Again, I decided to delete all the posts on « Some news from Bretagne » (XXX 30 of them) because realise most if not all the information I have in full posts and pictures elsewhere so this is repetetive, I like to thanks all those who have like or comment on these posts over the years since 2011. Not all will be lost as will update and condense those posts into several posts for the memories of always. Hope you enjoy these new posts as I.
This is 2013 !!! The Salon des Vins et de la Gastronomie de Quimper, in the Grand Hall du Parc des expositions de Penvillers , this is November 16, 17,and 18 2013. One of my favorites in old section of Vannes (town I worked) is Chez la Mére 6 sous, 11 rue de Closmadeuc (at the end of street sort of alley). here you are like in a parisien bistro. Closer to new home and the happening place at nights is L’Armoric at the Saint Goustan district of Auray. This is concerts with live music, evenings karaoki, etc, great bar drinks, sports TV, and great restaurant next door all same complex by the river Loch. And right in my new town of Pluvigner, one of our best spots is a castle!!! Inside the Château de Rimaison, you have the créperie du château, at road D768 just before getting into city center.
This is 2014 !!! Later on February 22nd I will not missed it, is the salon de vins et de la gastronomie in Vannes. Finally, at Baden, 2 Place Weilheim, you will find a unique museum, the Musée des Passions et des Ailes, or museum of passions and wings relates the story of local boy Joseph le Brix, in 1928,he does the first flight of the South Atlantic , died 3 years later trying to do the same Paris to Tokyo trip. In the same building you have the collection of Jean and Anne Farkas, with a beautiful collection of toys, porcelains, automates that attract visitors from the whole world. A room with boat models by Aimé Malry, and another on accordions by Francis le Pipec . The best preserve WWII submarine training center is at Lorient. At the Musée sous-marine du pays de Lorient. They do tours every Sundays from 14h to 18h. We did our groceries before coming home at E. Leclerc in Vannes, and found out our favorite shopping center resto les Vannetis has close out, Under renovation it will re open as a Flunch cafeteria later on. So we came to our other restaurant the Bistro Saint Edouard, where we have the plat dessert combi.
I set out this morning into the country near me, at Bieuzy Lanvaux, there are a wonderful Church of Saint Bieuzy . This one is high on a hill overlooking the Loch plateau,and better park at the bottom and walk up as the streets are very narrow and steep difficult for a turnaround. We, also, visited briefly the Logis de Florange, one of the main banquet, wedding places here in the country, the pride of the area if you are holding a family gathering. Last on this area , we went by the front of the Abbaye de Lanvaux, this is private, but full of history. When the local rebels ,the Chouans, gathered here with General Cadoudal (of Auray) , waiting for the immigrant breton to arrive from England by Quiberon, this is where they camp out. Unfortunately the landing was discovered , and the link up never happened, instead many immigrants 795 were sentence to the firing squad ,and today their remains are in the Chartreuse of Brec’h. We past effortless thru the city center of Pluvigner as it is market or jour du marché, and got some goodies, and then a tour into deep country, passing by the town of Landaul and its nice Church Saint-Théleau in city center. This parish Church of Landaul, having been demolished in 1862, the Chapel Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours nearby, itself built around 1450, becomes parish church in May 1863. And, I wanted to stop by living just 7-10 kms from them! The first one encounter was the Château de Kéronic, a private residence sitting in a long one way road that at the end into the woods you come across the castle right at you!! We moved on to the other side of Pluvigner to visit another private property, the Château de Kerlois; This is even more difficult to find as there is no panel on the road D102 and we found it by pinpointing the lieu-dits on the map and figuring the grassy wooden entry off the road looks like a grand house was there. Well , it proved right as once going thru this narrow one way road, passing some rusted gate, we came across the beauty of this castle. We came back to Saint Goustan, the lovely port of Auray for a meal at one of our favorite spot and now friends ,the Créperie Saint-Sauveur. Finally, we gather some material for our house at Jardiland, the home, garden, handyman deco store in Vannes , got some driveway stone for decoration, and getting quotes for many works on the tube for the rest of the year.
The Morbihan is dotted with many megaliths or stones from ancient times that we are still trying to find out about them. 2000 years before the pyramids of Egypt, or Stonehenge, or the writings in Mesopotamia, there was Brittany and its majestic stones. You have ,of course, Carnac with more than 3000 stones perfectly align for about 4 kms forming four groups of stones, Ménec, Kermario and LeManio , Kerlescan and petit Ménec, and while at it visit the museum of prehistory in the city center or bourg right in Carnac. You have the site of Kercado, in the forest you have one of the most spectacular Dolmen and well preserve out and in, covered with a tumulus with a diameter of 30 meters (c 100 feet) and a high of 5 meters (c. 16.5 feet). ou go on away to the Tumulus de Moustoir, not complete but amazing, with 85 meters long and 35 meters wide and 5 meters high,you can see a dolmen on the west side and two tombs and a menhir around it. A very famous one is the Tumulus of Gavrinis on a high hill in a island inside the Gulf of Morbihan. You see it as you approach by boat . A Dolmen of 29 pillars many decorated with geometric drawings.
Coming along to the tumulus of Petit Mont d’Arzon, located overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It has been enlarge and renovated for thousands of years , and in its interior you find a dolmen with a serie of big stones entirely decorated with motifs geometrics and figurines. Only guided visits from April to September he grouping of Locmariaquer, is about 10 kms from Carnac and considered one of the most complete site. You have the biggest in the world menhir cut in four pieces with 20 meters high and done 2000 years before those of Carnac. On the other side you can visit the Túmulus de La Table des Marchands , and the Túmulus de Er Grah, whose interior has a nice decoration.You can visit all year round. The Arch of Kerzerho , with more than 1000 stones and one of the most complete in the area. You can see the ring of various dolmens and the one the Name Croch and the Mane Braz, in addition to more alignments and a huge sacrificial stone. Free access come along to the grouping of Kergonan, on the biggest island in the Gulf of Morbihan the Île aux Moines. You have a group of 24 menhirs forming like a horse shoe and around it a small museum. The other is the Pen Hap, one of the best places to see the island with a running dolmen. The island Moines is monks but there was never monks here. You reach the dolmen of Le Bignan, more inland away from the sea, includes a Tumulus of 30 meeters in diameter and on the interior you can visit the dolmen and a big menhir of nearly 7 meters high , as well as a second dolmen in deterioration of about 10 meters long. It is known locally as the “le trou des Chouans” or the hole of the chouans (the name given to counter revolutionary Breton against the French revolution, farmers really). Lastly ,visit the tumulus de Larcuste, near the town of Colpo, there lies a grouping of two tumulus and in the interior it has been found other dolmen in a hallway type of setting in good state of conservation. Very near me, secluded in the fields.
This is 2015 !!! I was as usual by Vannes visiting some old building like the palace of Limur, the city hall or hôtel de ville as well as administrative offices, the stores, and shops along rue Emile Bourgault and leading to the place Henri IV with a view of the wonderful Cathedral Saint Pierre, all wonderful clear day in beautiful old Vannes. And yes the magic of Christmas is here too even if less known than on the East of France. At Vannes from december 18 to January 3rd 2016. Chalets and entertaintment all over the city with heritage tours Also, at my other town Auray, Noêl à Auray, animations and chalets from December 11 to December 31 2015. Christmas markets on the 11-13 December and village of Noêl 18-20 December nd of course for the adults do not forget the Casinos we have good ones in near me such as one in Casino de Vannes! at Parc du Golfe , with machines, table games electronic roulette, and bar/brasserie resto, and Casino de Crouesty with a great marina in Arzon, English electronic roulette, is new here with Christmas (30€) and New Year’s (109€) menus.
We have nice cities of character such as Rochefort-en-Terre, Josselin, and La Roche-Bernard worthy of a visit anytime. The Naîa museum at Rochefort en Terre in the castle park, with artistic imagination such as the leyend of a witch with movie, monumental,numeric, sculpture and paintings. The Presqu’île de Quiberon with its Côte Sauvage is my favorite place in all, beaches, bars, stores and just plain beach bum lifestyle ! You can see a nice castle Suscinio by Sarzeau in the Presqu’île de Rhuys or the less known but impressive castle of Trécesson in Campaneac . Inside the magical forest of Brocéliande of the king Arthur leyend. Then, head for the islands of the wonderful world of the Gulf of Morbihan, at any time ,now in winter they are empty of tourists but locals are and really lovely, in summer they are pack with visitors. Île aux Moines and Île d’Arz are just great, many cruises companies take you there. The biggest is Belle-Île and the idylic Hoëdic and Houat and farther away by Lorient ,you have Groix.
The Christmas season upon us as I have commented on other posts, have great rdv at Rochefort en Lumières until January 3rd 2016; and the same time at Vannes with the slide, white beard, and lights shows or Glise, barbe blanche et lumières. A more appropiate religious tone in Sainte Anne d’Auray site of the patron Saint of Brittany, with a Jesus Revival with a living nativity scene until January 3rd 2016 Other areas with Chrismas markets are at Saint Esprit in Auray . Go out in Vannes at the Café barge Piano barge on the bay by the cruise terminal. Classic and romantic on the water, And of course, the home favorite Le Gambetta at Place Gambetta facing the pleasure marina with great place, food and service; sublime!!
As winter is coming even if hardly noticeable with temps in 13C now, we have indoor heated pools with tuboggan etc such as Vanocéa in Vannes, Alé’O in Auray, and Neptilude in Quiberon. A bit on the big cities like Rennes with its night life around les Lices Sainte-Anne,and the rue St Michel/St Malo; and the old Streets around the Place des Lices and Place du Parlement. The nice museum of fine arts or Beaux-Arts, the Frac Bretagne, museum of dance. A bit on the cousin Nantes, with the new Hangar 21 area on the île de Nantes with cultural, restos, bars animated action,and the quaint passage Pommeray, and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne. Museum of Jules Verne and the machines de l’île.
There you go folks, a dandy memorable recollection of our ways in Bretagne / Brittany / Breizh of my belle France. All families memories which I share with the world; hope you can appreciate it. Thanks again for reading me over these years, it means a lot to me, my blog is my entertainment. Glad to share my travels too,and hope you enjoy the posts as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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