Hello everyone! As many of you know, I have been back in Vancouver for some time now and have been busy with friends, family, dance, forest walks, swims, and home and garden duties. On many days I have written ”blog” on my list of things to do, but I just haven’t gotten around to it even though I was as excited about the last week of my France trip as I was about the first six weeks! So, I’m finally going to apply myself today to this post, and then hopefully one or two others before I head off on a BC/Alberta road trip. It is so fun to revisit my trip via photos, and I hope that you enjoy the journey as well. 🙂
May 10, 2022 – 7 km on the GR 34, from Bellevue to near Ker an Trez, plus 1.5 km to my accommodation at Trédarzec
I said goodbye to Ghislaine after my second night in L’Armor, and walked down her driveway to meet Yveline who most graciously had offered to give me a ride from L’Armor to Bellevue where I had left the GR the day before. It was so nice to see her again and we started right in on our chatting and didn’t stop until about two hours later when we parted near Kervengnant. I have almost no photos of this portion of the trail as we were so engaged in our conversation! It was a beautiful morning and the kilometres flew by as we walked on country roads and paths above the long narrow estuary of the Jaudy River, beside farms and fields, and past the Chapelle de St. Votrom at Kerloury.
There were also enticing views ahead of Tréguier, on the opposite side of the river, which would be the terminus of my 116 km walk on the GR 34.
Soon after Yveline and I parted (Merçi encore pour tous Yveline!), the path descended to the banks of the river.
I enjoyed the walk along the rocky and muddy tidal shore, with upstream and downstream views of verdant forest on both sides of the river.
The views of Tréguier became closer and closer, and from here the town was just a bit less than 3 km away on the GR 34,
but I would only finish this trek tomorrow as I had accommodation booked at nearby Trédarzac. Luckily, the kind owners of the Ty-Guen BnB had agreed to an early check-in so I made my way there, settled into my room with its wonderful view of Tréguier in the distance, had lunch in the pretty back yard, and then worked on my blog while I waited for the nearby Kerdalo Gardens to open at 3:00 p.m. It was a very peaceful and restful afternoon.
The Kerdalo Gardens were gorgeous! Created in in 1965 by the painter Peter Wolkonsky, this 18 hectare botanical garden features over 5000 different species of plants. There are formal areas, forested paths, wildflower meadows, ponds and other water features, as well as pavilions and a beautiful old stone house.
On a lower level in front of the house is the ”Four Squares Garden”, an impeccably manicured garden that felt friendly and whimsical rather than cold and unapproachable as some formal French gardens can appear.
I meandered around the lawn, meadow, and forested areas where many species of rhododendron were at the height of their bloom.
Here is the beautiful Chinese pagoda and some of the pond areas and water features.
There was a terraced Mediterranean garden on the hillside above the house,
and an Italian grotto at the far end of a series of cascades that were bordered by gunnera, ferns, bamboo, and other lush vegetation.
Just beyond the grotto, a trail led down to the banks of the River Jaudy, with views of Tréguier across the river. What a surprise! Here are several more images from the very beautiful Kerdalo Gardens.
I returned to my BnB, mellow and happy, to have my dinner in the garden and retire early, ready for the very last (though very short!) section of my long distance walk in beautiful Bretagne.
Day 7 on the GR 34 – Distance: 11 km from Pomelin to the Sillon de Talbert, plus 3 km to and from accommodations
I said goodbye to Yveline and headed off towards Pommelin. It felt good today to head off with my big backpack and I felt ready and excited for the walk ahead. Once I regained the GR, I walked less than maybe five steps forward before I had to stop to take a photo of some lovely columbines as I hadn’t yet encountered any on the trail!
My guidebook is filled with lots of ”turn right” and ”turn left”, as well as far too many ways to say ”climb”, but it doesn’t give me any overall descriptions of the essence of the trail and the landscapes it passes through, so each day has been a surprise for me. Today I started off again on country paths but very soon the trail descended to the sea at the Baie de Pommelin. I emerged from a wooded path to see this enticing view of a small tree-topped islet ahead. I envied the seaside houses their location and view!
The trail travelled along the length of the bay and it was fun to get closer and closer to the islet. Little did I know that I would have two solid days of wonderful seaside walking ahead of me!
Almost there! This little islet definitely deserved a short detour off of the GR!
On the far side of the islet, I took this photo of boats moored off the beach of Porz Guyen, and there was another enticing islet ahead. What fun!
Further along the beach, there were boats and crates specialized for some kind of fishery, and I could see my landmark lighthouse off in the distance.
The trail continued along beside the sea with farm fields or woods on my left. I drew closer to the second islet, but didn’t make the detour out for a closer visit.
Soon, I approached the restored 13th century Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle. One side of the stone fence surrounding the chapel was completely lined with tall white lilies in bloom.
Shortly after passing the chapel, I came to this view of the ”Petite Camargue”, as it is called by the locals, a large salt marsh which forms part of Laneros Bay. It is a protected area that is significant for its plant life and as a nursery area for juvenile fish.
The salt marsh necessitated a detour inland and some road walking, but the houses and beautiful countryside kept me happy.
Finally the route swung back down to the sea, but there was still a good distance to go to reach the very far point of the hook-shaped peninsula known as Penn Lann.
Once I neared the town of l’Armor, I left the GR to cut across the town to my accommodation to drop off my big backpack. I was welcomed warmly by my 78 year old hostess, Ghislaine, and we chatted briefly before I headed back out to reconnect with the trail where I had left it. I walked along the road that led out to the end of the peninsula and the narrow neck of the bay. (Note to Kendal and John: I passed the ”Celtic Whiskey Distillery” along the way.)
I travelled around the narrow point of Penn Lann and was very excited to come out on the other side where there was an old jetty and where the wind was blowing strong. I walked out to the end of the jetty for this view back to the large and modern seaweed factory and research centre. Seaweed has been collected on this coast since at least the 13th century for use as a fertilizer, and processed in factories here since 1828 to create iodine. This new modern factory processes tons and tons of seaweed each year for use in food products, compost, cosmetics, and other products.
This was the view looking south from the direction I had travelled.
And this was the enticing trail continuing forward. First though, it was time to sit on a convenient bench near the jetty for a bit of a rest and some lunch.
Back on the trail, I passed the Sillon Noir, a shingle spit that reaches 400 metres into the sea and used to be connected to the rocky reef offshore. In the winter, godwits, dunlin, plovers and redshanks visit here to feed.
I carried on down the beach-side trail. The wind was fresh and cool and the air was scented with the sea. It was marvellous walking along here! This is the view looking back down the beach towards the Sillon Noir.
I could see the long line of the Sillon de Talbert in the distance. The Sillon de Talbert is a long gravel and sand spit that stretches 3.5 kilometres out into the sea. It is a very unique geological feature that was created over hundreds of thousands of years of sediment deposition driven by the opposing currents of the Jaudy and Trieux rivers on either side of the large Pleubian peninsula. Aerial images and drone photography (online) or Google satellite maps are really the best way to see this low-lying and very special feature of the landscape. Pictures that I had seen of the Sillon were part of the early inspiration for me to walk this section of the GR 34.
The trail carried on around the edge of another salt marsh and sometimes the Sillon seemed to be getting farther away rather than closer! It helped to zoom in!
And then I finally arrived at this beautiful sand path heading out onto the Sillon. I was so happy to be here after all of my planning, walking, and anticipating.
I set off excitedly down the path but the sand was so soft it was hard to walk! I’d already walked at least 13 km today so after about a hundred metres on the very soft sand, with lots ahead to go, I decided to backtrack to the start of the path and then descend to the harder-packed wet sand on the east side of the Sillon. Much easier!
In the Spring of 2018, a breach of the Sillon occurred due to strong tidal currents and the erosive impact of multiple storms in the preceeding decade. There is a sign warning walkers that the tide can rise quickly here and that the currents through the breach are strong so one must be aware of the tides before setting out to walk past this point.
I made my way across the stepping stones at the breach and then travelled on the western side of the Sillon. Quite a few people were out for an afternoon walk along the long curving spit. The end looked very far away!
I walked for perhaps a kilometre but I was starting to feel quite tired so I decided to walk up to the top of the dune to sit and just appreciate being here.
What a wonderful day of seaside walking I had today – I really can’t imagine how it could have been any better! After my rest, I returned to the roads for the walk back to Ghislaine’s. Look at my room! I was very happy to stay here and I spent quite a bit of time speaking with my hostess in the late afternoon and early evening before retiring early. I was already looking forward to my next day of walking.
Day 8 on the GR – Distance 11 km from the Sillon de Talbert to Bellevue, plus 3 km to and from the trail
After a lovely breakfast (and more chatting) with my hostess Ghislaine, I headed off for another day of walking by the sea along beautiful beaches and bays. I returned to the Sillon de Talbert,
and then continued along a seaside trail. It was very easy walking and the scenery was ever-changing with each headland and curve of beach.
Soon I arrived at Port la Chaine and its unusual lighthouse. A rocky outcrop of granite adjacent to the beach tempted me to stop and photograph the sea thrift that was growing in small patches on the rock. As well as granite, this coast features some areas of gneiss which are some of the oldest rocks on the French mainland.
Midway along the next beach there was a large marsh area to my left.
I love the lines and colours in this next photo of the marsh reeds, farm fields, hedges and trees.
And this is the view looking back back to Port La Chaine. Why weren’t there more people walking here?!
Rising up over the next headland I came around to stunning views of Kermagen Beach where a tractor was descending onto the sand at the far end to launch a boat. Across the water was the small islet known as Isle Blanche. Kermagen Beach looked to be a perfect beach for swimming and for kids to play on the sand, and I could certainly imagine that this location would be popular for family summer holidays of a week or two.
Beyond Kermagen beach there was another long stretch of beach which culminated at Port Béni. Glorious!
As I was walking along the trail at the top of this beach (and the last) it was hard not to notice great mounds of sea kale growing all along the high ridge of gravel at the top of the beach. I learned later that sea kale is an edible plant that can be cultivated, but these wild specimens are protected by law in France. Also known as scurvy grass or sea col wort, it was pickled for long sea voyages as a source of vitamins to prevent scurvy.
The next headland, bordered by a fine garden, quite took my breath away!
The sea views and inland views were both compelling and the trail was a dream to walk on. I couldn’t quite believe how lucky I was to be here, and I was very thankful that Yveline had offered me a ride the next morning otherwise I may have had to omit this section of the trail.
A much-anticipated short detour off trail took me to the Men Ar Rompet allée couverte or dolmen (gallery grave) from the neolithic period. I had the entire place to myself, and I stopped here to have my lunch and to rest and appreciate this very beautiful place. If I had to choose only one highlight from a day full of highlights, this would be it.
I watched swallows swoop over the grassy field in front of me, and I could hear the calls of small song birds all around me. I don’t think that I have walked even one step on this entire GR journey of over 100 km without hearing birds and seeing some kind of flower!
Here is a zoomed-in view of the offshore reefs and small islets in front of the dolmen. It’s not hard to see why this very special spot was chosen as a burial place for an important person.
From Men-Ar-Rompet, it was only another 2.5 km to Bellevue, but after that I would have a 4.5 km walk from the coast to the towns of Kerbors and Pleubian where there was a bus which would take me back to my accommodations at l’Armor. I set off and soon the trail brought me down to walk directly on a beach where a path meandered through the rocks.
This is the view back towards the location of Men Ar Rompet after I’d gone a ways down the beach,
and this was the view from the water’s edge looking out across the estuary of the Jaudy River towards the next large peninsula to the east.
I’m hoping that I will be able to return to Bretagne in a year or two and continue my walk on the GR along the opposite shore and onwards for at least another 100 km.
At Bellevue, I said goodbye to the GR trail and felt a little sad because I knew that I had very little distance left to complete on my journey to Tréguier. It was mid-afternoon, and getting quite warm and I wasn’t looking forward to a 4.5 km road walk to Pleubian. I set off on the winding country road and it was fun to see the church at Kerbors from across farm fields getting closer and closer. When I arrived in Kerbors, I took a quick photo of the church and then I decided on impulse to hitchhike (my 78 year old hostess Ghislaine had suggested in the morning that I “fait le stop” instead of waiting for the bus). The very first car stopped and it was a woman who was walking the GR with three friends, one week at a time for five years now, but her knee had been giving her trouble so she was going to have a coffee in Kerbors while her three friends continued on the trail. She happily gave me a ride to Pleubian and we compared notes on the trail. In Pleubian, it was a three hour wait for the bus so I decided again to hitchhike (after taking a very quick picture of Pleubian’s large church, with its tower of three bells) and the second car stopped, a fellow who was driving directly to l’Armor to walk on the Sillon de Talbert.
So, thanks to the kindness of strangers, I arrived nice and early back to my accommodation, had a lovely shower, washed some clothes and hung them out to dry in the warm wind outside, had a rest, and then later walked to the local store to buy items for my dinner. I loved the small town of l’Armor because even when the nearby sea wasn’t in sight, you could sense that it was there less than a kilometre away on three sides of the town. These two last days of coastal walking have been glorious, and indeed the entire section of the GR 34 that I have walked thus far has been exceptionally beautiful, varied, fun, well-designed and well maintained, etc. etc. etc. Definitely an A++ trail!
May, 6, 2022 – Distance on the GR 34: 15 km from l’Arcouest to Lézardrieux
My plan for this day was to walk the 15 km from l’Arcouest to Lézardrieux, and my hope was to do the walk in less than 5.5 hours in order to catch the bus from Lézardrieux back to Paimpol at 2:57 because the next bus (and last) would leave only four hours later! I took the first (now familiar) bus from Paimpol to l’Arcouest, arrived at 9:20, and promptly set off on the GR. I traversed the large parking lots reserved for passengers travelling on the ferries to l’Isle de Bréhat, but just beyond that all was quiet as I walked along a path that bordered these two curved beaches.
At the end of the second beach the trail veered away from the sea to travel along fields, past a large farmhouse, and into a wood that was sometimes dense and dark, and sometimes more open with occasional views of the sea.
I did quite a bit of trail-side munching as I walked along as most of my favourite wild snacks were available this morning including borage flowers (delicious), the yellow flowers of canola or wild mustard, spearmint (I tucked a few stems in my pocket for tea later), grass shoots (the bottom right photo shows my favourite kind), sheep sorrel leaves (also known as shepard’s purse, but when I was a kid we just called them ”sour leaves”), and pink clover blossoms (you pull off the pink petals and eat the sweet white part). Very fun!
I walked along happily at a good pace and when I noticed that I was going a bit too quickly and thinking about the time and buses rather than enjoying my walk, I forced myself to slow down – ”If I get there, I get there, and if I don’t that’s fine too.” Soon the path led out of the woods and down to an oceanfront road. Looking out to sea, I surmised that the lighthouse on the horizon on the left was the one that I had seen from the ferry while crossing to the Isle de Bréhat.
The road eventually led to the long, curving, rose-coloured beach of the bay of Gouern,
and I must admit that I groaned a bit when I saw the distance to the far point, but the trail surprised me by cutting across the point just past the houses in the distance. It emerged on the other side and arrived rather quickly at the port of Longuivy which is known for its fishery of lobster and langoustines. Pleasure boats were anchored in the small inner harbour,
and the fishing boats and loading facilities, with their accompanying sounds of a busy working day, were off to the eastern side of the harbour.
The GR 34 wove its way through several narrow streets lined with small stone fishermen’s cottages and then emerged again at the sea, leading me towards the Trieux River estuary.
Just past the white house, and around the corner, I arrived at the Trieux, and out across the water I could clearly hear a group of excited kids starting a sailing lesson, with their instructor shouting instructions from a dock. There was also a GR sign which I interpreted as “6 down, 9 to go”, and the trail ahead looked wonderfully level and easy.
Of course the trail didn’t stay level, but the climb was worth it for this view down to the now-quieter students sailing upriver with their instructor following along.
This was the view looking out to the sea, with the Bréhet archipelago towards the right,
and this was the view upriver. What a beautiful day!
I kept a steady pace (I hadn’t really stopped yet except to take photos), but I was reluctant to look at the time as I was already thinking on it too much. Soon though, I began to despair a little as I met staircase, then down, after staircase, then down.
At one point I had a decision to make as there was a 450 metre trail that led away from the GR to the allée couverte de Mélus, a neolithic dolmen or rock-covered tomb. It was excavated in 1933 and the artefacts that were uncovered included flint blades, polished axes, and pottery vases and shards. I really wanted to see the dolmen, but I also really did not want to wait for a bus for four hours in Lézardrieux! I finally looked at the time and found that I had kept a very good pace indeed. I would likely be able to catch the earlier bus so I reluctantly gave up on the idea of detouring to see the dolmen. (I knew that there was another dolmen further along in my journey, but I was still disappointed to not see this one.) I carried along on the trail,
and it soon became a perfect trail. Gone were the staircases and the ups and downs and instead there was a gently undulating path, soft underfoot with pine needles on soil, but with enough bumpy rocks and roots to help keep my mind focused and in the present. There were river views, beautiful old pines, and the weather was perfect for walking with cool air and a constant fresh breeze.
I had seen a few walkers and joggers earlier in the morning on the path along the bay of Gouern, as well as several people out and about at the port of Longuivy, but so far today I had had the entire GR to myself which was amazing to me. At one point, the river widened, and I began to see the marinas and buildings of Lézardrieux in the distance.
I kept looking ahead as I got closer and closer, hoping to see the suspension bridge,
and then finally I caught a glimpse of it,
and then more than a glimpse. Almost there!
Except I wasn’t (!) because there was a ravine in the way so the GR led me away from the river up to some quiet roads and then down to a tunnel under the main D road to a beach on the river almost almost a kilometre south of the bridge! Hmmmph!
Oh well! The route then rose up to a trail through a very pretty meadowy park that paralleled the D road (the meadow and its many butterflies was good compensation for the detour) and then finally I was on the bridge.
Here is a view from the centre of the bridge looking down the river. I would be spending my very last day in Bretagne exactly one week later at the small town of Pontrieux which is about 20 km downstream from here.
I made my way into town along the GR and then found the bus stop. I had completed the 15 km walk in only 4.5 hours and had an hour to spare before the bus! I sat to rest and finally eat my lunch and then I waited for the bus – and waited and waited. At about twenty minutes past the scheduled arrival time, it dawned on me that perhaps the bus route had been diverted because of nearby road work. ”Oh non, non, non!” I basically wailed out loud as I began to look for information on my phone. A man from across the street, who had been watering his garden as I waited for the bus, was crossing to his car and stopped to ask, ”Est-ce que je peux vous aider?”. I explained the situation and he happened to be going to Paimpol to pick up his daughter at school so he offered to give me a ride. Saved! Quick as a wink I was back in Paimpol, very thankful for the kind help, and very happy with my somewhat speedy but wonderful day of walking along the on the GR 34.
Day 7 on the GR – Distance: 9 km from Lézardrieux to Pommelin
This was the first day that I would be walking with my big backpack and I was somewhat nervous about it. Luckily I only had nine kilometres to walk, and thankfully my previous days of walking had conditioned me somewhat. I took a taxi to Lézardrieux (no bus on a Saturday), regained my place on the GR 34, and passed by the town’s large church. I had planned on touring the interior but found I was in the mood to just get going. The trail started out wonderfully, with a narrow green trail that led from behind the church down to the marina, but then there was a very long road walk straight back up to the top of the hill! Thankfully, the route soon led me to quiet country roads along fields and beside woods, with occasional views of the river below.
The trail went past this beacon that was in operation from 1869 to 1944. Its red light was visible for 16 nautical miles and was synchronized with another signal beacon to facilitate marine access to the port of Lézardrieux. From there, there were more hilltop country roads until the route descended again to river level on the approach to, and past an old tidal mill.
After a short section along the narrow bay, the trail rose once again, this time alongside a small creek, and the forest here was dense with trees and ferns. Soon after there was another thickly forested section that was part of a nature reserve. I only passed one person doing the GR today, another woman walking it alone but in the opposite direction.
Back up at the top there was more road walking along very quiet roads as well as down long green walkways between stone walls completely covered in vegetation, and I really enjoyed passing by pretty stone cottages and farms. It was a warmer day today, with a sleepy feeling in the air, and I was happy to take my time with no bus schedules to be concerned about.
I arrived at Kermouster, a lovely little town with a 13th century chapel that had a small picnic area with a fantastic view over the river towards the port of Longuivy. I really don’t mean to brag, but I walked all of the shores that you can see in the distance!
I was already almost at my accommodation and luckily my hostess, Yveline, had said that I could check in early. There were a few more country roads, pathways, fields, and pretty houses to enjoy but that was certainly no hardship!
I neared Pommelin and then I travelled a short kilometre or so off trail to arrive at Yveline’s beautiful country house where I received a warm welcome and was shown to this lovely room with access to a reading room, the kitchen and dining room, and the sun room. I had a refreshing shower, was able to do laundry, worked on my ipad in the sun room, and made a simple dinner in the kitchen. Yveline and I conversed a lot and she kindly offered me a ride that would make it possible to turn one too-long day into two shorter days of walking. Even better, she joined me on the hike and the kilometres went by very fast with someone to talk to. She’s in the picture, bottom right, waving me off when I left the next morning. Bonjour Yveline!
And that was my seventh section on the GR 34, for a total distance of 85.5 km, with only 30.5 to go!
May 2, 2022 – Distance on the GR – 4 km from Plage Bréhec to Plage Bonaparte (plus 3 more because I got off trail!)
On my last day in Binic I set out to complete a 4 km section of the GR 34 that I had omitted because of the bus schedules, and I had to complete it in the opposite direction of travel, again in order to fit in with the buses. This was the first real morning with rain but it was very light and by the time the bus arrived at Plage Bréhec it had ceased altogether but the skies remained dark and gray. Again, Plage Bréhec was all but deserted as I arrived at 8:10 a.m.
Of course the trail started with stairs up, but it was worth it to rise up above the sea,
with views down to Bréhec.
Somewhere though, after these two sections, I took a wrong turn and got off of my GR and onto another one!
I ended up walking away from the coast along some country roads. The scenery was lovely, but I kept getting further away from the coast.
Each time that I was ready to pull out my guide book I would see another GR marking of the red and white stripes and thought, ”Well, I guess this is the way,” until finally I thought, ”This can’t be the way!” Both GR’s travelled to Plage Bréhec and I had veered off on the wrong one. I had done at least an extra 1.5 km and now had to retrace my steps! Grrr. At least I’d seen some pretty countryside and another ring-necked pheasant! Soon, I corrected my error and was back at the clifftop trail and with more views back to Plage Bréhec.
I felt a little sad as I walked along because this was to be the last of my cliff walking with wonderful views like these.
And, sure enough I arrived almost too quickly at Plage Bonaparte after my 4 km on the trail were done. Here is the view of the parking lot, with the tunnel and ramp down to the beach beyond it, and there was one lonely vehicle in the parking lot.
My pants and boots were soaked from the wet trailside grasses, the wind was blowing quite cold, and I had a good two hours before my bus would arrive 2 km away at Dernier Sou (because I’d missed the earlier bus because I got off trail.) Hmmm, what to do? Go right away to Dernier Sou and wait at the bus stop by the road, or spend some time at the beach? I decided to head down to the beach and as I neared the VW van the owner was arriving at his vehicle. I asked which way he was headed and thankfully he was headed in the right direction and offered to give me a ride as far as central Plouha where there was a bus stop and a wonderful café with croissants and pain au chocolat. Saved! Everyone here that I have met has been so kind!
I returned to Binic and after a little rest in my apartment I decided to to photograph some of the older buildings in the town that I had noticed on a walk the previous evening on my restful Sunday. I headed towards the marina over the pedestrian bridge,
and then visited the large L’Eglise Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage, built between 1821 and 1930 in a neo-classical style.
From the interior it was very obvious that concern for the fate of mariners and fishermen was paramount here. There were statues of Saint-Julien, patron saint of boatmen, and Saint Clément, patron saint of navigators. There was also the boat and the statue of Mary that I had seen at the procession on the beach the day before, as well as a memorial to the captain and 27 men of the ”Maria” who perished in 1901 in the Icelandic fishery.
Exiting the church, I headed up a nearby street that had many older houses along it, all quite distinct and interesting-looking with many different kinds of building stones and bricks used, and lots of evidence of ”patching up” over time.
Here are a few more,
And this is what can happen in the middle of town in Bretagne when the vegetation takes over a house!
I loved my week-long stay in Binic and regretted a bit not having explored the town more. But, there’s only so much time in a day, as we all know. I returned to the beach for my last few photos of the day and said a quiet goodbye to the lovely seaside town of Binic.
April 30, 2022 – Distance on the GR 34, 7 km from Kerity to Paimpol
I was able to sleep in a little on this Saturday morning as the l’Abbaye de Beauport did not open until 10:30. It felt good to get a little extra rest, and also to have a shorter day of walking ahead of me. The bus from Binic took me to my stop beside the Kerity church and from there it was a short half kilometre walk to the abbey.
This beautiful abbey was founded in the 13th century by the Count of Penthieve who was given the lands by William the Conqueror as a reward for helping him to conquer England. It was the home of a religious order of monks, the Premonstratensians, who came here from Normandy. It became a vast estate and prospered as more land was donated by other nobles. It was an influential abbey and grew to oversee thirteen Breton parishes as well as nine parishes in the English county of Lincolnshire. The abbot was equal in rank to a bishop in the 15th century and had the right to sit in the Breton parliament.
Here is the Chapter House where the monks would meet each morning to discuss abbey business and share ideas. Throughout the rest of the day, the monks were silent and communicated with hand symbols. The meeting always began with the reading of a chapter from The Rule, the Augustinian book of rules, routines, rituals, and values that the monks lived by.
The lands of the estate and the sea provided sustenance and income. Sheep fed on the salt marshes, pigs rooted in the forest, and fish were available in the sea, the river, and the garden fish farming pond. The monks grew apples and produced cider, and today the owners of the abbey, the French Coastal Protection Agency, are preserving the ancient apple varieties that were still growing on the property. There are 60 different varieties in their large orchard, eighty percent of which are specific to Beauport. The names of the varieties though have disappeared from memory.
Here is the Ducal House which served many functions over time. In the 15th century it was a workshop for forging bronze and later it was converted into a guesthouse for visiting nobles and clergy. The abbey was taken over during the French Revolution and the monks were forced to leave. Without repair and upkeep, much of the abbey became a ruin, including the abbey church when its roof caved in. The Ducal house continued to be used after the Revolution to make salt peter, and from 1920 to 1990 the owners at the time (a ship-owning family from Paimpol) operated a cidery in this large building.
I learned many more interesting facts about the history of this abbey, but mostly I just enjoyed the atmosphere and the physical beauty of this place – the symmetry and grace of the architecture, and the way that the plant life fit into nooks and crannies in the most elegant of ways and gave life to the ancient stones.
And, because it will be Mother’s Day when I publish this post, here are some magnificent peonies that were growing at the abbey as a gift to my mom, Lise, and to all the Moms out there (heart emoji). (It’s also for Justus who grows peonies!) The pink ones were as wide across as a large dinner plate, and the yellow ones were as large as a good-sized side plate! Happy Mother’s Day!
After touring the abbey I found a wonderful path that led me around to the salt marsh and back to where I had left the GR 34 the day before.
And here I am! I felt sad to leave this very special place, but happy to continue on with my journey.
The tide was way out again, and the day was bright with a thin haze of cloud. Yesterday I had been walking around the farthest point on the right!
Here is a zoomed in view of the bay.
The path carried on towards Paimpol along a trail at the top of the beach. I could see Paimpol off in the distance to the left, and wondered why the guide book said that the distance was 7 km. I only realized why when I was partway along that long narrow point to the right!
The path led me towards the church at Kerity,
and then continued along on a seafront walkway.
Then it veered off to a wonderful park and outdoor seawater pool and beach for swimming.
It curved around the arc of the beach to a small causeway and then continued along a salt marsh at low tide. All very unexpected!
Then the path swung around back to the bay,
until it led onto this narrow path between fields and the sea. But it was leading me the wrong way, away from Paimpol!
I was thinking of taking out my guide book when I came around a corner and saw a ring-necked pheasant on the path! I continued towards it, hoping for a picture, but it stayed just that bit too far ahead of me, running forward on the path instead of veering left or right. Pheasants in Northumberland had behaved the same way too and so I stopped to finally look at my guidebook, not wanting to stress out the poor bird any more than I already had! I saw from the map that I was heading out to the Pointe de Guilben, a peninsula that separates the Anse de Beauport from the Anse de Paimpol (google translate tells me than an anse is a cove, but looking back and then forward to the Anse de Beauport it is clearly not a mere cove!)
Near the end of the peninsula I arrived to this wonderful narrowing of the land where both bays were visible on either side of the path, and ahead of me was a hill covered with large old pines.
I continued along to the right and couldn’t resist another photo of the pines and the grassy lawn of daisies and buttercups.
The GR trail circled around this last very beautiful part of the point, with views of the sea (at low tide) all around.
Now I was travelling back on the other side of the peninsula, finally heading towards Paimpol, but it was certainly no hardship walking along this lovely trail.
So many bluebells all along the path! Spring is definitely a wonderful time to be here!
As I neared Paimpol there was a beach with another outdoor pool,
and then shortly afterwards I arrived at the port shipyards,
and then the marinas of the port and the town of Paimpol.
What another wonderful day on the GR 34! From here, I walked happily through the centre of the old town to find the train station and take the bus back to Binic. This trail has kept on giving and giving, just like mothers do! Happy Mother’s Day again to Lise, and to all the Moms out there. Love, Christine
April 29, 2022 – Distance: 15 km from Plage Bréhec to Kerity*
My third day of walking on the GR 34 was another exceptional day of walking. There were many similarities with my first two days, but also some differences and a few surprises. I took the bus to Bréhec and all was quiet in the small beach community when I arrived at 8:10 in the morning. This beach is where Saint Brieuc and the first of a wave of emigrants from Britain landed in the 5th century. It was the beginning of Brittany’s Celtic heritage.
Within a few minutes I had found the trail and was beginning the climb up above the beach.
When I reached the top, the trail veered left and I was very surprised to suddenly find myself at a paved road. Two gentlemen were passing as I arrived and we talked briefly, but their energetic collies were eager to get going so off they went ahead of me.
I didn’t see anyone else until a good two hours later! The road continued for about a kilometre or two up on a moor-like plateau that was densely covered in gorse. Here’s a view looking back. The patch of forest in the distance is where I met the road.
The ocean was still in view on my right, but a little further away than I had become accustomed to.
At one point, the route left the road and became a trail again and I was approaching my first descent of the day down to a beach. I could clearly see the ”Z” of the trail rising on the opposite hill. Yikes!
Here is a zoomed-in view. Double yikes!
I made the descent and rose to the other side for this view back to the ”Z” that I had come down.
My knees were still feeling sore from the previous days’ walking but otherwise I was feeling really good as I continued along back on the clifftop. I think it takes several days to really get into the rhythm and flow of a long-distance walk, and I had a strong feeling that this was what I was meant to be doing, and that this was the only place to be at this point in time.
The top of the cliff continued to remind me of a moor and I even began to see small patches of early-blooming heather in amongst the gorse and campion, as well as the purple button-like flowers that I had seen in Provence.
A left turn took me onto a very old cobbled track that soon brought me to another paved road. I certainly didn’t mind this road walking, free and easy up above the sea. As I stopped to look back, I felt amazed that I had come so far in three days and I was very grateful to be here.
A little further on, a trio of signs close to each other at a crossroads confirmed that I was on the right route, and the bench was a welcome place to sit for a few moments. The place names on the road signs are written in both French and Breton.
At the yellow GR signs, I left the road and was back on a clifftop trail,
and soon I arrived at quite the descent!
Stairs down this side, and then stairs up the other side.
And the next few down and ups were similar! Gone were the longer, gradual descents of the last two days. It was like a different trail designer had taken over here, perhaps an impatient one! Or, perhaps someone with long legs and strong knees. Oh well! At the bottom of the hill, a small stream crossed the path and led to a terraced beach of large cobbles.
I considered sitting on this peaceful beach for a while but then decided that it might be harder to go up the staircase after having had a rest. “Onward and upward,” I thought as I started the climb. About half way up, I turned to look back and I saw the first person that I’d seen in two hours. Can you see him half way down the stairs?
Back at the top, I continued along the trail towards the Pointe de Plouézec in the distance, with several more of the steep down and ups along the way.
After the Pointe de Plouézec, there was a longer descent which took me down to Port Lazo and from there the entire character of the trail changed. Before me was a giant bay at low tide and the tidal flats stretched for what seemed like miles. Port Lazo was busy with large tractors heading out onto the sand to load up great heavy wire cases of farmed oysters.
I had left the tallest sea cliffs in Brittany behind me and the trail would now travel a mere 20 metres or so above the sea for most of the rest of this day. But it was still a most wonderful trail!
The sea was always on my right and sometimes there were breaks in the trailside vegetation for full views out to the bay.
The next highlight of the trail was not a surprise for me as I had been eagerly expecting it. A short side trail led me up to the top of the hill and to the Moulin du vent a Craca which was built in 1844 and restored in 1995.
There was a picnic table onsite, and a sea view, so it was the perfect place for a good long rest and a good lunch. Refreshed and happy, I returned to the trail and as I travelled along there continued to be views out to busy tractors on the sand. There were acres and acres of oyster cases!
The trail itself continued to delight with me with its plant life, birds, bees and butterflies.**
In one area, I passed a community of plantains (which usually grow about as high as my knees) that grew as high as my chin!
The trail offered up several more surprises for me as I approached the end point of my walk at l’Abbaye de Beauport. Here was my first exciting view of the abbey from between a break in the trees.
The trail led out of the trees and crossed over a canal on a stone bridge. Here is the view looking inland,
and here is the path leading towards the abbey! It was lined with dark green grasses beside a pond filled with tall dried reeds that waved and rattled lightly in the breeze, and on the other side was a salt marsh where a small flock of wild Brant geese were feeding.
Wow. The wide bay, the quality of the air, the natural beauty and the sense of history at this place quite overwhelmed me! (Sadly, my pictures do very little justice to the specialness I saw and felt here.) As I looked at the beautiful ruins of l’Abbaye de Beauport, I felt very thankful that I would be returning tomorrow to visit the abbey before continuing on with my walk on the GR.
I began to feel very tired as I walked to the bus stop, but I was also feeling excited about returning tomorrow. The GR 34 had surprised me several times today, and I was looking forward to seeing what else the trail would have to offer in the days to come.
* You may have noted that I have a different start point on Day 3 than my end point on Day 2 and that is because of the buses. I had to skip a 4 km section of the trail but I was able to complete that section after the weekend when the bus schedule was in my favour.
**Here are some butterfly details for those who might be interested. I mostly saw some brown and orange butterflies that were very similar to a painted lady. I also saw several tiny lavender-coloured butterflies that were only about 2 cm across, and a very striking pale yellow butterfly with bright orange spots on the tips of its two front wings. Finally, there was one tiny butterfly with a very dark back, almost black, but when it folded up its wings it was grass-green and perfectly camouflaged as a piece of leaf. I was almost able to photograph it, but off it flew!
Distance: 12 km from Plage Saint-Marc to Plage Bonaparte, plus 1.5 km to access the trail from Tréveneuc and 2 km to access the bus at Dernier Sou
I headed out early for my second day of walking and on my way to the bus stop I passed the market square where merchants were setting up for Binic’s market day. I briefly considered not walking 15.5 km today to attend the market instead and have an easy afternoon, but the first day of walking had been so exceptional that I carried on with my plan, hoping that today would be the same. I arrived in Tréveneuc with its beautiful church,
and walked down a few quiet streets to access the path that would take me 1.5 km to the beach at Saint-Marc and back on the GR 34. The woodland path was so vibrant with new green growth and Spring flowers. “Where are all the rabbits?” I thought. (I had been wanting to see a rabbit since my walk between Vaisson La Romaine and La Costa). If I was a rabbit I would definitely live here.
At Saint-Marc beach, the trail quickly climbed up onto a headland and again my day was filled with cliff-top walking along headlands to rocky points and descents to long sandy beaches.
As I walked along, it was rewarding to look back at headlands that I’d traversed the day before, and ahead to the beaches and headlands to come.
The clifftop walking was fantastic with the ever-present wind, the views, the trail under foot, and the trailside vegetation of grasses, gorse and brambles, bright yellow and bi-coloured broom, dense patches of sea campion, and more.
Here is the view down to the small beach of Port Goret.
And here is the view over Le Palus, a large beach where a family of five on horseback cantered in a circuit the length of the wide sandy beach multiple times.
The descent down to this beach had been a long gradual one.
And that was the pattern on this day, with several long descents that swung inland to progress down a ravine to a cove or beach. The ravines were densely vegetated with tall trees, ivy, ferns, bluebells (and white bells) and countless other plants in every shade of green. Here the birds were very numerous, busy, and vocal in the tree tops.
Down at the beach of Le Palus, I walked to the water’s edge to watch a search and rescue team practice some manoeuvres in the strong surf.
This is the view looking back towards the distant shore.
I walked back to the buildings on the right side at the top of the beach to regain the trail, only to be confronted by this very steep beginning to the next ascent. It worked best to climb this staircase like a ladder! It was worth it though for the great view back down to the beautiful beach of Le Palus from the top,
as well as continuing great views of the trail itself and the terrain ahead.
Here’s an example, further along the trail, of my arrival at another wide ravine. I will descend heading inland (towards the left) and then rise up on the other side where you can see the trail cutting through the vegetation.
After that rise, there were more great views back,
and then forward to the Pointe le Pommier. It was truly spectacular and I was so happy to be walking here.
Beyond the next point there was this interesting cove at Gwin Zégal where boats were moored to tall posts sunk into the sandy beach. I wondered how long ago those posts had been installed, and who put them there!
Here’s another view back to Gwin Zégal from further along the cliff.
Soon I began to catch glimpses of my end point for the day, Plage Bonaparte. But first, there was another ravine to navigate and the ”up” section on this one was a very narrow footpath going pretty much straight up without a zig or a zag. A new kind of flower provided an excuse to stop for a few moments! (I think it’s time I learned how to take a picture of an ”up” that looks like it’s an ”up”!)
But again the climb was worth it to regain the cliff top,
and for the views of Plage Bonaparte as I drew nearer.
I began the long descent that would be my last on this day’s walk.
Access to the beach was through a tunnel below the parking area and then down the length of a concrete ramp. At the bottom of the ramp I plunked myself down on some rocks to rest my weary feet and knees and have my lunch.
There were a few people scattered here and there on the very big beach and soon an elderly gentleman of 76 years came by while I was having my rest and we chatted for a while. He had been digging for clams and had found oysters, clams and scallops to take home for a feast with his wife and his son and son’s family. He had a strong Breton accent and sometimes I didn’t understand him, and I’m sure that sometimes he didn’t understand what I said either with my Canadian accent and rudimentary French, but we smiled a lot and both enjoyed our conversation.
On the first two days of my walk on the GR 34 I have been alone most of the time which I love. I occasionally passed walkers who were out for a morning hike, some walking their dogs and some with binoculars for bird watching. I’ve also passed several couples with big backpacks obviously doing a multi-day walk on the GR. On my first day I had walked and chatted for a ways with a young woman who was doing a five day walk, and on this second day, as I was stopped half-way up a long incline to catch my breath, a young man with long legs, a big grin, and a backpack fully loaded for camping breezed by me with a cheery ”Bonjour” as if he was going downhill instead of up!
After walking 13.5 km, with a good amount of elevation gain and loss, I was feeling rather weary and I began to get chilled sitting on the rocks in the wind. I gathered my things, hoisted myself up, and decided to walk down to the water’s edge but suddenly it just seemed too far away so I stopped and took this photo instead, looking in the direction of travel and knowing that I would be traversing those next four headlands and beyond in the days to come.
For now though, I had two kilometres of road walking to do but thankfully it was a small and quiet country road with pretty views that helped to take my mind off of my now quite sore feet and knees.
I reached the bus stop at the small community of Dernier Sou, which translates to ”Last Penny”. There must certainly be a story that must be behind that name! I had to wait almost an hour but then the bus came and whisked me back to the comforts of my apartment in Binic. I was so happy that I had carried through with my plans because it had truly been another exceptional day of walking on the GR 34.
Well, I adore Brittany. I am in Binic on the north coast and I have been walking on the Grand Randonée 34 (GR 34) path and have completed 52 kilometres over 4 days of walking (with more to come). The trail is varied and wild and is pretty much always in sight or sound of the sea. The scenery is nothing short of spectacular with a combination of long golden sand beaches, small rocky coves and gorse-covered headlands, the highest sea cliffs in Brittany, and small fishing towns that have become the joy of summer holiday makers.
It is so green here and the plants are full to bursting with life! The weather has been fine and the grandness of the landscape has been graced and made even more beautiful by the wonders of spring: wildflowers and young oak leaves, bluebell-lined wooded paths, ferns and ivy, beetles and butterflies and bees. I actually saw a butterfly bump into a bee!
The birds, including swallows, sparrows, and pretty little European robins, have been my constant companions and I have not walked one step on this path without hearing their songs and calls. I have felt exhilarated, profoundly joyous, contemplative, grateful, and sometimes all of those emotions at once. What a journey!
Now, I’m not quite sure where to go from here post-wise as I am very much behind. It’s Labour Day and a day of rest for me today. The sun is shining out there on the sea (it was supposed to rain!) so I think it’s time to go out for a walk to help me decide whether I will try and create posts about my arrival in Binic and my last four days of walking. In the words of Arnold, ”I’ll be back.” (Here are two pictures while you wait. They are the views from the front and back windows of my apartment here in Binic.)
Okay, I am back from my short walk to the beach and have delivered my recycling to the depot. This is the perfect place to refer back to some of the disappointments that I mentioned in my ”Musings” post. None of them apply here! I have seen almost no litter or graffiti, and I have witnessed people bringing their recycling to the many little depots available. Also, each beach that I visited had a large box at the access points for people to place any litter that they might find on their walks! All of the houses that I have seen while walking and on my bus rides up and down the coast have been very tidy and well-kept with beautiful and flourishing gardens. Such a pleasure to see! Here are two rather grand homes in St-Quay-Portrieux.
While out on my walk this afternoon, I decided that I will go ahead and create several posts about my days on the GR 34 trail thus far, but the posts will be brief, with just a few highlights noted for each day of walking, and I’ll try to limit myself to a maximum of 5-6 photos per day. Wish me luck!
Also while out on my walk, I was very fortunate to witness an age-old tradition, the ”Pardon de Notre Dame de Bon Voyage”. The church bells were ringing and ringing and a small procession from the church arrived at the beach to say prayers and blessings for mariners, and to remember those lost at sea and those left behind. It was very moving to see a tradition like this be respected and carried on.
Many of the fishing towns along the coast here participated for almost a century in the cod fisheries around Iceland and off the coast of Newfoundland. Fishermen would leave in schooners and be gone for up to six months at a time. From the town of Paimpol alone, between the first and last expeditions of 1852 and 1935 to Iceland, 100 schooners and 2,000 men were lost. Thankfully, life for many today on this coast, and definitely for me, is much easier and safer.
