So you love France but you've not been to Brittany yet - why not I ask? Perhaps you don't know what this beautiful region has in store for you, particularly our more remote department of Finistere. Well I'd like to set that right. Here are seven sensational sightseeing experiences that make the west of Brittany a must see destination in my opinion.

If you are a fan of megalithic history then Brittany is the place for you! We always make a point of visiting at least one new megalithic site on each trip to Brittany. 

These mysterious ancient stones are fascinating features that you'll find dotted all over the landscape, ranging from alley graves like this one on the beach near Plouescat on the northern coast, to rows of standing stones known as alignments. Single standing stones can often be glimpsed in the middle of fields or even private gardens. There is one just up the road from our gites near Landeleau in a corn field off the D17.

If you want to track down these prehistoric sites in Brittany, download the Guide to the Menhirs and other Megaliths of Central Brittany by Samuel Lewis. Many of the stones have legends associated with them often pertaining to fertility. You have to wonder how they managed to move and manoeuvre the sometimes huge pieces of granite into place. Maybe the fairies really did help!

The parish closes of Brittany represent the wealth generated by the trade in flax and hemp in the 16th and 17th centuries. The highest concentration of these religious architectural gems can be found in Finistere. 

The most impressive feature of the larger closes are the elaborately carved calvaries. These usually display scenes from the life of Christ and often incorporate carvings of important local personages. Up to 150 figures can be counted on some of these crosses, including the devil, saints and animals.

There was great rivalry between the parishes, each striving to out do their neighbour. The most splendid of the closes can be found at St-Thégonnec, Guimiliau and Pleyben. Our nearest parish close is Saint-Herbot near Plonévez-du-Faou, just 15 minutes away. A butter festival is held at Saint-Herbot in September. Click here to see my post on parish closes

Brittany has over 2,000 miles of coastline and 300 of them are in Finistere. I think it is fair to say that the you will be rewarded with stunning views no matter which part of the coast you visit, from white sandy plages to rugged granite cliffs and boulder strewn beaches. Out of season you will frequently find that you have an entire beach to yourself.

The gites lie at the heart of Finistere and it is easy access all three coasts for daytrips. Our closest sandy beach is Plage Pentrez just a 45 minute drive away. You can also enjoy marked walks on the Sentier des Douaniers, the old customs coastal path which reveals outstanding vistas around every bend. Carantec on the north coast is blessed with no less than seven sandy beaches!

Brittany has more than one third of all of the lighthouses in France. 23 of these protect the coast of Finistere. The French word for lighthouse is phare.

The phare of St Mathieu at Plougonvelin, to the west of Brest, was built in the grounds of a Benedictine Abbey in 1835. 

In past times the monks at the abbey would light a fire in a tower on the cliffs to guide sailors to safety. I wrote about our trip to to Pointe Saint-Mathieu last May. 

Some of the lighthouses that I think are worth visiting are: Eckmühl in Penmarc’h on the south coast, one of the tallest lighthouses in the world at 65 m; Le phare de l’île Vierge, even taller at 82.5, lies just off shore at Plougueneau on the north coast. Finally, La Vieille is situated dramatically in the sometimes stormy seas just off the Pointe du Raz, protecting seafarers as they pass the French version of Land's End.

The biggest river to be found in Finistere is the Aulne. This majestic watercourse forms part of the Nantes-Brest Canal which links two of the most important cities in Brittany. The tow paths make for nice easy walking. If you are into fishing it is famous for allis shad, sea trout and salmon. We walked along the non-canalised part of the river near Landeleau last June and met not another soul. Read about it here: A Ramble by the River Aulne.

At the end of our lane, just a five minute stroll down the hill, you will find the shallow peaty coloured river Ellez. It can be crossed via a ford though we are yet to be brave enough try this in our car. I can highly recommend a paddle on a hot summer's day from the sandy beach. It flows into the Aulne not far from the gites.

Another lovely river can be found in nearby Carhaix-Plouguer, the Hyères. It is popular for kayaking and there are also riverside walks through a deep wooded valley.

The lovely lakeside town of Huelgoat is just a 15 minute drive from our holiday cottages. It lies on the edge of the mysterious Forest of Huelgoat. You can access these lush moss clad woodlands directly from the town via the boulder strewn "Chaos". 

Follow the sparkling river Argent as it bubbles and froths its way amidst granite rocks or head up hill to discover fascinating sites associated with King Arthur like the cave where he supposedly spent a night. There are many legends associated with the forest, you can learn about some of these on my blog post here: Legends of the Forest of Huelgoat.

In the village square you will find boulangeries, creperies, a pub, a small supermarket and a tourist information office amongst other things. A market is held in Huelgoat every Thursday morning. On the lake front there are more lovely creperies and an ice-cream parlour. The lake is home to carp, pike and perch if you fancy a day's fishing. You will need to obtain a fishing permit from the Paint shop in the main square. Or you could simply go for a lakeside stroll or take the kids to the playground for a bit of fun.

Finistere is bordered by the Atlantic ocean on three sides and benefits from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. This means that there is a much wider variety of plants than one might expect in cooler climes of northern Europe.

A feature you will discover as you explore Brittany, in the coastal areas in particular, are what the French term "jardins exotique". Explore these gardens and you will spot many plants that you would normally expect to see in subtropical zones such as South Africa and Australia. The gardens at Roscoff and on the Ile-de-Batz both over look the sea and on a sunny day it feels as if you could be on a tropical island in the South Pacific. 

At Les arbes du monde au Huelgoat in the rolling countryside of central Brittany, you will come across over 3,600 species of plants. They are arranged by region, from the Himalayas to South America. One section is dedicated to eucalypti which makes you feel you are wandering around the Australian bush, without the huntsman spiders - thank goodness!

Other places that offer beautiful gardens to explore are the local chateaus. Our closest chateau, the Domaine de Trevarez on the outskirts of Châteauneuf-du-Faou. It is surrounded by 447 acres. This impressive pink castle is renowned for its Camellia festival as well as its eye catching displays of azaleas and rhododendrons. Not to be missed if visiting Brittany in Spring.

There are of course many other sightseeing sensations to be enjoyed in Brittany. Take a look at the Brittany Tourism and Finistere Tourism websites which both have versions in English for more ideas on where to visit.

I hope that this has whetted your appetite to come and explore fascinating Finistere. 

There is something for everyone!

The Parc d'Armorique is the only regional natural park in Brittany. It covers 125,000 hectares and crosses the spine of Finistere from the Ouessant Isles in the west to Guerlesquin in the east.

The park protects a mosaic of landscapes from heather clad moorland, mysterious forests, granite tors, a marine park and rugged coasts.

We invite you to discover just a few of the treasures of this very special area.

Monts d’Arrée

The Monts d’Arrée are the highest and oldest hills in Brittany. Some might accuse the locals of a slight exaggeration as they are not exactly mountains in size, nevertheless they provide striking scenery and outstanding views.

Consisting of high open moorland (landes) and peat marshes (tourbières), the Monts d’Arrée run roughly east/west, forming the heart of the Armorican Regional Park. On the one of the hills is a tall signals mast, visible for miles around. The mast was subject to an attack in 1974 by the FLB, a Breton separatist movement. Nearby Roc’h Ruz has recently been established as the highest point at 385.01 m, though the debate with regards to the highest point in Brittany rumbles on.

The Crozon Peninsular

La presqu'île de Crozon juts out into the Atlantic Ocean like a misshapened finger. The peninsula offers contrasting landscapes, marked by the gentle southern beaches and the wilderness of the dramatic cliffs to the west and north. 

Pinewoods offer a southern feel, complemented by many hidden coves and sandy beaches, just waiting to be discovered. The countryside, characterised by stone walls and thickets is largely agricultural. 

Menez Hom, which dominates the skyline at the eastern end of the peninsular, is worth a little diversion from the main route to Camaret-sur-Mer. You can drive straight to the top of the "mountain" from where you will discover unforgettable views over the purple heather along the spine of the Crozon peninsula towards the sea and also uninterrupted views inland towards the Aulne Valley and beyond.

The Rade de Brest

The north coast of the Crozon peninsular is bordered by the Rade de Brest. The Bay of Brest is around 150 square kilometres in total. 

A natural harbour, the narrowest part is 1.8 km wide providing a safe navigable passage to the naval base at Brest throughout the year.

There are regular ferry crossings from Brest to the Pointe de Espagnols from were you can enjoy coastal walks offering spectacular views across the deep blue harbour.

The eastern section of the Bay is fed by numerous estuaries, including the Faou and Aulne rivers. In these atmospheric coastal wetlands you will find mudflats and reed beds which attract a multitude of birds and insects. 

Petites Cités de Caractère

Petites Cités de Caractère means small towns of character. There are two of these charming towns within the boundaries of the Parc, Guerlesquin and Le Faou.

Guerlesquin lies in the far north east corner of the park. It is a small town with a wealth of fine architecture. 

Laid out around a tree lined rectangular square are imposing granite houses from the 15th and 18th centuries. Also known as a "Town of Flowers", the center of the flower festooned square is dominated by the brooding 17th century Présidial, a former prison. At the foot of the building you will find the old grain measuring scales. Opposite the old prison there is a traditional Breton tavern, perfect for sampling some of the fine local beers.

Le Faou is a small port dating back to medieval times. It is picturesquely set on an estuary on the edge of Bay of Brest. Sailing and windsurfing is available on the river where it widens out to join the sea. 

The town has good selection of shops and some excellent bars and restaurants, many housed in 16th century corbelled houses built of shale and granite. A market is held there on the last Saturday of the month.

The Maison de la Pays museum, open in high season, has exhibits, photographs and costumes of the area.  Churches to visit include Saint Sauveur, with its 16th and 19th century furnishings, the Church of Notre-Dame de Rumengol and the 17th century Chapel of Quai Quélen.

Megalithic Sites

There are a large number of megaliths scattered across the park and Brittany. One of the most impressive of these is the Lagatjar alignments near Camaret-sur-Mer at the end of the Crozon Peninsular. 

There are 143 standing stones arranged in three lines on a field on the edge of town. No-one knows the significance of this arrangement.

On the outskirts of the town of Commana, in the northern section of the park, lies the imposing alley grave of Mougau-Bihan. 

This cavernous ‘allée couverte’ is justifiably one of Brittany’s most famous megalithic sites. The stones are in good condition and inside there are several carvings, including one that is supposed to be an axe in relief, and another which is perhaps a ‘Mother Goddess’.

I hope that this has given you a flavour of the Parc Naturel Regional d'Armorique. As you can imagine there is much, much more that I haven't mentioned. Hopefully I have tempted you to come and discover this lovely area for yourself!

During the last two years we have been lucky to be able to visit many of the beautiful beaches of Brittany. It is easy for us to reach all three coasts of Finistère from our central location via the quiet local roads.

We accidentally discovered the white sandy beach of Les Plages Amiets on a day trip to Roscoff last June. This peaceful oasis is about a 15 minute drive west from the old pirating port. Odd shaped boulders honed by the wind strew the turquoise coast.

Brignogan Plage is another expansive northern beach. It can be found on the romantically named Côte des Légendes.

We enjoyed our traditional baguette picnic on the seafront, being wished "bon appétit" by the few passers by we encountered. I love it when that happens, food is so important to the French, it is just natural to them to comment on the fact that you are eating!

Winter doesn't deter us from picnicking on the beach. During our property hunt in January 2011 we enjoyed a sunny winter's day near Douarnenez on the west coast of  Finistere. Douarnenez was once famous for its thriving sardine fishing and canning industries. 

A lovely local lady came to speak to us after her dog tried to join us for lunch. We had a very entertaining discussion on politics, religion and the local area, conducted in broken French and English - it was a good test for us!

Our closest sandy beach is Plage Pentrez near Saint-Nic at the start of the Crozon Peninsular. It is around a 45 minute drive from Ty Hir. This wide long beach shelves gently so is great for paddling in the waves or for taking a refreshing stroll.

Anse du Loch (anse means cove) lies on the southern side of the Cap Sizun peninsular near Plogoff. The pebble strewn beach is overlooked by honey coloured cliffs. It is a great place for rockpooling.

The road to Pointe du Raz runs alongside the cove and you can park by a path that takes you straight onto the golden sands. 

A bar and crêperie is perfectly placed to take in the fantastic view whilst enjoying some local cidre and galettes.

Another beautiful beach overlooked by impressive cliffs is the Plage de Kerloc'h on the Crozon Peninsular. This photo was taken in the middle of winter and we had this magical place all to ourselves.

We stumbled upon a flock of sanderlings sheltering on the shore amongst small rounded rocks. They blended in so well it took us a while to realise they were there!

The picturesque resort of Morgat is situated on Douarnenez Bay on the Crozon peninsula in western Brittany.

It is an ancient fishing village which gradually became a seaside resort, from the late nineteenth century, under the impetus of Armand Peugeot, of the motor company. The impressive mansions built by wealthy Parisian families can still be seen overlooking the bay.

Le Baie des Trépassés or the Bay of the Dead lies between Pointe du Raz and Pointe du Van at the end of the Cap Sizun peninsular. It is very popular with local surfers who enjoy riding the big Atlantic rollers that crash dramatically onto the beach. A stream links the beach with Etang de Laoual, a reed bed encircled lake that is a great place for birdwatching.

I hope this has given you some idea of the many beautiful beaches that you can visit during a stay at our cottages in Brittany. We are looking forward to discovering more of the scenic coast of fascinating Finistere during our upcoming trip next week. À bientôt! 

June 2012

Our third trip to Ty Hir was in June. We arrived on a sunny day which was a welcome relief after a very wet spring in the UK.

We were keen to see how the garden was recovering from the pounding it had taken during our working trip in March.

As you can imagine, we were relieved and pleased to see that the grass was starting to grow and all of our hastily planted laurels had survived.

We went for a quick stroll down to the river Ellez, admiring the beautiful foxgloves that lined our route. Nothing lifts your spirit so much as blue skies and green vistas - we really are lucky having such a rural and peaceful place to escape to.

Our main task this trip, other than exploring more of the area, was to paint our new shed and fence. 

Fortunately our second day dawned bright and dry - perfect for a spot of painting.  It was quite therapeutic methodically applying wood stain in the warm sunshine whilst mastering the art of avoiding drips - the trick was not to overload the brush!

By early afternoon, supplemented by lots of cups of coffee and bottles water, we had moved on to the fence which was quickly completed - job done - now time for the holiday!

Walking is one our favourite pastimes. It is one of the reasons we chose Ty Hir which is located in scenic hiking country. We have acquired a number of walking guide books on Brittany and the local area, both in French and English, some of which you can find in the gites.

I translated one of the walks that traces the river Aulne from Landeleau, about a 15 minute drive from Ty Hir, from French. We needed to try out the walk for ourselves to make sure that I hadn't made any mistakes - we didn't want any of our guests who might use the copies of the walk that we provide ending up going for a swim!

We had the lush green riverside trail to ourselves and enjoyed only the sound of running water and birdsong. Stopping at Le Stang campsite, where there is a secluded swimming area, we had a peaceful coffee break. During summer it is very popular and a temporary bridge is put in place. There is also a flying fox that traverses the river.

At Moulin Neuf we discovered an ancient statue of St Roch. He was a medical student who devoted himself to caring for victims of the plague. He was himself stricken down in the desert by the plague, and was miraculously fed every day by a dog bringing him a loaf of bread. He is the patron saint of Dogs, Plague, Pestilence and AIDS.

On another sunny day we headed north to the charming port of Roscoff. It is a Petites Cités de Caractère which means a small town of character. Roscoff lies on a peninsula in Morlaix bay. It is a town of granite with a privateer past and a historic 16th-century heart. 

Roscoff is famous for it's “Onion Johnnies”. Onion Johnny is the nickname given to the French farmers and agricultural labourers who used tosell distinctive pink onions door-to-door in the UK.  They have their own museum, La Maison des Johnnies. 

On the outskirts of the town lies the Jardin exotique & botanique à Roscoff. The garden contains one of the largest collections of Southern Hemisphere plants in France and a large range of cacti. There is an incredible botanical range of plants originally from South Africa, New Zealand and Australia including different collections of Protea, Eucalyptus and Kniphofia.

Another garden we visited was Les arbes du monde au Huelgoat which is in our local town. This garden, previously known as Arboretum du Poërop, is dedicated to plant biodiversity with 3,600 species of trees and shrubs from 4 continents spread over 22 hectares. 

You can travel across the Himalayan valley, the garden of medicinal plants in this region, the Chilean flora, eucalyptus and shrubs of the Australian bush, magnolias, rhododendrons, oaks, maples, pines, roses and bamboo. 

Towards the end of the trip we travelled a bit further afield, driving to the start of the Crozon Peninsular where we visited the ruins of Landévennec Abbaye. 

The abbey was founded by one of Brittany's greatest saints, St Guénolé. It is located on the Aulne where it enters the Bay of Brest. Now only ruins remain of the abbey which was founded in the 5th century. 

It has been attacked and destroyed many times, first by Vikings and finally ruined as a result of the French Revolution. There is an interesting museum which displays artefacts that have been found on the site.

After lunch we headed to the other side of the peninsular to Pointe de Lostmarc'h which overlooks Douarnenez Bay. 

Our destination was the megalithic Lostmarc'h alignments which sit overlooking the headland. 

There are not many of the original standing stones left but there is one rather large one on its own which lent itself to a very picturesque photo. 

On the headland itself you can see the traces of an Iron Age fort.  We could see surfers dotted in the sea in the background.  

Well that's enough about our June trip. We were lucky to be able to do so much exploring this time, though we did do some gardening at the gites, but it has to be said, that is pure pleasure except for the occasional sting from a nettle or scratch from a bramble.

...and, finally, as it is the 31st December 2012, we would like to wish you all a very happy New Year and a healthy and prosperous 2013 full of joy.  

We hope to tempt you to visit breathtaking Brittany one day!

As 2012 draws to a chilly close I thought that it was time to reflect on our first full calendar year of ownership of Ty Hir.

Between us, Andy and I managed to visit Ty Hir seven times this year. Less than we would have liked but more than we originally thought we would manage.

Most our visits were for pleasure but there was also a lot of hard grafting, particularly during our first visit in March which is now, fortunately, a distant, if a somewhat painful, memory...

March 2012

During the winter break of 2011/2012 our lovely caretaker John worked hard on our gites. By the time we arrived in March he had installed a new shower in the Petit Longère, started constructing a new shed, laid a new gravelled terrace and had moved a few tonnes of earth!

After an overnight trip from Portsmouth via St Malo with Brittany Ferries, we had intended to put our feet up when we arrived at the gites and start work on the garden the next day. Of course, neither of us are ones for sitting around so, after a quick lunch, we joined John in the garden, picking up plastic which had been mysteriously buried all over the garden and a never ending supply of rocks. Soon Andy had a cheery bonfire going to get rid of some of the piles of rubbish.

Thus began 10 days of hard physical labour - I thought that you were sent to the colonies for that!

The main task to be completed by the end of our visit was the installation of a boundary fence by Andy and John. I mainly picked up stones, and some more stones, and then some more stones with a bit of plastic thrown in from time to time for a bit of light relief. Buried under the nearly flatten earth there were what seemed like miles of blackberry and nettle roots to be removed - you'd tug at one end only to have to get a pick axe to dig up the hidden mass beneath - boy do I know how to have a good time!  

We also needed to get the gites ready for the new season so I did an inventory of each house and worked out what needed replacing. The shopping trips were a good excuse to get away from my job as stone picker upper and root grubber!

By the time each evening arrived we were wearily shuffling around like a couple of old codgers - our friends were lucky that they hadn't been able to join us for our "holiday"! Fortunately we had just enough energy left to light the wood burner and open a bottle of wine - phew!

I have to confess that we did actually manage two afternoons off. On the first afternoon we spent a relaxing time in a bar in Châteauneuf-du-Faou on the banks of the Nantes-Brest canal listening to the Good Time Jazz band with a mixture of locals and ex-pats. They appeared at Fest Jazz later that summer.

On our last afternoon in Brittany, after hastily planting what is to become our laurel bush hedge (we hope!) we managed to get to the Pink Granite Coast. It is extremely picturesque as the name suggests. La Cote de Granit Rose, which is about an hour and a half drive from Ty Hir, is a 30km stretch of rock strewn beaches. I say rocks but think huge boulders, shaped into all manner of strange things by the sea and wind.

The following morning we set off early, both looking forward to a rest on the ferry crossing back to Portsmouth, though satisfied with the work we had done, and hoping not to have to experience another "holiday" like that in the future!

April 2012

Andy spent a week with his parents at the gites in April. It was the first time they had visited them and it was nice for him to be able to show them around. 

They visited the imposing pink chateau of Domaine de Trévarez in the nearby Montagnes Noires, somewhere I am yet to visit. I am hoping to go there this spring as the display of azaleas and rhododendrons looked beautiful in their photos.

They also visited Concarneau in southern Brittany, a town of two parts with the charming old walled town, Ville Close, lying on an island facing the new town. It is linked to the mainland town by a bridge. 

The old town, with its quaint narrow streets has plenty of restaurants, ice cream parlours and souvenirs shops and the Marinarium laboratory museum.

There are also number of lovely restaurants lining the harbour where you can sit outside and watch the world go by.

On one of their last days out they visited the ruins of the Manoir de Coecilian near Camaret-sur-Mer on the Crozon Peninsular. The poet Saint-Pol-Roux built this house in 1904 on a magnificent headland overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. 

On the night of 23rd June 1940 a Nazi soldier broke into the house, murdered the housekeeper and raped Saint-Pol-Roux's daughter. Saint-Pol escaped and fled with his daughter to Brest. 

When he returned he found that all of his manuscripts had been looted, damaged or burned. Utterly dejected, he collapsed in grief died on 18th October 1940. During the Allied liberation of France in August 1944, the house fell victim to a bombing campaign, leaving it in the ruinous state that we see today - a sad and brutal end to what was once a vision of peace and blissful innocence.

Sorry it's been a while! We had a lovely week and a half in Brittany enjoying the Indian Summer and then it was staight back to work, so it's been difficult to find time to write. 

We discovered a number of new sights during our recent trip and I will share some of these with you in future posts. 

As a teaser, here is a picture of the lovely fishing port of Barfleur in Normandy where we went for a little wander before boarding our ferry in nearby Cherbourg. Guillaume le Bâtard set sail from here in 1066 becoming William the Conqueror after his successful invasion of England. We will definitely be returning there in the future, if only to see what it looks like when the tide is in!

So, back to the continuing saga of our last house hunting trip to Brittany in the winter of 2011. Briefly, we had viewed two properties near Huelgoat in the Brittany's most westerly department of Finistère that we liked enough to want to see a second time. 

On the sixth day of our visit, we returned to the property that was made up of two houses that were being let as gites. 

There was no need to collect the key as it was conveniently already at the property so we could visit at our leisure and spend a much time as we liked. We managed to find our way back to the tiny hamlet without any diversions, only to discover there was already someone at the house. 

We introduced ourselves to the lovely Englishman who was busy installing additional insulation in the smaller house. It turned out that he and his wife were caretakers for the property, his wife did the changeovers for guests and he cut the lawn and also did minor maintenance jobs on the properties. It was a happy co-incidence for us that he was there. After a bit of quizzing we let him get on with his job whilst we examined the property in minute detail. 

Andy took loads of photos, often getting me to pose with my bright red frosted nose (this was the middle of January...) in front of the beamed ceilings so we would have a record of their relative heights for the future. 

After a good couple of hours we had absorbed as much as possible with regards to the property so we set off to explore the immediate area, again making a photographic record (what would we do without digital cameras hey?). We found the closest source of bread and milk, looked for any evidence of developments might interfere with the enjoyment of the property, i.e. wind farms, poultry farms, pig farms, nuclear plants etc. In the event we didn't find anything to put us off and it became a serious contender.

The next day we to returned to the second property with the lovely garden, again unaccompanied as the immobilier was busy (quelle dommage!). 

We were entrusted with the keys and instructions on how to switch on the electrics and again managed to find our way to the house without getting lost. 

Time passed quickly as we explored the property and the grounds, Andy again taking photos aplenty, though I didn't have to pose with the beams this time as headroom wasn't an issue. 

We loved it just as much the second time around and I was particularly taken by the garden, it was simply a joy! Again we explored the local area, finding the closest shops and amenities and looking for anything that might prove problematic when living there in the future. Nothing came to our notice but we knew that we would have to do further research when we retuned to the UK. We returned to the Notaire's office in Huelgoat with a list of questions, told them that we were interested and would be in touch soon!

The following day we spent exploring the Crozon Peninsular. This spectacular peninsular lies at the far western extreme of Brittany and it's coastline is a mixture of dramatic cliffs and white sandy beaches The weather gods were kind and we had crisp blue skies all day to frame the view.

That night we packed our bags ready for our return journey to the UK via Caen the next day - this time a day crossing. 

Enroute to Caen we stopped in the well preserved medieval walled town of Dinan in the Côtes-d'Armor. Unfortunately, we were in such a hurry we didn't get to see the historic centre or the old port but we did manage a quick walk around the walls and caught a glimpse of the Château de Dinan which was pretty impressive. It went on our list of places to revisit as we headed to the ferryport. On the 6 hour crossing to Portsmouth we had plenty of time to discuss what we had seen and what we wanted to do next - there was a lot to think about!

A wonderful discovery during our latest trip to Brittany was "le belvédères" or places with a beautiful view. A great thing about staying in one area is being able to explore without any particular agenda or time constraints. One day we headed west to the Crozon Peninsular. The peninsular is known in French as Presqu'île de Crozon - presqu'île meaning 'almost an island' which I find a much more romantic description than peninsular - maybe that's why they say French is the language of love! Anyway I digress, as we neared the foot of the peninsular we saw a sign marked 'Belvédère' indicating a viewpoint so I quickly swung off in the direction indicated. After a few doubtful minutes we were rewarded with a panoramic view over a wide sweeping bend of the River Aulne. Time for a morning coffee break! The weather was a little overcast and Menez-Hom was swathed in cloud on the distant horizon, but it was warm and dry so we happily sat there for half an hour drinking in the view. We noticed an 18km walk called 'Circuit des deux rivières' signposted from the viewpoint - we will definitely be returning to do that one day!

We drove on to our destination for the morning which was Landévennec Abbey, after a brief diversion when we spied a young bird of prey, attempting and failing to photograph is successfully - it wouldn't sit still for us, how thoughtless!  

Abbaye de Landévennec was founded by one of Brittany's greatest saints, Guénolé. It is located on the Aulne where it enters the Bay of Brest. Now only ruins remain of the abbey which was founded in the 5th century. It has been attacked and destroyed many times, first by Vikings and finally ruined as a result of the French Revolution. 

There is an interesting museum which displays artefacts found on the site as well as models of the abbey as it was in different periods of time. A new abbey was built further up the hill in 1958 and the re-installed Benedictine monks make pâtés de fruits (fruit jellies) which are on sale in the gift shop. It is also supposedly the last resting place of King Gradlon, the legendary 5th century king of Cornouaille. For most of our visit we had the site to ourselves which allowed us to soak up the peaceful atmostphere.

On our way into the village we had spotted a signpost indicating another belvédère - we were getting good at this! After an obligatory stop in the Abbey's gift shop we headed up the hill until we found the viewpoint. It was an ideal place for our picnic lunch as there was a perfectly placed bench handily awaiting us. The wooded viewpoint overlooked a ship graveyard which was tucked away in a bend of the Aulne. It is used by the French Navy (Marine Nationale) for storing decommissioned or mothballed ships. The abandoned ships looked lost and lonely in their picturesque graveyard.

After lunch we headed to the other side of the peninsular to Pointe de Lostmarc'h which overlooks Douarnenez Bay. Our target were the Lostmarc'h alignements which sit above the headland. There are not many of the original standing stones left but there is one rather large one on its own which lent itself to a very picturesque photo, with hopeful surfers forming tiny dots in the background.  

On the headland itself you can see the traces of an Iron Age fort. Looking to the left of the point you have a wonderful view of the Tas de Pois (pile of peas) rock formation which can be found at the end of the peninsular near Camaret. This time we had afternoon tea whilst watching the waves crashing at the foot of the vertiginous cliffs, undisturbed except for a couple of elderly walkers who wished us a cheery 'bonjour'.

It was time to head back east as we were due to meet up with some friends who have purchased a "project" not far from the beautiful town of Locronan which is famous for its Pardon. We went for a quick stroll on the lovely wide beach at Morgat which was originally a fishing village famous for its sardines. It was turned into a holiday resort by the Peugeot family in the early 20th century and still a very popular holiday destination. The colourful houses and shops of the village provided an attractive contrast to the white sandy beach.

We stopped for a quick hamburger and frites at a little open beach cafe at Pentrez Plage which is the closest beach to Ty Hir. The beach seems to go on for miles and the tide was right out - it took us around five minutes to walk to the water's edge. There is a sand yachting club at the far end of the beach, Club de Char à Voile de Pentrez where they provide lessons. The burgers were excellent and we will happily return to the cafe on our next visit which will hopefully be a bit more leisurely next time.

We joined our friends for a drink at their "project" which consisted of a 3 storey house, a huge stone barn and an even bigger stable block set on 3 acres. They have just started work on the house and are camping in a bedroom which they are also using as a kitchen and living room with no electricity. They are hoping to open as a B&B next year and have a huge amount of work to do, most of which they are doing themselves whilst living in the UK until they sell their house. We will be watching their progress with interest, they are braver souls than us who took on a property that had already been renovated. 

We wished them 'bonne chance' and took our leave with a quick stop in the lovely riverside town of Châteaulin which lies on a loop of the River Aulne. It is renown for its salmon fishing and offers a panorama of white and pastel coloured houses interspersed the hills of the Montagnes Noires forming a delightful backdrop. 

Continuing with our recent holiday in Brittany, we headed north once again from the gites, this time to visit the Cairn de Barnenez, the largest megalithic mausoleum in Europe. It lies at the top of Kernéléhen peninsula overlooking the majestic bay of Morlaix in northern Finistère. The cairn was constructed between 4,500 and 3,900 BC and it is 75m long and 28m wide and features 11 burial chambers.  It lay buried and forgotten for years until it was rediscovered in 1850. In 1954 it was used as a quarry but after concerted campaign by archaeologists it was finally protected in 1959. Since then it has been fully excavated and restored to its original appearance.  We basically had the site to ourselves which is amazing when you think that this site is as important and significant as Stonehenge and that it is older than the pyramids in Egypt! There is a small visitor’s centre which has a model of the cairn and displays of some of the finds from the site. We spent a good hour and a half wandering around, looking at the tombs that had been exposed by the excavations and admiring the beautiful view of the surrounding bay. Whilst you can’t enter the tombs themselves you can walk right up to the cairn and see how it was constructed. It truly is awe inspiring especially when there is no-one else in sight to distract you and  can let you imagination run wild.

After our visit to the cairn we went for a walk around the headland which afforded us spectacular views over the Atlantic. We enjoyed a peaceful picnic lunch on the beach looking out at the imposing Château du Taureau. The fort was built in 1542 to protect the town of Morlaix from English attacks and fortified by Vauban in 1699. It later became a prison for local noblemen. You can still see the cannons and visit the cells where the prisoners slept. Boat trips to the Château can be taken from nearby Carantec.

After lunch we decided to visit the village of Saint-Jean-du-Doigt. This charming small town owes its name to a relic housed in its Gothic church (1513): part of the index finger of St John the Baptist.  

The parish enclosure is accessed through a 16C triumphal arch. To the left of the churchyard is a lovely Renaissance fountain which is dominated by God the Father blessing the baptism of Christ by St John the Baptist. The treasury contains the crystal cylinder reliquary which houses the famous relic.

The following day we visited Les Arbes du Monde au Huelgoat which strangely enough is in the nearby lakeside town of Huelgoat. We have been intending to see these luxuriant gardens on a number of occasions but had never quite made it previously. This garden, previously known as Arboretum du Poërop, is dedicated to plant biodiversity with 3,600 species of trees and shrubs from 4 continents spread over 22 hectares. It is run and maintained by one man on his own and we had it all to ourselves. We spent over two hours travelling across the Himalayan valley, admiring the plants from "Chilli", getting lost in the eucalyptus and shrubs of the Australian bush, this reminding me of "home" or one of them anyway! 

Some of the magnolias were still flowering but sadly we had missed the rhododendrons and azeleas - will will have to go back next spring! There are also lots of different types of oaks, maples, a large orchard and vegetable garden, a pine forest, roses, bamboo recently enriched by the introduction of a new species discovered by the designer of the park. The garden is laid out over a steep hillside in parts but there are plenty of gentle meandering paths to explore. In the valley at the bottom of the garden was a small "etang" or pond which flourished with butterflies and dragonflies. We sat on the conveniently located bench for a will and enjoyed watching the reflections on the water - a very tranquil place indeed - a perfect spot for a picnic. We plan to go back in October as the colours of the maples in particular should be spectacular.