-
A Visit to Locronan and Quimper, France
Last year, we visited the charming village of Locronan and the city of Quimper. I had long wanted to visit Locronan, a town that dates back 2,000 years, and is rich in Celtic history and lore. Whenever I saw photos of Locronan, I was drawn to its old, grey granite buildings, its beautiful simplilcity, things that I knew I would love once I finally got there. And I was right… Locronan is located in the Finistère department of Brittany, about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Rennes and about the same distance from Dinan. We decided to visit Locronan and Quimper on our way to see our friends in Piriac-sur-Mer. While…
-
Planning During a Pandemic
A few months ago, I wrote a blog post called Keeping the Faith. It was written mid-March, when we had just received word at work that we were to gather our things from our building and plan to be out of the office for an undetermined amount of time. While that was overwhelming to think about, the way I processed that information and the feeling of uncertainty was to create a list of things that I wanted to do during confinement, things that I could still plan for, and general tasks that would give me a purpose and make me feel like I was still making progess towards my goals.…
-
A Day in St. Jacut de la Mer, Bretagne, France
As the weather is finally getting warmer here in the U. S. and the beaches are starting to open again in Brittany, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share one of the loveliest places in the Côtes-d’Armor department of Brittany. St. Jacut de la Mer is located on the Emerald Coast of the Côtes-d’Armor, about 81 kilometers from Rennes by car. The town has fewer than 900 residents and while it has some interesting sights, visitors are generally here for its beaches – 11 of them, to be exact. When our friends first suggested we visit their favorite spot for a seaside lunch, we were excited (they’ve…
-
The Many Things I Love About France
There are so many things I love about France: the history, the culture, the people, the language, the food, the art, the music…. I could go on for days. Instead of telling you, I would love to show you some of the little treasures I have found on my daily walks. As we can’t travel to France at the moment, I will take you on a virtual tour of past trips, and share with you just some of the delights to be found in this incredible country. For example, this little bicycle, parked near a post, sporting some beautiful flowers and flags for good measure. In Paris, I found the…
-
A Day in Quimper, Bretagne, France
Locronan and Quimper have long been on my list of places to visit in Brittany; Locronan for its charm and Quimper for its faïence, shopping, and cultural activities. Last spring, we made a weekend getaway to Quimper and Locronan, staying the night just outside the charming village of Locronan. Two days was a perfect introduction to the Finistère department of Brittany and enough time to know that we want to revisit as soon as we can. Quimper, Brittany’s capital city, lies about 20 minutes from Locronan and a little over 2 1/2 hours by car from Rennes. Quimper is a large city for Brittany, with about 67,000 inhabitants (as of 2015).…
You May Also Like
A Visit to Saint Suliac, Bretagne, France
-
Les Recettes: Pommes cuites caramel beurre salé Recipes: Cooked apples with salted caramel topping
Pour le dessert, il est très simple mais tellement bon. Today, from Isabelle’s kitchen, comes a dessert that is both simple and delicious. Il vous faut des pommes, les éplucher et les couper en petits morceaux For this dessert, you will need the kind of apples you like best or have on hand. Simply cut them in half then chop them into smaller pieces. Les mettre sur le feu avec un verre d eau, laisser cuire à fau doux. Put them on the stove with a glass of water and leave them cook until soft. Les pommes sont cuites, la cuisson dépend des pommes… Mais quand elles s’écrasent un peu….…
-
Les Recettes: Truites à la crème et aux amandes Recipes: Trout with cream sauce and almonds
Le menu c’est truites à la crème et aux amandes et en dessert, pommes cuites caramel beurre salé … Today’s menu is trout with a creamy sauce and slivered almonds. For dessert, cooked apples topped with salted caramel. Pour faire les truites à la crème, il vous faut: Des truites, 1 oignon, De la moutarde, De la crème fraîche, Sel, poivre, Du vin blanc et Des amandes. To make the trout recipe, you need: 2 fresh trout, 1 onion, mustard, creme fraiche, salt, pepper, white wine, and slivered almonds. Dans un plat allant au four, je dispose des tranches d’oignons et je pose les truites dessus. Place a layer of…
-
A Day in Dinan, Bretagne, France
Whenever I mention Dinan to people who have been there, they get this dreamy look in their eyes and …… I know. I know exactly what they’re thinking and feeling. This charming, medieval town has it all: half-timbered buildings, cobbled streets, almost 2 miles of ramparts, and even a castle. Dinan has the honor being classified as a Ville d’Art et d’Histoire, or Town of Art and History, so named because of its historic monuments, and is home to dozens of artists, sculptors, and merchants. Dinan is located in the northwestern part of France, in the Cotes d’armor department of Bretagne (Brittany). The walls surrounding the historic center date back…
You May Also Like
A Visit to Saint Suliac, Bretagne, France
-
Recettes de Bretagne – le gateau aux pommes (apple cake)
Today, my dear friend Isabelle is teaching us how to prepare a delicious apple cake, the base of which can be used to make a dozen others – from pineapple to plum to coconut – you could easily make a different cake every day! gâteau aux pommes Pour faire ce gâteau, il vous faut: De la farine, Du sucre, De la levure, 3 oeufs, De l huile, 4 pommes For this recipe, you will need: flour, sugar, yeast, 3 eggs, vegetable oil, and 4 apples Avant de commencer, j allumé mon four a 200 degrés comme ça il sera à la bonne température quand le gâteau sera prêt Before I…
-
A Visit to the Château de Fougères
About 29 km from Vitré, and 51 km from Rennes, lies the commune of Fougères. It is home to the exquisite Château de Fougères, the largest medieval fortified castle in Europe. Tens of thousands of visitors come to the château every year, and it is easy to see why. There are regular guided tours as well as informational displays throughout, making for an educational and entertaining day for people of all ages. Upon arrival, one is immediately struck by the castle’s beauty, with its impressive entrance and sprawling ramparts, the tall turrets and winding moat. Originally built in the 11th century, most of what we see today is thanks to…
