Two Go For Cheese

[DBK]

Another westward hop today. As we left I saw several signs saying "Emerald Coast" which was stretching things a bit. Technically, the Emerald Coast (the name refers to the colour of the sea) actually starts at Cap Fréhel slightly east of where we were and stretches past St Malo to the Pointe du Grouin. However, nitpicking aside, this is a really attractive area and l recommend a visit.

As I do to where we came to today which was the Île Grande. In the top right of the map below.

Closer in.

It's a 2km by 1km island joined to the mainland by a short causeway. We are staying on a small commercial aire which I think is €6.60 a night without electricity. I'll find out soon as the lady collecting the money has arrived but is currently engaged in a mega-gossip with a couple of French MHs. One side of the aire has EHU points, they were all taken (no surprise) but we are happy on the non-electric side, saving ourselves €4.

A footpath goes around the island, 8km I believe but we only did part of it, cutting back to the aire through the many roads which criss-cross the island.

As I've mentioned before the tides are big at the moment and low tide is around mid-day. This creates the "who stole the sea?" effect.

Almost everything is new here but around the little port were signs people have been here for a while.

We thought this was a village laundry when we first spotted it but I think it's a spring. There was water in the square hole. Note the niche where there may have been a figure once.

These white rounded stones were big, the smallest are still about a foot long. This is the Plage de Galets or beach of pebbles. Several signs warned against removing the stones or balancing them in columns.

If you look again at the photo above you might notice a wall on the right.

It's a former quarry and the wall was built to stop the sea flooding it at high tide.

In this close-up you might see little white things stuck in rows to the wall.

They are models of birds and nearby was a centre for rescuing sea-birds, which wasn't open so I can't say much more about it.

A visit to the vet tomorrow.

 

[monzer]

About time the authorities started clamping down on stone balancing. It's so 2010's.

 

[DBK]

The aire we were on last night was full but plenty of MHs used the carpark a few yards up the road as an overspillarea. The sign says no overnight parking for MHs but this might not be enforced at this time of year. It could be different in high season.

 

[DBK]

The short frgment above was posted prematurely which is something I do often with my erratic button pushing. This is the rest which should have appeared with it.

This is the overspill car park.

Before we left I took Charlie for a short walk. This sign was interesting.

It shows they get Natterjack toads here and also explains the abbreviation LPO which I saw at the bird rescue centre yesterday. It stands (in English) for the League for the Protection of Birds. I'll just take it on trust the Breton language version of KGL means the same.

We went first to the vet to arrange for Charlie's worm treatment tomorrow then headed east to the CCP aire at an unpronounceable place I'll just call T-T.

Closer up.

The big green area beside the aire (blue blob) is the Marais de Trestel. As there was a strong and cool wind blowing this afternoon the Marais seemed a pleasanter place for a walk compared to the windswept beach.

It isn't very big but they have put a lot of effort into building extensive raised walkways.

But some of the paths were more conventional.

There were several geocaches to be found which kept us busy. Nature wise we didn't see much of interest except this Royal fern. The fronds can reach six feet in sheltered sites. I've seen it in Ireland and Cornwall but this was the first one in France.

 

[DBK]

Before we left this morning I took Charlie for a run on the beach below the aire. Dogs are banned here until the end of September but we are safe now in October.

A couple of things here struck me as interesting. This cantilever design bench is clever. The support to the cantilever is a metal bar shaped like a wave. A nice design.

This faded sign doesn't immediately draw your eye.

But the text in the top left brought on a smile.

Third line from the bottom reads "Insects and other little beasts". We might say "mini-beasts" but the meaning is the same. It made me chuckle anyway.

Talking of French if not actually speaking it yet this box of two avocados has an interesting phrase.

I guessed "Mûrs à Point" meant ripe but lazily putting "Murs a point" into Google translate come up with "Point walls" which is less than enlightening.

Entering "Mûrs à Point" comes up with this, which was much more encouraging.

What a difference a circumflex makes.

We left the aire after visiting the service point and drove the short distance to the parking at Port le Goff. This is a delightful parking spot but signs ban staying overnight and unlike on Île Grande" I think they enforce it here. The video camera overlooking the park and the boats probably explains things.

When we arrived the water was still quite high.

But it rapidly retreated.

But a few rock pools were left.

The full moon was only a day or so ago and the tides now must be very high - and for those foraging, correspondingly low. Most of those we could see were raking for cockles. There are at least 50 people in this photo below.

But there were foragers on land too.

They are "gleaning", that is collecting what has been left in the fields after the harvest. In this case corn on the cobb missed by the combined harvester. They must have been too dry for human consumption (?) But their hens would have enjoyed them. Do they do this in Yorkshire because if not Yorkshire has a rival for meaness!

At the end of the afternoon we took Charlie to the vet for his worm treatment. I did ask about an EU Pet Passport but the vet explained their system prevented it unless you had lived in France for six months and could prove it with utility bills etc.

For tonight we are back at Cléder where this whole trip more or less started.

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[DBK]

When I took Charlie for his first walk today this was the first morning where I've noticed a heavy dew. The year is drawing to a close.

I tried for an artistic photograph of it - and probably failed! A bit of vegetation with drops of dew on it in the foreground might have helped. I won't get a second chance tomorrow as it will rain tonight.

We went for a walk in the morning, exploring some of the paths a little inland of the coastal footpath. I had a very good view of a Cirl bunting which added to the small group of Meadow pipits seen earlier in the day was nice. There are usually a few Brent geese here at this time of year but I haven't seen any yet.

In the afternoon I took Charlie for another walk on a beach in the other direction we took earlier. On the way I looked for a new geocache which was only created in August. Charlie did his best to help in the search.

And between us we were successful.

The Spring tides at the moment are at their peak. This was low tide today.

Charlie had fun on the beach as shown in post #340 on this Thread.

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We get the ferry back home tomorrow afternoon. I'll try and write a summary of this trip, which has been one of the best we've had in France when I get the opportunity. I might start a new thread for it as it will be about the best bits of France to visit.

 

[Cliff D]

I've enjoyed following your travels, the various cheese and the photos. Thank you.

 

[DBK]

And we're off. Just leaving Roscoff on a very quiet Amorique. An interesting addition to the crew are several armed French soldiers wandering about. Part of an exercise we were told.

But we nearly didn't get on. I hadn't noticed that the vet had not entered the time of Charlie's worm treatment on the AHC, only the date. Fortunately, I was able to show the time we paid using my card but this took some time to sort out with telephone calls to the manager required. Phew!

 

[James-Alex]

And we're off. Just leaving Roscoff on a very quiet Amorique. An interesting addition to the crew are several armed French soldiers wandering about. Part of an exercise we were told.

But we nearly didn't get on. I hadn't noticed that the vet had not entered the time of Charlie's worm treatment on the AHC, only the date. Fortunately, I was able to show the time we paid using my card but this took some time to sort out with telephone calls to the manager required. Phew!

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Been a lovely read DBK thanks. Look forward to your next one

 

[Terry242]

A good read, thanks.

Terry

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[Kurt and Ko]

I always enjoy reading about your trips, thanks very much. Jane

 

[Sasbo]

DBK another throughly enjoyable thread, thanks for taking the time to share.

 

[Ingwe]

Been a brilliant thread DBK. Have really enjoyed reading your posts which are more than just a “we went there, we did this” sort of thing. Always good photos two.
A pleasure to meet you and Mrs DBK at St Flour. Safe onwards journey.
We set off to Europort (Rotterdam) to Hull on Sunday, via St Florentine, Rocroi sailing Tuesday night.
Have loved our 90 days.

 

[Norfolk Nige]

Another journey comes to an end. I have really enjoyed following it and getting inspiration for my future trips. Thank you

 

[paddymcc]

Thanks for the thread DBK . As always a good read.

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[Lenny HB]

Thanks for posting John, always interesting reading.

 

[Littlewheels]

Good thread thank you, l like Charlie he looks a bit if a character.

 

[Nyvern]

Thanks, keep posting. Very useful travel informations

 

[Devon Sue]

Just catching up, we had armed soldiers on board on one of our Roscoff to Plymouth trips in 2019. Perhaps it is a regular exercise? It is a bit alarming though when you get on board and the welcoming committee is in military fatigues with guns at the ready.

 

[Jo662]

Really enjoyed your travel thread,thank you DBK
looking forward to your next one.

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[jumartoo]

Thanks for another informative and interesting thread.

 

[gus-lopez]

Thanks once again to you both ,John . I thoroughly enjoy reading your threads.

The advantage of machines at supermarkets is they almost always in our experience take cards.

here a lot are being placed in large service stations.