding the Manoir du Moustoir. She follows a track that leads across a little bridge over a pond and up a little rise before disappearing into the undergrowth. She steps carefully over fallen trees and brambles and ducks under low-hanging branches. The path is damp, overgrown, and absolutely beautiful. A light rain begins to fall, but she only knows this because she hears the tap of raindrops on leaves overhead. Her umbrella is hardly necessary, the forest canopy is so thick. She walks for an hour in softly falling rain and returns to the manor refreshed. Dave too is refreshed. In her absence, he has been napping!

Rose: Locranon, a beautifully preserved stone village that has rightly earned the moniker of “Un des plus beaux villages de France” (one of the prettiest villages in France).

Rose: A detour to visit Keroscoët, a “discovered” but still unspoilt thatch-roofed settlement.

Rose: Kerdruc, a small scenic port where we find a shady picnic spot and a friendly auberge for a post-lunch espresso.

Thorn/Rose: We are underwhelmed by Quimperlé itself, but pleased to discover a farmer’s market in progress where we can replenish our picnic supplies.

Rose: Even though the picturesque mill town of Pont-Aven (“pont” means bridge, and an “aven” is an inlet from the sea) has long been a magnet for artists and tourists alike, it retains much of its charm.

Rose/Thorn: A trip to the village of Poul-Fetan, located on a hillside overlooking a steep valley and accessed via a dead-end road. The settlement originated in the 1500’s, and over the centuries, the population dwindled as agricultural methods modernized and peasants migrated to larger towns and cities. By the late 1970’s Poul-Fetan was virtually abandoned, its buildings falling into ruin. The local township stepped in, applied for a grant and with the hard work of many volunteers, restored the village and gave it new life as a living history museum. Our visit coincides with a sheep shearing demonstration, and we watch a sweet black lamb losing its fleece for the first time. We are surprised at how docile the lamb remains as the shearer wields a pair of old-fashioned shears. But when the shearer attempts to trim the lamb’s toenails, the yearling struggles and the shearer’s hand comes away smeared with blood. The sharp shears have somehow nicked the lamb’s lower lip. We turn away, heartsore to witness the animal harmed.

Rose: The ancient chapels and parish churches that dot the French countryside. We begin seeking out these sacred places and lighting a candle for loved ones who are going through challenging times. The daily ritual enriches our journey.

Rose: The town of Josselin exceeds our expectations. Strolling the narrow, cobbled lanes lined with half-timbered houses and stone edifices feels like going back in time. The pièce the résistance is a classic chateau overlooking the canal linking Brest and Nantes.

Rose: The location and convenience of “Longère Bretonne”, our rental gîte in the countryside outside the charming village of Malestroit, where two rivers meet and the Nantes—Brest canal passes through. Set near an old millstream, our cottage windows look out to views of fields and trees, and we can hear the soft rush of water flowing over the weir. It is a good time and place to take a “day off” from driving, sightseeing and dining in restaurants. We use the washer and dryer to do a couple of loads of laundry, take a long walk along the canal, and then watch Iga Swiantek beat Karolina Muchova in the closely contested women’s final of the French Open tennis tournament. We cook our own dinner (with assistance from a nearby farmer’s market): a fresh, spit-roasted chicken, tiny golden potatoes cooked in chicken juices, collard greens and salad.

Rose: On our last day in France, we have a lunch date with old friends, and on the way, we have time to visit Rochefort-en-Terre, another place that has earned the title “one of the prettiest villages in France”. For good reason. It is by far one of the loveliest villages we’ve seen. Winding, cobbled streets lead to a chateau and chapel on a hill overlooking the town and surrounding countryside.

Rose: Lunch in the garden with Lionel and Françoise, their daughter Gladys Kirsten and friend Dominique, at their home in La Baule. Anna met Lionel and Françoise while working in France over 30 years ago, and they have kept in touch ever since, periodically meeting up in various corners of the world. Reuniting is a pleasure we always look forward to.