Now the city of Auray is a historical city for France, USA, and Canada as boat trips were taken from here to see the new world and Benjamin Franklin came by here to discuss with France the idea of helping the American independence movement from England and King Louis XVI did. I have written several posts on Auray, as it was also the first administrative city for me when came to live in this part of the world call the Morbihan (or petite mer or small sea, but in Breton mor=sea bihan=small) in lovely Bretagne or Breizh or Brittany….
Therefore, a nostalgia passage each time writing about it as of now. Let me tell you about some curiosities of Auray that I like and feel deserves a post of their own in my blog. Hope you enjoy it as I.
We still shop quite a bit in the business park or Zone Artisanale Porte Océane of Auray; right off the N165 expressway road that connects you with the D768 to me north, and my new home or to the beaches south. Here is like an open air mall with many businesses. These include Ti Hanok Cinema, and the Centre Aquatique Alre’O, We come to the cinema once in a while and to the pool when my boys were younger.
The Ti Hanok Cinéma, a great modern movie theater with 5 movie showing houses. All is very modern and with a Breton motif, rather nice. Also, theater and concerts pre recorded are shown. Easy to reach with the Auray bus service call Auraybus line rouge or red from the train station stops right in front of the cinema. The name Ti Hanok reflects the owners Breton and Korean, with Ti ,Breton for house ,and Hanok , Korean for the traditional Korean houses name.
The Ti Hanok Cinéma is a friendly place where you feel good, a bit like at home. And it is in a cozy, warm and carefully decorated decor that the public is welcomed 7 days a week. On the catering side, the emphasis is on organic and local products. Exhibitions regularly appear in the reception hall and the restaurant. the cinema catering area and, throughout the year, the cinema team offers many activities for young audiences, including a number in partnership with local and national cultural players.
The official Ti Hanok Cinéma webpage: https://www.cinematihanok.bzh/contact
Another great site we go especially the boys is the Centre Aquatique Alre’O, this is an indoor pool and swimming balneo center with all the trimming of comfort and modernity. It has a pool of 25 meters by 10 meters with lanes and a depth of 1,30 to 2,50 meters. Also, pool with banquets and floaters with depths of 0,80 meters to 1,10 meters, a pool of waves, toboggan of 70 meters, and a learning pool of 80 cm to 1,10 meter deep. (For those not using the metric system, one meter is about 3,3 feet). The balnéo space has a sauna, hamman, spa, and massaging showers. Many activities are done here from aqua gym courses to aquabike, children garden, beginners swim, as well as bike rentals,etc. A whole nice universe for the whole family.
Alre’O, is a cocktail of aquatic leisure activities for young and old: paddling pool, water mushroom, slide, bubbling benches, learning pool with swimming against the current, large 75 m slide, wave ball, 5 sports pool corridors, balneotherapy area, sauna, hammam, spa, relaxing showers and outdoor beach, green area with inflatable games in the summer season. Swimsuit compulsory. Shorts and Bermuda shorts prohibited. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
The official Centre Aquatique Alre’O webpage: https://www.alreo.fr/alre-o-569.html
And we have walked all over the city but amongt the quant streets we like are these two will expand a bit on them here for the look of Auray!
The Place aux Roues is a square that takes its name from the wheel business (carts, wheelbarrows, etc.) that once took place there. It already bears this name in 1839 on the Napoleonic land register. It shelters a public well, and, at n ° 19 of the contiguous street, an oven in which the inhabitants came, in the 18C, to bake their bread for a fee. Today, the Place aux Roues is a place open to the senses, with its restaurant and bakery scents, its artists’ windows, period costumes, musical instruments and exotic objects. It is sometimes lulled by entertainment (music, theater) but despite everything aspires to more daily life.
The Place Joffre is one of our favorite parking spots. There is still one grocery store there founded in 1949, its current owners, behind their counter for 35 years, witness the changes in Place Joffre, which has become peaceful after having been, during the pig fair, the heart of the city. The pig fair had been moved to Place du Four-Mollet, but cattle fairs still existed. They disappeared with European standards, just like the farmers who sold, not long ago, raw milk, cream and eggs on the market.A quant spot in Auray, and still the closest office for the social security administration or CPAM du Morbihan!
There you go folks a nice dandy historical old architecturally stunning small town by the Auray river and into the Gulf of Morbihan and into the Atlantic Ocean. Sublime place for a weekend walk indeed. Again, hope you enjoy the post and do walk in it.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 