Nearly fifty years ago, we visited the peninsula immediately to the south of Brest. The Crozon Peninsula. Glenda was bitten by an adder there. She has not-so happy memories of the area! However, we seem to remember the beaches were pretty fabulous, and we are determined to re-visit. Snakes permitting! … and it was still the least hot part of France. That had a significant bearing!
Eating lunch during a trip towing a caravan needs one of several things. Option one, knowledge of a restaurant en route with a large parking area. Well that’s out. We’ve not driven this way in recent times – so, no relevant knowledge. Second, a bit of advance research, and a deliberate search for a restaurant and a suitable place to park and then walk. No advance review of eateries today. So that’s not an option either! Thirdly, random chance. Seeing a restaurant with ad hoc parking bang opposite (and quick reactions). This was how we ended up at Le Relais de La Croix in the tiny village of La Croix near Corlay.
The set meal included both wine AND coffee. But the latter came in world record small cups … but it was accompanied by a flask of coffee for refills.
(If you think you’ve seen this before, it is true that I did link this event to Le Pierrefeu in the last episode. Now corrected!).
Apart from a very exciting traverse of an extremely narrow bridge in Châteaulin the journey to Telgruc-sur-Mer was largely uneventful.
Camping L’Armorique, we discovered, was located on the side of a mountain! Access was via a complex interwoven one-way system.
If you can follow the arrows on the plan, you will note an extreme left hand turn near the bottom. Even if you were expecting it, it would be impossible to complete the turn in one manoevre. That is, if towing anything greater than two metres in length! I had an interesting moment making a five point turn. Not for the faint-hearted! I hate stone walls and projecting rocks on tight bends!
We sure did pay for the sea view! Everything is either up a hill or down a hill. Shower block and water supply up. Reception, bar, terrace and pool down.
Our first expedition out was to the Cap de La Chevre. Looking at the map above, there are three capes. The goat’s headland is the southern pointy bit.
At the headland there is a memorial to naval aviators. The builders obviously put the thing in place without the use of a spirit level! And just round the corner is a reinforced observation post. Presumably installed by the French when they heard rumours that Trump was planning to make Brittany the 55th State, after Mexico, Canada, Greenland and The Ukraine!
There is a coastal path round most of the peninsula: in this case it was a cliff edge walk. And quite up-and-downish. And quite stony. Not really our preferred walking conditions. We did about a kilometre up the east side, then back-tracked and tried the west side path. Until it took an unnerving dive towards sea level.
We need somewhere where perambulation conditions were more suited to our age and ability! Heading back to Crozon town (virtually all significant roads pass through Crozon), we arrived at Morgat. A bustling place with a long beach and a marina – and most significantly, a level walking surface. We watched a yacht being returned to the water …
… then went for a walk to the end of the pier. There was a coastal path which apparently led to the Fort du Kador. Where visitors can find traces of a defensive structure and a part of an underground powder magazine dating from 1757. But we didn’t get that far! We need to get home for a swim!
Next day, dawned cloudy – hot and cloudy! The plan today was to head northeast – effectively off the peninsula – to La Faou. We passed the tiny village of Argol which, we later discovered, was the location of the famous snake bite (for which I have been blamed for almost half a century – some people nurse a grudge for a loooong time!).
We crossed the River Aulne on the Pont de Térénez. The notice at the end of the bridge proudly announced that the crossing was officially opened in 2011. It is described as a wonderful work of art and the first cable-tied, curved bridge in France. Also, apparently, with the longest span between two pillars (256 metres) of any similar style bridge in the world. I must say that the geometry of the structure looked VERY impressive.
Parking on the bank of a tidal creek (the River Faou), reminiscent of that at Kingsbridge in Devon, we walked into town. The first building we came to was the Église Saint-Saveur.
… with it’s fantastic, unusual, complex painted ceiling. Thousands of stars on a dark blue background.
On the other side of the creek a huge stage is being erected. This is for a music festival in support of the fire-fighters of the region. The peace and quiet of the place is about to be shattered. Walking away from the water into the centre of town we passed a collection of extremely well preserved historic buildings.
But it’s late afternoon already and we still have places to see and explore. Back over the curvy bridge and sharp right to Landévennec in the very far northeast corner of the peninsula. We want to check out the ship cemetery! But first, in town, outside the museum, we came face to face (well, face to knee really) with Anna Vreizh – Anne of Brittany.
She was a big girl by the looks of things and had the distinction of being the only woman to be Queen of France – twice! First as wife of King Charles VIII until his death in 1498 and then as wife of Louis XII whom she married a year later! Busy girl!
The local crèperie had a sign pinned to the door saying “closed for the year, come back next summer, have a nice day!” Or words to that effect. And as we were reading this missive, the owner pulled up in his car and explained that he had another job this summer. “Desoleé!”
At the water’s edge there is a tiny campsite. Very basic. No facilities of any sort, but a rather fine view! Like this …
Apparently, in various locations around the coast, spits have developed. These long arc-like spurs consisting of pebbles deposited by tidal streams over hundreds of years are just submerged at high tide. Excellent fishing locations, provided you are very careful!
On the south edge of town there is an ancient Abbey – or rather the ruins of the Abbey. We arrived well after closing time, but people were streaming in, maybe for a private function. Under cover of this activity we snuck in, took a few photos and scarpered!
The Abbey was founded in the 5th century by Saint Guénolé, it was destroyed by Vikings in 913. It was re-establihed as a modern Benedictine monastery a little further up the hill in the 1950s.
Time for home after a quick hesitation to view the naval warship cemetery.
It took a bit of finding, but was very disappointing when we did. Call three ships a cemetery? You can see far more rusting hulks stached in the flooded valleys upstream of Falmouth. Defo time for home!
And maybe time to close this episode.
I know about the ” historical ” snake bite .