Sunday October 18, 2015 – Perros Guirec to Belle Isle Island, France

We got up at 7:30, had breakfast at 8:30 and left by 9 am. 

We had a 2.5 hour drive to Carnac for a guided tour of the monolyths.  The drive was on mostly back roads and over hills and through valleys.  There were lots of  bikers too on the small roads.

We got to Carnac early, registered and met our guide.  She was very informative.  We walked into the Carnac site and got an up close look.  The megaliths were believed to have been created about 6,000 years ago.  They have never found the villages where the people lived and they are uncertain of the purpose of the various sites.  They could have been ceremonial, funereal, or territorial. 

The monolyths at Carnac

It was hard to see, but there was a "pattern" to where they large stones were placed

Huge stones standing on end built a long, long time ago

Some were put in circles

More of the circular pattern

There are various sites where the megaliths are located in the region.  She spent over an hour with us and then we went for lunch.  We couldn’t find a restaurant, and Tim was cranky, so we went to the “market” and got a ham and cheese crepe.  At least it was something.

We had a hard time finding a lunch place, so there was a food truck and we enjoyed crepes

We met her at the other historical site, Locmariaquer, and toured that as well.  This site used to be a parking lot and camp ground until archeologists discovered the ruins in the ground.  We went into a funeral chamber and walked the site.   We saw a video and then left for the port.

Huge rocks at Locmariaquer

A burial chamber.  This used to be under a parking lot

The entrance to the tomb

Inside the tomb

Large rock formations at Locmariaquer

Some of the piles of rocks were as long as a football field

Interesting rock formations laid out - but we don't know why!

We arrived at the pier about 4:10, registered and got in line for the ferry.  The ferry ride was uneventful and took a little over an hour.  We got through La Paradis, the main city on Belle Isle, and drove to Villa de Jade.  Manuel met us, fixed us mint tea, gave us a fresh oyster that he had just harvested, and we settled in.

The ferry leaving La Paradis on Belle Isle as seen from our bedroom winidow

The grounds at Villa de Jade overlooking the sea

View from our bedroom of the private beach below

Our bedroom at Villa de Jade

Bathroom with a view - beautiful sunset over Belle Isle

Emilie had made a reservation at La Cade for dinner and it was wonderful.  Fish all of the way.  I even fileted my sole meuniere!  Tim had a bar filet.  We both had fish soup – Tim with crab, mine with fish.  The maître d' / waiter was great and very customer focused.

We drove back on a very dark night to the B&B.  Lots of stars and the milky way was visible.  Relaxed in our room and to bed about 11.  We can hear the surf outside of our room – a room with a view from every window.

Saturday October 17, 2015 – Perros Guirec and Isle de Brehat, France

We got up at 8:15 and it was still dark.

Anne had fixed rice pudding and crepes for breakfast.  She loaned us a knife and glasses for our picnic at Isle de Brehat.  And she gave us some bread and cake to enjoy.

We left at 10 am and got there at 10:45.  We parked the car and took the ferry over.  It was high tide so we sailed right into the small harbor.

Getting off of the ferry at Isle de Brehat

The tide was in so there was plenty of water at the main dock

We walked all around the island.  We went way over to the church on the hill.  Tim found some wild blackberries and we enjoyed those.  We walked more and then finally into the small town.  There was a church in the main square. 

Very narrow streets on Isle de Brehat

Beautiful cottages all over the island

Beautiful flowering shrubs

Beautiful vistas from the high points

At the small chapel on top of the hill on Isle de Brehat

A few monuments scattered around the island

The main square

The cemetery on Isle de Brehat

Inside the small church

The church and cemetery

The small church we visited in the distance on top of a high hill

We found a picnic table on a hill overlooking the island for our picnic.  Wine – bread – pate – small apples in calvados, cake.  Wonderful.

Having our picnic on Isle de Brehat

Our wonderful spread - pate, bread, wine and cake!  What more could we want?

In Brittany with an "I Love Normandy" Bag - the locals weren't amused!

We walked back to the harbor and the tide was way, way out.  It rises and falls over 21 feet.  Amazing. 

This is the dock where we sailed in this morning - now no water!

The boats are sitting in the mud with the tide out

No water at all along the sea wall.  They told us the tide comes in very fast!

The ferry ride was very short back, and then we went to car park.  We drove to the next town and stopped for coffee and some pistachio ice cream.

Then we looked for the “cliffs” as Emilie had advised us but we couldn’t find them.  So we drove back to the castle.  The weather was nice so we went on an "estate walk" around our castle!

The castle

The castle and a large well in the yard

Beautiful grounds

The drive to the castle

We did email and I found out that one of my rental listings is now under contract – yeah! 

We left early for dinner.  The restaurant is a 35 minute ride and we were told it is in a very remote location.  The Abri des Barges Restaurant was recommended by Anne and Hugues.  GPS helped us find it and there were very narrow lanes.  The chain was up over the driveway.  I explained that to the lady there in French and she moved it.  We enjoyed a kir royal and fish cakes by the water and watched the sun setting.  Beautiful.

Beautiful setting at Abri des Barges Restaurant.  She served us drinks and appetizers by the water.

A beautiful colorful sunset at the restaurant

The little Abri des Barges Restaurant - a special "find"

We went in for dinner.  Tim had a dish with cream cheese, caviar, and ice/lemon juice frozen on top followed by lobster.  I had oyster beignets and then a filet of John Dory fish.  Delicious.  I had a poached apple for dessert and Tim had pistachio ice cream followed by coffee.  The woman who waited on us was great.

Tim's caviar dish - he was in heaven

Oysters beignets - yummy!

There were not many people out on the road for the drive back to the castle which was good, considering it is Saturday night.  It was very dark out.

We got back about 10 pm and then went to bed.  We have a much earlier day tomorrow.

Friday October 16, 2015 – Perros Guirec, France

We got up at 8:15 am and had breakfast at 9 – yogurt, yogurt, and yogurt!  It was good though.

We headed out about 10:15 for Perros Guirec and took a long, long walk along the Pink Granite Coast.  Nice walkways and huge granite boulders.  Cold and misty along the sea. 

The beautiful Pink Granite Coast

Large pinkish granite boulders everywhere

A selfie along the Pink Granite Coast

Rocky inlets along the coast

Interesting rock formations

This was an interesting one!

Tim along the Pink Granite Coast

A small chapel along the rocky coastline

This was amazing how this was balanced on top

Memories of Maine Baker - UHHHHH!

We walked back through the small town to the car and headed south west.  We roamed around and then went back to the waterfront at Perros Guirec for lunch.  After lunch we headed west again to small towns and beautiful vistas.  The tide was WAY out so there was lots of sand, mud, and marsh showing.  It was beautiful.

We returned to the castle about 4:30, caught up on email and napped.  Rainy today at the castle.

The Chateau where we stayed

The owners wing on the left

Beautiful grounds and a small pond on the grounds of the chateau

The turret of the chateau

For dinner we are going to one of Anne’s recommendations – Le Gouermel - it’s on a bay.  It wasn’t much – just so, so.  Tim had duck confit and I had pork cheeks which were interesting.  We had a huge lunch so neither of us was that hungry.  The roads were very dark on the ride back to the castle.  I found out one of my listings “sold” today so I worked for a while getting contracts to everyone. 

Then to bed about 10:30 pm.  It’s COLD again tonight in the castle!!!!