Leaving Portsmouth at night with all the harbour lights shining was very special, and then to awake to dawn in St. Malo, Brittany ... how exciting.
St. Malo took us a little by surprise, I think I was expecting just a transfer terminal, a stopping off point, somewhere to pass through while travelling to some other more exotic location. It is beautiful.
We entered via the huge gate,
looking for somewhere to have breakfast. I decided the best option was to find where the local people were buying their baguettes ...
Voilà!
After a splendid breakfast, we continued with our bags to the bus station only to find no buses to Dinan and no way by water either. It was Sunday.
John wanted to go out to the highway and hitch a ride but I didn't feel comfortable or confident with this idea. Looking at the map, it seemed as if there was a railway line so I asked about
la gare and was pleased to find we could travel to Dinan, via Dol de Bretagne, and arrive by evening. It was 34 kilometres and it took us about six hours to get to the B&B we had booked.
It was worth it. Dinan is a medieval walled town, sitting high on a hill above the River Rance.
Our B&B is one of the medieval buildings on the main route leading from the river up through
la grande porte to the top of the hill. As well as being steep the street is narrow and cobbled and takes very few cars - 5 or 6 a day. People walk up and down, mostly in the afternoon and at night as the day seems to start later here.
So much of the original town is intact - it is quite stunning and in some ways a little difficult to get to grips with. Is it real?
After being here a few days, we met a lovely couple from Bristol who invited us to join them on a trip to "Le Mont St. Michel".
What a treat. The day was glorious and the ancient buildings with the surrounding sea, breathtaking.
Thanks John and Angie!
We spent three hours exploring,
lots of up-along, then down-along
through the narrow twisting alleys.
How huge are the Breton skies?
Dinan seems crowded by comparison and I guess it is - especially on the weekend with many, many people walking up and down the cobbled street, most seem to stop and take a photo of our residence or sit on the stone seat outside to catch their breath.
There are two churches in Dinan - St. Saveur and St. Malo - the latter being my favourite. It is very plain inside as it was cleared of its tapestries and ornaments after the revolution, but the stained-glass windows are exceptional, so full of life and colour. I particularly love the one of Anne of Bretagne who became Queen of France - look at the background buildings (Dinan?), the flowers and banners. It reminds me of a lively illustration from a fairytale. If I was a child, I would love to sit in this church each Sunday gazing at this amazing window. There are five or six windows like this in the church.
We have a little kitchen so haven't been eating out much - baguettes and terrines, a small
tarte or two, and we do buy a little Breton specialty each evening at
le Patisserie at the foot of the hill oppostite the Rance. We've also visited the market with its array of country goodies.
We've explored along the river
and the battlements
to nearby villages
and beyond.
We've enjoyed our time in Dinan.
this is a very crowded city and we search for quiet places.
this is the view from our bedroom window over many apartment blocks with many corresponding fireplaces.
mostly on building facades, windows, doorways and lamposts.
usually on the window balconies of the beautiful apartments.
in florists, pots and window boxes (very few gardens).
eaten anywhere and at anytime.
ever ready for crumbs of baguettes.
isn't Paris reputed to be the most romantic city?
full of life and on school holidays.
this one is at 'Amelie's' favourite cafe.
to whisk us away to unexplored destinations.
