Paris1972-Versailles2003

I love to update this post for you, doing my routine of updating older posts this was nice. And not only nice was in home country of  Bretagne at Rennes ,the capital city for the region which we enjoy going over the years. Several posts on Rennes in my blog, you are welcome to read them and thanks for stopping by! This is Christmas time 2016!!! as there is always time for Christmas!!!

 So after doing all the days’s errands in precision clockwork fashion we decided to unwind and head for Rennes, and its Christmas market. I have written afterward several posts on the city of Rennes, and it is been always a nice visit, even used their train station!!  We went by car of course, along the road D16 into Locminé where we took the road N24 straight into Rennes. Passing by the big football/soccer stadium into downtown or city center area around the Place du Colombier Christmas market area. The market wias open until December 31st  and from 10h to 20h; and each day there will be a showcase chalet of the 40 there present.

There are , also,chalets presentation at the Place du Parlement, and Place Hoche, (creation market until Dec 24th) until December 25th from 10h30 to 20h. We pick the Place du Colombier square  because it is surrounded by lots of shops ,shopping centers and restos and walking distance from the train station and metro A station; both very good for those coming in public transport.  the STAR network tells you all about metro/subway/tube and bus services . The train station (gare de Rennes) is great with a wonderful bus station as well, next door.  As we came by car , only 1h40 from our house door to door, we saw the underground parkings all full  ,the city was busting with Christmas activity;so I headed for the train station not far from where we wanted to see anyway. The Gare Nord parking is great several floors of parking, we stay for about 3 hours and only paid 3,80€.

Once landed, we walk, always the best way to see a city, etc. We took the direction  along rue Gurvand  into rue de l’alma right into the place du Colombier and voilà the amusements rides and chalets of the Marché de Noêl.

The first you see are the amusement rides ,these were huge full of color and pack with youth and families. You buy the tickets as needed for the rides you want to take and you go. The rides were a bit wild for me hohoho! but the food of the chichis (churros) and  croustillant (fry balls of choux pastry) at Mignon were delicious. The ambiance fantastic. 

We walked over the chalets where many merchants were selling trinkets of all sorts and more food like Comté cheeses, and sausages, and hot red and white wine, all around the shopping centers. The wonderful Mercure hotel where I have stayed is lavishly decorated in season’s motifs.

For memory the best looking rides or taken when kids were younger are the Grande Roué or Big Wheel, and the top spin balancing wheel. There are smaller rides like the go crazy cars bumpers and shooting gallery; plenty of coins machines with the tokens and food outlets.

The shopping centers are walking distance like at each end of the square Colombier (place du colombier) ,one is call the Centre Commercial Les 3 Soleils, has a Carrefour as anchor and 40 stores, next is the metro line A Charles de Gaulle. The other is the centre commercial Colombia, where the stores are a bit more upscale but equally nice to browse and good ones such as H&M and Monoprix, Sephora, FNAC, and Yves Rocher.

The Rennes Christmas market webpage: https://marchedenoelrennes.com/

The Rennes tourist office: https://www.tourisme-rennes.com/en/discover-rennes/

The city of Rennes on public transports: https://metropole.rennes.fr/thematique/transports-circulation

In all it is a nice Christmas market or Marché de Noêl , and Rennes is always nice to go, good town ambiance, of course great for youngsters as it is a major University town.  Enjoy the season, all year around!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!

This for many should only be a name and a very important name indeed. I did this post in Nov 2017, and need to update the text and links as well as bringing nice memories back. The town is only about 14 km or 9 miles from my house. Hope you enjoy this black and white rendition to Sainte Anne d’Auray.

It a sunny cool Sunday, and Bretagne that is going to Church. There is none better here than at Sainte Anne d’Auray, a town about 12 minutes by car from my town. I was there this morning. Many posts on it in my blog if you do search.  I went before the grand Mass of 11h, where persons I came to see were to attend. It gave me the opportunity to come back to this town. Sometimes we passed by, and sometimes we take time in coming here. Sometimes, you are not aware of the beauty, peace, historical and religious significance of places you have around you.

A bit here, Sainte Anne according to the Bible is the mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus; as well as the Patron Saint of Bretagne! , where it is known as the grandmother!   Pope John Paul II came here and he is remembered with a plaque. The Memorial to the fallen of Brittany in the WW is here too. As well as many statues and fountain of the Saint all over a beautiful park including a wonderful inspiring stair of prayer where folks climb to pray even on their knees!!!

The story here is long, so try to make it shorter. A farm worker named , Yvon Nicolazic,heard voices in breton language that told him  “Me zo Anna mamm Mari” or in French «Je suis la mère de Marie”, which means I am the mother of Mary.   This was July 25 1624, the eve of the feast of Sainte Anne. On March 7 after the call, the farm worker discover in his field in the area of Bocenno, a statue of Sainte Anne that came from an old chapel then in ruins. This event prove the authenticity of the apparitions. More than 400 years later pilgrimages happenned here, with thousands of folks, the most important was Pope John Paul II in September 20, 1996.

And ,there is a statue call  Sainte Anne et les marins in memory of mariners or fisherman who have a strong devotion to the sainte.  The statue with the child enfant Jesus weights 12.50 ton, and high of  5.64 meters, done with 3 blocks of granite stone from  Kersanton  is magnificent. There is a chapel of the Immaculate Conception to the east of cloister built in 1890. To the east of the chapel you will find the place where Yvon Nicolazic the farmer who had the visions was born, now the house dates from 1907.  The statue in front of Basilica of Sainte Anne looking over a fountain is the only one representing Mary showing her mother (Ste Anne) . The others show her showing the heavens as was the mision “Sainte Anne, Mère de Marie, conduis-nous vers Jésus”. or Saint Anne, mother of Mary, guide us towards Jesus.

There are wonderful crêperies some we have tried and are great, and historical quaint unique lodgings ,one I visited this morning after passing in front of it for years ::)

The lodging is the L’Auberge right near the Basilica and on the main road to Vannes, D17. It has a wonderful entry lobby with nice leather bucket seats , TV ,magazines and books to read; all the tourist information for the area. A beautiful stairs to take you up to the dining room for a wonderful breakfast, and very well kept rooms. In addition, to a quaint pretty patio with terrace on back. All of these right on the main street in town close to all and walking distance to the Basilica.  I was impressed by the attentive service given to me and the hellos by all even if just there did not stay, waiting for take this person to my house.  From a simple building outside that I passed by many times, the inside look and description by all, tell me this is very nice place to stay while in the area.  The hotel is part of the Logis de France ,and this year won the excellence prize from the as well as Gault Millau .

The L’Auberge webpage in French:  https://www.hotel-maison-glenn-anna-auray.com/chambre-hotel-de-charme-saint-anne-d-auray-morbihan

The Logis de France on the L’Auberge: https://www.logishotels.com/en/hotel/logis-maisons-glenn-anna-435

The Gault Millau guide on L’Auberge: https://fr.gaultmillau.com/restaurants/l-auberge?locale=fr-FR

Of course the main to come here is to get to know history, and faith. The biggest event is July 24-26 where Sainte Anne d’Auray becomes the center of Catholism in France, second only to Lourdes.  In the Basilica cloisters there are nice permanent and temporary exhibition on the history of Brittany.

And there you go folks, whether you believe or not, this is a must to visit for its architecture, history and wonderful events all in the inland Morbihan countryside. Hope you enjoy it as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!

This was a small post on a wonderful main church of the city of Auray, a historical and architecturally stunning little town in my beautiful Morbihan and in my lovely Bretagne. I have written several posts on Auray in my blog but need to tell you more about the Church of Saint Gildas!

And the more these pictures were taken in the season to be merrier why not come enjoy the season in a  magnificent Church of Saint Gildas, the main church of Auray. Of course, I have told you plenty on it before but got new pictures and the season to be merrier so here I go again with the church. It is a wonderful smallish church really but beautifully maintained and very active in town. In my previous post I told briefly about its history and architecture; this time was at Chrismas time 2019.

The Church of Saint Gildas houses a Laval stone and marble altarpiece from 1664, a 19C organ and baptismal font with carved canopy. From the 18C, it retains woodwork in the side chapels, and an elegant organ case. In the 20C, more precisely in the 1930s, the large windows of the transepts received stained glass windows evoking the life of Saint Gildas. It also has a resurrection tomb of Christ that was completely renovated and shown proudly upon entering the church on the left aisle. 

There you go like I said a smallish Church but very nicely maintained, said beautiful. A must to visit while in the area and worth the detour. This is  the Church of Saint Gildas of Auray! 

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!