Brittany and the Megalithic Coast

Our travel day was bleak and rainy.

We stayed overnight in beautiful little town called Villedieu les Poeles, which I think means the village of God's frying pans – my French isn't that great. We only stayed the night but have decided to put it on the “Return To” List. When we reached Carnac the next day it was overcast and very windy but the next day was brilliant. The sky was clear and the wind has dropped. We visited the Carnac Alignment – row upon row of standing stones eight abreast mostly. Frozen in time on the French coast like massed troops ready to embark on some long forgotten battle. Granite warriors whose once pristine coats are now covered in ancient moss.

This is know as the Megalithic Coast and boy have we got megaliths for you.

You want standing stones? We got em by the row.

You want Menhirs? We got the plain or the hand engraved “cup ring” model for a few shekels more.

You want Dolmens? We got the single, the double and over here we got the eight tomb family model. I'll just get my slate. How many can I put you down for?

We left the stones and headed out onto Quiberon, a teardrop shaped island that hangs from the coast like a pendant. It was a tidal island once, one of many along the French coast. But like most of the others a bridge has been built creating an isthmus. The island is low and fairly flat on the mainland side but rises toward the sea. It reminds me a lot of Angelsey in Wales and just like that Island this one was also the domain of Druids. Now isn't that a coincidence.

The coastal high ground is barren windswept and boggy underfoot. But the view along the coast is spectacular. The distance coast shrouded in morning mist and haze, the vague horizon where two blues meet as sky marries sea, white triangular sails motoring almost invisible hulls swiftly across the bay and a cup of tea and Bretton biscuits to watch it all go by. And it wasn't even midday – Magic.

We left the island and headed for Auray. It is a small town nestled across a bend in the river Loch. Where else but Bretton would you expect to find a river with a Gaelic name. The town is built on both sides of the river. From main square high on the western side you walk down steep narrow winding cobbled streets until you reach the quayside and then across an ancient stone bridge to the rest of town on the other side of the river where the streets wind up to a chapel on the top of the opposite hillside. The quayside on both sides is crowded with restaurants and bars filled to the brim with customers at lunchtime. Further along quay there is a marina filled mainly with sailboats. We only came here because we glimpsed it as we passed over the motorway bridge further downstream and thought it looked interesting. We're glad we decided to visit. It is a beautiful little town tucked away from the world on a quiet bend on the River Loch.

We leave now for the south and Bordeaux. We may stop at La Rochelle if the weather is sunny. If not we will be heading for Spain.