Morlaix to Roscoff

 Well, I’m all lumps and bumps this morning – a strong reaction to Morlaix mosquitos!  After breakfast I walked round to the nearest pharmacie and asked for quelque chose contre le piqures des moustiques, and she gave me a medication rather than a topical remedy. It’s certainly made me a lot less itchy, but the blotchiness meant that on the first sunny morning, I ended up having to wear long sleeves! 

Farewell to Morlaix

I am not convinced by the BreizhGO transport system – I booked my ticket yesterday and was told that I’d need to take the shuttle to the SNCF Gare, but when the ticket came through online, it said I was leaving from le Viaduc. That was all very nice and convenient but playing it safe, I left early and found the Viaduc stop and a timetable there – and the bus I was aiming for does not start from there! (The one two hours later, does....). So I had to bustle and find the shuttle stop – luckily not too far – and did the long twisty road to get us to the top of the Viaduct level, and the Station, which is also the bus pickup.  Going up in daylight, I am profoundly grateful to my Friday night rescuers – it would have been a VERY long walk down!

Bus photo as we cross the river at Pont de la Corde

The bus was pretty full, but I think a number of them were a group.  The bus makes a couple of stops, at Pont de La Corde, and then at Pol de Leon – depending on things, I might try and do a bus run to the latter tomorrow; it looked fascinating.  

Pol de Leon

We stopped at the ferry terminal (only four people getting off, but then it was just midday after all) and then on to the Quai d’Auxerre, right on the waterfront.  My blasted wifi decided to opt out on me again, and I was working by guesswork in finding my hotel, but just as I was about to quit, and ask, I found it – almost as far north as you can get in Roscoff. 

Tide on the turn just outside the hotel

I was a little early, but I was able to put my bags in storage and venture out again – first to explore the church across the road, and then to find a creperie where I could have lunch in the shade of an umbrella.  It was as sunny in Roscoff as in Morlaix, but the breeze off the water makes so much difference!  Hot, but not humid.

From my lunch-table

A lunchtime galette

Back to the hotel around 4pm to cool off and take some time, and start the blog, and then another walk – this time to the that northernmost point, where I could see a couple of fishermen wading hopefully, The hotel is situated in a very quiet little corner, right on the water, but with minimal traffic on the road. 

Ossuary

Church bell-tower

There's a fishermen's church almost opposite - Eglize Notre-Dame de Croaz-Batz - which is Gothic/Renaissance (16th century), with two ossuary chapels in the grounds, and an openwork Renaissance bell-tower, with balustrades, domes and lanterns. I found the interior much less appealing and over-ornate 

But from outside, it's very striking!

The hotel is not the most beautiful of buildings – there are so many lovely ones around here – but it’s obviously been purpose-built and it’s well maintained. My view misses the water, but has a much nicer over-the-roofs vista than my Morlaix hotel.

And the water is close - out the door, turn right, and there's a little laneway to the sea-wall, where I could see fishermen wading hopefully.

The oldest house on the point...

I headed around the point, and discovered the Marine Sciences building, which is part of the Sorbonne, and did a little walk and a little sit in the evening sunshine, before returning to my hotel room, and my computer!

Marine Sciences - what a place to work!

Looking southwest

Morlaix - day 2

Arrrgghhh!  The Morlaix mosquitos like the taste of me! I am SO bug-bitten!

City Hall - Hôtel dis François du Parc

Greyish morning – seems to be the pattern to have a cloudy start and have it clear later, so I took my time this morning, and went late to breakfast.  When I came back to my room I got a few things done, and then lay on the bed and went back to sleep for three hours!  Not sure where that came from...  Unfortunately it seems to have been the point at which the mozzies have moved in. No pharmacies open – the French take Sunday off very seriously. I daubed myself with Benedryl (which doesn’t seem to be working) and sunscreen, and dug out my sun-hat and headed down-river.

Cormorant drying off

The river is not very deep and requires locks to access it at the right times, but it’s been an active port for small boats for hundreds of years, and for goods both legal and illegal – trade in linen, mainly, and the activity of corsairs in the 1700s. In the mid-19thC the King's architect designed Le Manufacture – a tobacco factory, which grew through the advances of industry, and doubled in size between the two world wars. Since 2020, the “Manu” has become a home to contemporary art & culture as well as a science and activity centre.

Le Manu courtyard

Image through the entrance 

Same image but closeup

Lovely container planting

It’s Sunday, so everything was closed, but the complex of buildings was open, and was fascinating to walk through.

Another courtyard

Local school photo-project - 17 ans

Le Manufacture

They’re doing some construction to one side of the river, so fencing prevented too close an approach, but the ducks obviously liked it that nobody could bother them.

Past Le Manu, there was a floating pontoon over the river, so I was able to cross and return on the other side, getting pics from mid-river. 

Looking back at downtown Morlaix, dominated by the viaduct

Looking north toward the river mouth; the bridge you can see is the bypass

There were some large fish, and a lot of very small fry - but too much reflection to get a good photo.

Mountain ash in full berry on the left!

Walking back, there were some very steep side-streets marked for Access au Viaduct - I was not tempted!

Celtic symbolism is big in Brittany

Nor by the promise of climbing up to Ste Melaine

Up the hill to church!

There were a number of bars open, but no shaded spots, and I am not a person who can sit in the sun!  I decided that what I needed was a refill of my waterbottle with lemon electrolytes – fluid rather than food - and some more dabbing with Benedryl. I’m just a little nervous about the bus tomorrow, because my first research put me on a shuttle up to the station and then on the Roscoff bus – but the e-ticket that has come through has me getting on the bus at the Viaduct – and I saw it sitting there earlier today, so it’s likely right....

Now I think I’m going to unmake my bed, and sleep under the duvet cover without the duvet – and hope that will keep me both cooler and mosquito-protected!

Quel surprise!

Well this has derailed in an interesting way! I now have three+ extra days to fill, and some rearrangements to do!  I feel so bad about missing those days with Martin & Eileen, but they're being pretty philosophical about it all!

Hotel de l'Europe

 

hotel lobby

The hotel is downtown, pretty much central, very old-world and my first reaction was that this would really put the bill up.  In fact, it’s proved to be cheaper than most of the Roscoff hotels, so after breakfast this morning, I went and asked at the desk if the room I was in was still available. I’ve got it for the next two nights, and then I’ll go to Roscoff for the last one.

not the greatest stairs to be hauling luggage on!

It’s not the most wonderful room – it’s up on the fourth floor and the elevator only goes to the third – and the stairs are pretty narrow. But as long as I do the stairs one bag at a time, it’s manageable. And it means I don’t have to pack again immediately. My view is not a beautiful one, over the roofs, but I’m on nodding acquaintance with the resident pigeons and jackdaws – and come the evening, the swallows will be screaming overhead, as much as in Rouen and Caen.

The back courtyard of Maison Penanault - the Tourist Office

I spent a good bit of the morning on the computer – so nice to have reliable wifi again, and to have my photos doing their backup (which they’d not done since St Pancras). Then I went out to do a quick explore and find the tourist office and some more Kleenex, French variety. The place was bustling with a market – mostly artisinal: leather and woodwork and soap and beads; I was surprised there wasn’t a farmer’s market, but perhaps in another area... 

Woodworker absorbed in his craft

There was a constant light rain – not enough to make me go back for my raincoat, but enough to make some of the footing a little slippery. The Tourist Office is established in one of the townhouses originating in the early 17th century, with further development at the beginning of the 19th – its roof structure is in the form of an upturned boat, and there’s extended garden space terraced over the steep slope behind the house – less used as a garden now, and more as a display space.

The Viaduct dominates the city space; it was built in the early 1860s, and is in two levels – the bottom one can be accessed by the very steep little lanes going up from river level (we’ll see if I feel up to that tomorrow!). The rain increased and it started feeling very muggy, so I went back to the hotel. Later in the afternoon the sun came through, though it was still pretty humid. No air-conditioner in my room, though I could open the windows – the problem then is that the skeeters come in!  There was obviously one very enthusiastic one last night – I didn’t hear it, but I sure felt the bites. Thank goodness I put Benedryl in my bathroom bag!

The Museum

I spent an hour or so exploring the area just south of the hotel; more Shambles-like narrow streets with overhanging houses, and many of them obviously well maintained and loved. The Museum is located in a former convent, confiscated at the time of the Revolution, and then the headquarters for the local archeological society; they’re currently doing restoration, so access was minimal.

Duchess Anne's House

Place Allende

I did a quick climb to the next street over (Rue du Mur – Wall Street) and ended up overlooking Place Allende, which used to be a covered market place – the roof now long gone. About halfway up the street is the house they refer to Duchess Anne’s house – Anne of Brittany is the next thing to a saint around here.  It follows a "House with a lantern" plan ("Maison à pondalez" in Breton): two buildings (street side and courtyard side) separated by a covered interior courtyard, the floors being served by a staircase and wooden galleries. They were just closing when I got there – and sadly, it’s not open Sunday or Monday, so all you get is the exterior.  There are many other old and well-preserved houses in the square, including a 15th century inn called Ty Coz, which is still well in service. 

Ty Coz, still functioning as a pub!

St Mathieu's church - Romanesque tower and newer building behind

 I walked around as far as the St Mathieu church but it was closed  (perhaps tomorrow) and back to the main market square where I picked up a sandwich and fruit – didn’t feel like eating out tonight. Back to treat my mosquito bites and have a quiet evening and a better sleep than I did last night!

Dinan - and changed plans

Bye, cows!

 All through southern Europe they’re suffering under a heat dome.  This far north, we get moments of it, but we also get the thunderstorms that help to discharge some of the humidity. Thursday night’s downpour had freshened things up, and it was grey but non-rainy as I said farewell to the Mont-Saint-Michel cows, and boarded the bus to Pontorson.  From there I got the train to Dol de Bretagne, and changed to get me to Dinan.  Because of terrorist awareness, there is no longer a left-luggage facility in stations. But I’d discovered a thing called Nannybag, which allowed me to take my bags to a nearby place (in this case, a dry-cleaners) and they held them for me so that I could walk unloaded.

I just loved Dinan!  I took my stick with me, and was thankful for it – very uneven underfoot, plus it makes me slow down! It’s got the old-city feel of York’s Shambles – with some of the inevitable tourist tat, but also nice artisinal shops, and all the classic boulangerie/patisserie/charcuterie merchants. At St Malo church (upper city) there was a lot of local saints’ history in the stained glass windows.

St Malo church

I wandered for awhile, and found myself coming out of the houses at Dinan Castle, so took the chance and explored.  It’s a really good display, but worse than the Mont in terms of uneven staircases and poor lighting as you go from one area to another – I don’t know how their safety regs stand it! It started with the Coetquen Tower, the artillery tower, and the guards’ chambers underneath, and then led though a tunnel that joined the military side to the domestic – the home of the Dinan rulers. There we worked our way up through the kitchen level and grand hall to the room where the Duke did justice, and then to the family chambers.  I didn’t make the climb all the way to the roof! |

The artillery tower

Guards' rooms

Tunnel between the two towers

I’d meant to go to the Tourist info office, but they were closed till 2pm, so I walked up towards the old city again, via an encounter with Bertrand du Guesclin, Constable of France in the late 14th century, and found myself a nice galeterie for lunch. It’s nice when the server (such as at the restaurant on Thursday) is fluent in English, but I seemed to be able to manage pretty well when Friday’s server has no English. The problem is that Breton French is a bit like Maritime English – not quite standard in pronunciation. Guesswork and smiles help a lot...

Bertrand du Guesclin

From lunch I went to explore the lower-town Basilica, which is all I dislike in gilt angels, unsubtle stained glass and 19th century art. Some nice tombs, though!

Berthelot d'Angoulevent
The canopy over his head says he did good works;
the lion at his feet is a symbol of nobility

There was construction going on outside, and I got diverted to a place they call the English Garden – not actually very English! - but a nice corner to have some quiet time under a lime tree absolutely laden with blossom and happy bees. The garden bordered on one of the stretches of Ramparts from the old City – they’re not all accessible or safe, but at this point the tower at the corner overlooks the port city far below – it’s quite a view! I had thought about doing the walk around to the lower city, but it’s more of the Mont-St-Michel gradient in places, especially around the Jerzuel Gate, and I opted out, and enjoyed my time on the upper level.

Looking out over the lower city and the river port

Along the ramparts

On schedule, I reclaimed my bags and returned to the station for the 6:18 train to Lamballe. This is where things started falling apart. The train was late – more than half an hour late, in the end. So I missed my connection in Lamballe, and though there was another train a bit later, by the time I got to Morlaix, my bus had gone. Oh, well, I thought – I can always get a taxi.  NOT.....  there were no taxis to be found. A very kind gentleman helped by making some calls, but encountered a lot of voicemail and refusals.  By this time I realised I was in trouble – I wouldn’t make the ferry, and would need alternate plans. I asked for directions to a hotel, and he pointed me to the right road, and said “you keep going down...” before his wife picked him up. So I started the walk....  Bless them, they circled around, and offered to take me to a hotel, and I’m very glad they did – it was a long way from the viaduct level where the station is, to the bottom of the valley where Morlaix proper lies. I got the last single room in Hotel de l’Europe, and as I was decanting my bags, the ferry people called to ask whether I was coming, and I was able to change my ticket.  Then, of course, I had to message Martin to say that I would NOT be arriving on Saturday morning, but that the next ferry was Tuesday evening, and I’d see him on Wednesday!  

At that point I decided to quit and not worry about it.  In the morning I’ll sort out whether to stay in Morlaix or go straight to Roscoff – perhaps depending on whether I can keep this room.