Best of Brittany 2022: Part 2

Following up on my last post on The Best of 2022: Part One, below is a summary of the adventures I had in the second quarter of last year. (Again, apologies for not keeping you up-to-date as the year went on, but settling into life and work and all that French life as an Expat implies, I needed a minute … or a year.)

April in Brittany was lovely. The days were becoming noticeably longer, the weather warmer, and new plants were springing up everywhere. We are so blessed to see greenery throughout the year here – vastly different than my home state of Michigan, which generally lies under a blanket of white snow for a few months. While this has changed in recent years, it can still be a bit bleak during the wintertime.

Stella and I started the month in the park and gardens of Montmarin, just outside of Pleurtuit in the Ille-et-Vilaine department (35). With its French-style terraces and expansive flower beds, you can see why this is a frequent backdrop for marriage celebrations.

It’s safe to say that Stella enjoyed her time there as much as I did.

To note is that one can access the grounds from April 1st. If you would like additional information on parks and gardens in Brittany, you can see my post here: https://talesfrombrittany.com/parks-to-visit-near-dinard-and-st-malo-bretagne-france/

Much of my time on the weekends and early mornings were spent meandering along my beloved Rance river. On this day, we took a trip to Calorguen in the Cotes d’Armor department. Here, time seemed to stand still. It was a kind of quiet that instantly made me think of life “autrefois” before cell phones and emails and that nonstop pace that we are all too familiar with now. We relished in the peace and tranquility, watching the flowers move in the wind, the ducks swimming by, and the clouds passing overhead. Bliss.

The end of April, we took a much longer hike, starting from the Parc de la Briantais to Saint-Servan, near St Malo. If memory serves, it took about three hours in total. My feet were a bit tired, but it was oh so worth it.

Le parc de la Briantais is one of my favorite parks. It rests alongside the Rance River and offers a magnificent view of la Tour Solidar (our destination) and neighboring Dinard. This hike deserves a post on its own, which I will happily write soon.

Toward the end of April, we took a different type of hike. While we spent much of the time in a wooded area, we began walking along the Rance, in la Vicompte sur Rance, where we saw old fisherman huts sitting at the edge of worn wooden docks. Like the “boat cemetery” we saw earlier in the year, there was something strangely beautiful about the abandoned old structures.

May is one of my favorite months of the year, as spring has officially sprung and summer is just around the corner. This particular May was extra special, as I got to travel – albeit briefly – back to the United States to see my family. The icing on the cake was when my dear friend of some 40+ years came back to France with me. This was her first trip abroad and I wanted to make sure this visit would be full of adventure. I am happy to say that it was.

First stop – Paris. We landed in CDG and spent a full day visiting the City of Light. We stayed at Hotel Muguet, one of my favorites, and took full advantage of the beautiful day that greeted us.

As my friend was excited to see my beloved Brittany, we stayed only that day and evening, then headed to la Bretagne.

The following days were pure magic. I worked during the day but we spent the mornings and weekends exploring.

For many reasons, Saint Suliac is one of my favorite villages here in this area of Brittany. In addition to its charm and stunning coastline, it was where I took my first long hike back in 2021. I wanted to share this incredible place with her and it did not disappoint.

Located in the Ille-et-Vilaine department, Saint Suliac is one of France’s 170 plus beaux villages (most beautiful villages).

What are the plus beaux villages in France ?

According to https://www.les-plus-beaux-villages-de-france.org/fr/ :

Since 1991, Les Plus Beaux Villages de France have established a strict procedure for the selection of villages according to scientifically established criteria.

A few of the many criteria include:

               Having a village population of no more than 2,000

               At least two historical monuments or sites

               A harmony of façade and roof colors

If you come to this area, be sure to take the foot path along the coastline to the Oratoire de Grainfolet, The oratory was built in 1894, to honor the Virgin Mary and thank Her for protecting the sailors who embarked on cod boats for Newfoundland.

To give my friend a true taste of Breton culture, we stopped for some galette saucisses in town and brought them to the oratory for a picnic. Perfection!

On the weekend, we took a drive to le fort la Latte here in the Cotes-d ‘Armor department. It is about 4 km or 2.5 miles from cap Frehel and a beloved landmark. It is incredibly well preserved, sits on the sea, and is dog friendly. What more could one ask for?

Stella agrees.

Dinan in early May cannot be beat. In my opinion, May and September are the most perfect months to come to Brittany. The flowers cascade from the windows, the tourist season has not yet kicked in (or has just ended in the case of September), and the weather is simply divine.

We spent many hours wandering about the medieval town of Dinan and neighboring Lehon. In a word, they are absolutely dreamy. (I have several blog posts on Dinan and Lehon. You can find them by typing Dinan and Lehon in the search bar.)

As I look through my (literally) thousands of photos from last year alone, it is hard to narrow them down to just a few so as to not make these posts too long. What I can say is that I have never in my life been so in awe of the sheer beauty of a place than I have been during my hikes here. The colors of the sea and the river and the sky and the boats and seemingly every little thing is otherworldly in its simplicity. The smallest things are incredibly beautiful. This photo, from a hike in late May, was one of those situations where I tried to capture the contrasting colors, the “Brittany blue” sky, the cotton candy clouds, and yet the pictures don’t do the scene justice.

If you are in the area, and want to see for yourself, you can follow this map …

After a long hike, a well-deserved siesta.

You may have already predicted this, but June was also filled with hikes. There were also picnics on the beach and all sorts of discoveries and adventures, like this amazing day in Langrolay-sur-Rance …

Or this meal shared in Pleurtuit, on a cool summer afternoon …

June was also filled with strolls with my dog along the Rance before and after the work day. I get so much pleasure from these little moments too.

I often think about all the work it took to get here. Dozens of hours of writing and preparing the many, many documents required for a visa. All of the tears – happy and sad. The goodbyes and the hellos. The million small decisions that had they even the slightest different outcome, would not have led me to this particular place in time. In those moments, I take a breath, and I count my blessings for finally making it here.

No matter how many hundreds of times I have walked by the same houses that line this side of the Rance, the play of light on these old stones makes me stop in my tracks. I look at the flowers. I breathe in the clean and slightly salty air. I am full of joy. I look to the sky and say “Thank you.”

And a huge thank you to YOU all, dear readers. I greatly appreciate the support and encouragement to keep writing.

I hope you enjoyed this latest recap from last year. I still have a few more months to write about and a few thousands of photos to sort through. Please leave a comment to let me know you are receiving my emails and, as always, please do not hesitate if you have any questions.

Take good care,

Amy, from Tales from Brittany