Channel Adventure Day 10

Day 10 - Tuesday, April 17, 2018 – Drive to St. Malo; Walk the Ramparts; Visit Old City; Drive to Crehen for Lunch

It was another beautiful sunny day in Brittany! The temperature was 46 degrees with just a little breeze. We talked with Danielle at breakfast about the possibility of taking the ferry to Jersey tomorrow. Because there was only one crossing a day in the early morning and the return trip was very late in the evening, we will save that adventure for another time.

We set our GPS for the fortified pirate haunt of St. Malo that was also the birthplace of Jacques Cartier, the French navigator who claimed Canada for France. Born in 1491, he was schooled in navigation and in 1534 he set out in search of a northern passage to the lands in the New World.

Cartier sailed the areas around Newfoundland, the northern provinces of Canada, and explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This area of Brittany was the port of embarkation for many French sailors who settled Canada. “Hi” to our neighbor Kathy Methot from all of your French family here on the western coast of France!

Our GPS took us right to the walls of the old city of St. Malo. We tried to drive in but the narrow, narrow streets, the service trucks that were double-parked, the construction on the sidewalks, and the many pedestrians gave us pause. The first time we could, we turned around and went back out of the city walls and found a suitable place to park.

We parked by the St. Malo Ferry Port where the daily trips to the Channel Islands take off and land. Walking to the ramparts of the old fortified city was a great way to start our exploration.

The views of the tidal islands were fascinating. The tide was going out and we could see the rocky outcroppings that would deter any invading ships from navigating too close to shore and the village. Cannons were perched at significant intervals on top of the wall, all facing England and those marauding pirates.

We walked the whole length of the city walls, almost 1.75 kilometers, taking photos all the way. We came back down the old granite steps into the medieval city where we walked along those narrow cobblestone streets. We were so happy that we had parked the car and were on foot exploring.

St. Malo is basically a tourist town now. It was occupied by the Germans during World War II and almost totally destroyed by American shelling as well as British naval gunfire. The city was rebuilt to its medieval charm after the Americans liberated it in 1944.

Highlights of the views from the top of the walls were Grand Bé Island, Fort National, and the little village of Dinard across the bay. The homes inside the walls have now become crêperies, gift shops, and a few stores catering to the locals who actually live in the Old City.

Even at 1:45, we were not hungry so we went back to the car park and set off to do a little more exploring. We checked our Michelin map and chose the small commune of Crehen as our far western point for the day.

As we drove the back roads of Brittany, we were able to enjoy the picturesque farms with the peaceful dairy cows grazing in the pastures. Each small town was more beautiful than the next.

When we got to Crehen we found a small café that was very busy with local workers just finishing their lunches. Our choice was an excellent one, Au Gre du Vent, along the L’Arguenon River; a small café serving crepes, seafood, and gallettes. Gallettes are a specialty of the Brittany coast. It was similar to a thin crepe but made with buckwheat flour.

We chose a gallette filled with thinly sliced ham and cheese – a dollop of scrambled eggs on top. The meal was served with a small portion of salad and a generous portion of fried potatoes. We sat outside on the patio and watched the traffic and the many cyclists who rode by.

After reprogramming our GPS to take us home by a different route, we marveled at the shades of the spring greens and the flowering trees along the roadways.

By the time we returned home and caught up on the journal and sorted the photographs from the day it was 6:30. The sun sets late here so we had plenty of daylight to walk the hiking path back to Mont St. Michel for a few evening photos.

Returning “home” at 8:30, it was still light. We had a light dinner and then finished our recollections of the day.

It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.

J.R.R. Tolkien

Accommodations: Les Vieilles Digues B&B - - - Meal: B