In continuing going over my old posts to revise them, update them, change pictures; well it has been a wonderful rollercoaster ride. Some of these posts were in the back armory lost in space and now memories flashing as I read them again and do the update. Wonderful Vannes, capital of the Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne. I do not live here just worked outside city limits but spend more time here than home literally!
This is where I come often with the family. Its the biggest city in the area, and just lovely especially its inner central parts. However, it is ,also, the gateway to the Gulf of Morbihan, and many boats do prowls the gulf waters to several islands.It is considered by the most beautiful bays in the world by Great Bays and Condé Nast magazine.
So why water, well its all over us, in rivers, lakes,and the vast Atlantic ocean not to mention the UNESCO Gulf of Morbihan or Golfe du Morbihan. The gare maritime or passenger terminal station at the Parc du Golfe is wonderful; we walk by it today, looking for information to take our jump into the islands this coming summer. Gorgeous ride indeed. The compagnie du Golfe does the run from the gare maritime of Vannes to the beautiful Belle-île-en-mer,just out in the Atlantic ocean!
Good to know the tides here, and be prepare before you venture into the sea or even cruising near it. And this is a local paper, very local, that tells of the sea current and highs on the cities here in the Morbihan such as Vannes. http://maree.info/107
You can tell the gare maritime on any map by putting Gare Maritime, 7 Allée Loïc Caradec. Right in the same park or the parc du Golfe , you have a wonderful Mercure Hotel with brasserie Edgar, one of our favorite hangouts when away from the city bustle and hassle.
You will find in the Parc du Golfe a garden of butterflies or jardin aux papillons ! ,and the aquarium or aquarium du golfe , and our favorite bowling alley, Le Master; this is nice cozy, friendly service, and small enough to be your own club. There is sports bar with plenty of TV screens around you. It has been our first bowling alley in the area ,and we love it. Next to it for the younger sons there is Bubble discothéque, very nice but no longer open , just for the memories here.
Afterward, just before going home, we stop by the complex FunXtreme, right by an area of restos ,and shopping in Atlanville . This is nice bigger more away,you feel a bit alone here, it has karting, laser gun, mini golf, maze, billiards, etc plus the bowling we were after. The prices are ,also, a bit higher here as well as the bar lounge is limited and the prices for one game of bowling ,shoes included for four men was 35€ and I had a 121 score. As it happens, this place closed and now a similar complex is there under the name SpeedPark but not yet in it. So FunXtreme will be here for the memories.
There is plenty of free car parking, and great bus service to the parc du Golfe, using the Kiceo transport system of Vannes, lines 3 and 7 can go there but me never taken buses here; my boys yes.
In addition a great walkers, bicycle trails into the chemin des émigrés, bordering all the gulf area around Vannes starting from the parc du golfe to Conleau along the promenade Paul Chapel. And our dog Rex has been here!!!
A sad story to finish as the above name or the point des émigrés is due to the atrocities of the French revolution ,when in 1795 , about 1200 Breton immigrants from the UK , came to fight for the King were taken prisioners after the failed expedition of Quiberon, (due to the UK not sending the promise help) and shot to death about 795 of them, in various parts of the Morbihan. The head of the expedition was executed on July 28 1795 in Vannes on the site of the Garenne today. 374 others were shot around town with many at the site of the Ermitage. As a souvenir of this event symbolic this point was renamed the Point des Émigrés. The Chemin or pathway was done around its 70 hectares to make a preserve natural setting protected by law. The remains of these 795 are now resting at the Chartreuse in Brec’h, where I live first when moved to this area.
The Gulf of Morbihan tourist board on travel to the islands in French: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/decouvrir-vannes/golfe-morbihan/iles/
The Gulf of Morbihan tourist board on the must sees in the Morbihan: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/decouvrir-vannes/incontournables-golfe/
The city of Vannes on the boat terminal or Gare Maritime: http://en.mairie-vannes.fr/discoveringvannes/tourism/cruises-in-the-gulf-of-morbihan/
And there you folks a wonderful old seafaring coastal area of my lovely Bretagne in my belle France, the Morbihan is sublime, come and take a look for yourselves; we love it! And of course, Vannes is the city by the gulf.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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