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Postcards: Bretagne Nord (FR)

We were not going to be deterred from exploring Bretagne Nord just because the weather was less than cooperative. The initial plan to select a spot for a 4-5 hours trek had to be abandoned though. Our new route was charted: first to Pointe St Mathieu, then over to Le Conquet, and a spin at Plouarzel before coming back to Brest, in time for dinner at a local crêperie.

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Pointe St Mathieu is the site of an old abbey of St Mathieu-de-Fine-Terre (thus giving the name to the region – Finistère) besides a lighthouse dated back to 1800s that today forms part of a network of famous lighthouses of the Brittany’s coastline. The abbey, founded in the 6th century, was said to once hold the skull of Saint Matthew and a village sprung up around it, flourishing thanks to the right to exploit the gains from salvaging wrecks. Little trace of the village and its then-needed fortifications remain.

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

A short drive away from Pointe St Mathieu, we arrived at Le Conquet, the most westward town of mainland France and the point of departure to the islands of Ouessant and Molène. This is also a fishing harbour, with a sheltered shallow riverbed, and surrounded by quaint stonehouses. When in need of shelters from the rain, there are several good crêperies to eat in in the town centre. (We opted for Laer-Mor. Also, one can never have too many galette and crêpe in Brittany.)

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

When the rain finally abated, we went for a cliff-side walk on the coastal front of Plouarzel. The sky started to clear although the wind wouldn’t let up. Waves after high waves crashed onto the cliffs. This was quintessential Brittany, just that little bit wild, elements not to be tamed, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

Bretagne Nord

After this trip, I fear F would like to move out to Brest where it is near the sea and there are spots he could go for long walks in the nature. It helps too that his best friend, our host for the weekend, lives out here. I like it here for visits but I am not sure if I could live here. There are already talks of revisiting Brest and the region in the coming months. Are the boys trying to mount a campaign to change my mind about living there?



Category: Europe, France, Travel

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