Welcome to the Brittany Travel Blog!

My last day of the first week, just a morning walk to Erquy. A beautiful morning and a delightful walk. As the tide was low I was able to cut across the river at Sables-d’Or les-Pins, saving about 4k. Then around Cap d’Erquy for a wonderful view across the bay to Erquy town and beyond. Arrived at about lunchtime so relaxed outside a typical breton creperie over looking the beach. I also discoverd they rent rooms so I will be starting from here next time, which will probably be in May. Total distance 16k.

So my first week totalled just under 200k, which means I will need about another 8 weeks to complete the walk. I was really lucky with the weather, as all the paths were dry, can’y imagine how slipery they might be if wet. I will need to keep this in mind next time when planning each days walk.

Journey

Another beautiful day.  Set off from St Cast round another big estuary and came up to the famous Cap Frehel and the lighthouse round about lunch time where it was a bit windy, but the views are absolutely wonderful.  I wandered along coastal path to Pleherel where I am staying tonight in a B&B (30k).

 The owner is lovely, with a passion for tea, so I was introduced to all the sorts of tea that she had and actually had a very refreshing black bergamot flavoured tea.   I enjoyed a drink at the beach bar and chatted to a guy who is building himself a circular eco-house complete with growing roof and heat pumps and an electric car.  It is amazing what you can come across in these little villages!  I’m off to a little bar tonight specialising in moules in various guises for my last French dinner.  It’s my last full day today - half day tomorrow  to Erquy,  then back to the UK.

St Cast beach

Did I say I was going to have a simple meal last night?  Well it was simple in its way - wonderful meal at the hotel - real traditional french table d’hote - soup, langoustines, faux filet, salad, fromage, and finally, creme caramel - lovely french food, beautifully presented - very nostalgic.  

Wasn’t up so early today as only planned to cover 18k.  Set off down the coast from St Jacut and  found another great big “anse” round the edge of the marshy area.  I met three Australian ladies who have been coming to France walking for a couple of years.  They were  walking from St Brieuc, on their way to St Malo, so I exchanged stories with them, and talked about where to stay, etc.  They were pleased to have information about the boat from Dinard to St Malo.  I arrived at St Cast at 2.00pm.  The weather was lovely, so after a quick lunch, I set off round St Cast’s long  promontory, 6k of tomorrow’s walk really, so in the end I covered 24k today.

The mairie at St Briac sur Mer

I started off from St Malo this morning - you forget how big a town is when you are usually driving - it was half an hour’s walk just from youth hostel into the old town, (which, by the way, I had already covered the night before to get some dinner) and onto the port side where I caught the little boat taxi which took me across to Dinard in just 10 minutes.  It was just a shame it was raining.  

In Dinard I walked round to the bay and found that unfortunately found  the  “corniche” had been closed because of the condition of the high tide or pending storm or some such. Therefore had to guess my way round the back streets of Dinard and work my way round the point where I was disappointed to find another part of the path closed.  This is maybe not the best part of the walk and is probably one of the most urban day’s walking on this route.  

But things started to look up when the sun came out,  I took  photos of various beaches and eventually I said goodbye to the urban scenery when  I got to St Briac sur Mer, where I had a good lunch sat out in the square. From then on it was a rather nice coastal walk and I came to huge drowned marshland area which I either had to walk round or cross.   Being me, I thought I would cross it but when I got to middle I decided the river running through it looked a bit deep and somewhat muddy on the far side, so I thought better of it and went back and round.  Looking across the bay I could see St Jacut where I would be staying in the evening. Later on met a local who said it was easy to walk across the bay!! That would have saved around 5k.

I’ve covered 35k today so tomorrow’s 17k will be quite different!

Woke to another lovely morning and left the youth hostel around 9.00am.  Took to the winding and undulating cliff path, which turned out to be rather slower progress than I might have expected, so I am not able to keep up with my more rapid pace of the previous days.  Today’s 27k took nearly as long as yesterday’s 37!  I’m walking past wonderful beaches and have today started my photographic record of  Brittany beaches.

I rambled along, up and down and in and out of rocky inlets and took some great pictures.  I had really expected to come across some sort of village earlier, but I didn’t reach any civilisation until around 2.00 when I was more than ready to stop and buy some lunch and have a half hour break.  The coastal path is lovely and well used by many people, so I passed lots of other friendly walkers. Had a chat with someone who wanted to know how far it was to St Malo.  He thought it was a bit too much when I said it was about 3 hours walking!  Nevertheless he was very interestered to hear what I was doing. 

Eventually I turned into the bay at St Malo - wonderful sight - huge long stretch of sand - and wandered along right on the shore’s edge. I came to where I thought the youth hostel would be and within a minute I found it!  (A distinct improvement on navigating around the Polders at the beginning of the walk.)  It’s very busy and lively here, with lots of young people about.  I’m off to find some food, which I think will be simpler that last night’s delicious seafood choucroute.

The youth hostel at Port Pican

Whoops - bad start - left the map behind.  Fortunately the owner of the B&B found it and chased after me.  Bit of a dull section on made up road, so I can understand why guide books deviate on to coastal paths.   

GPS seemed like a really good idea - but the battery gave up before lunch and my spares didn’t seem to work!!  However was able to buy some more at lunch time and stopped in a sunny church square by which time I’d covered around 15k.

I spent a less than exciting couple of hours plodding along behind the sea wall but around 3.30pm I could see Cancale ahead, the walking improved with a lovely coastal footpath - and then it really was Brittany.  I should really have had oysters in Cancale as that is what it is famous for - but as it was mid afternoon I decided to settle for an icecream instead!

My legs are fine but my shoulders have tightened up.  After all, carrying a rucksack is something I don’t have much experience of.  The map indicated that I had 4k to go.   Well, it was a very  long 4k round the coastal path to tonights youth hostal  where I arrived around 5.00pm.

Looking forward to heading towards St Malo tomorrow.

Sunday 21 September

The first day of my round Brittany walk and it has been wonderful weather all day . I stayed my first night at Bon Accueil in St Marcan, as it was impossible to get accommodation in Mont St Michel where my walk commences.  However, the very pleasant owner kindly gave me a lift to my starting point and I shall be staying with him again tonight.  

I walked up to the top of Mont St Michel in brilliant sunshine and started my walk at about 10.30am.  Came back down and walked along the river around the edge of the sea wall - got myself a bit lost really walking round the Polders!  Not the easiest area to get your bearings, but I sorted myself out without too much difficulty.  Eventually, in the middle of the afternoon I came off the polders and on to what is called the Balcon de la Baie, walking through wooded country and along the ridge back to St Marcan.

I got here at 4.00pm and have covered a total mileage of 27k today.  Tomorrow I am heading off to Cancale which I think will provide some more interesting coastline.

What a beautiful day to set off.  I have arrived in Brittany on schedule and will start walking from Mont St Michel around 9.00am tomorrow, Sunday.

Brittany’s coastal path celebrates 40 years

It is 40 years since the inauguration of France’s most scenic long distance path. Known to walkers simply as GR34, it is more romantically called the Sentier de Douaniers – the customs officers’ trail.

It was created in 1968 by joining the coastal tracks used by 18th century customs officers in their efforts to catch Breton smugglers. The path is said to include every beach along Brittany’s coastline, a claim about to be tested by Brittany Travel’s marketing director,Jeremy Waldron.

Jeremy sets off on 20 September from Mont St Michel, the northern start of the path, for a week long first stage.  The 1200 miles around the coast to Nantes in the south is expected to take eight weeks to walk, in four stages, between now and April 2010, when Jeremy turns 60.

He will be contributing to this blog during the journey  and, as well as documenting the beaches, and is looking forward to discovering new restaurants to recommend to guests next year.  “I aim to cover about 20 miles a day, staying at local B&Bs or hotels along the way.”