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!