Brittany 2010 - 7 - Home ferry

Saturday 25th September - ferry home from St. Malo

Early departure from gite. Dark cloudy morning, no stars out. Left about 8:00am and headed to St. Malo via the route we took yesterday across the Rance at Pont Chateaubriand. Glimpses of the Rance from the road north from here.

A bit of a wait for the ferry as various Brittany Ferries trucks loaded / unloaded food for restaurants etc. This time had comfy seats reserved in the Salon on deck 9, a bit extra but worth it for a long crossing. Could also leave some of our stuff here while we went outside / to the cafe for coffee, light lunch and tea. Watched the departure from St. Malo, 10:30am, on the outer deck. Views of the old town, Grand and Petit Bes, Cézembre island. Past the quay with the lighthouse which we walked out onto last week. Some sailing boats out, including three - mast historical looking ship. Views of the Barrage de la Rance shortly after leaving the harbour. Cap Fréhel, a distinctive flat promintory. Think I saw Pointe du Grouin to the east. Drier and mainly sunny, but there was a cool east wind, so uncomfortable staying out too long at a time. In the words of Ouest France's weather forecasts, the sea was peu agitee, with some white waves, but we had a far smoother crossing than the same one on the way back from the 1982 Bryce hols (note 1). Since then, I think they've improved / stabilised the ferries, making for smoother crossings, at least when it's not stormy. Comforttable inside. Ate and enjoyed food.

I don't think there was much, if anywhere in the Channel where I couldn't see land. Before heading north, we headed northeast, passing the Channel Islands, following the Cherbourg peninsula, about 70 miles long, stretching halfway across the Channel here. Passed close to Jersey, with Sark ahead and Guernsey further over to the left. Haven't taken much of an interest in them since a dimly remembered school trip to Guernsey just before I started sceondary school. Passed very close to the northwestern tip of the Cherbourg peninsula, Alderney to our left. Rounded the peninsula at Cap de la Hague, where there was a tall thin grey lighthouse and some buildings above the cliffs with tall chimneys, a mine perhaps.

The southern Isle of Wight came into view a good three hours before we were due in port, the chalk at the western end particularly standing out, catching the sun. The landslipped cliffs between St. Catherine's Point and Ventnor were prominent, too; though I wasn't sure what I was looking at until we got quite a bit closer. The chalk at the western end appeared detached from the rest of the island. Near Ventnor, a harder rock ledge on the highest part of the cliff looked, from a distance like a large building, but knew there wasn't one there. I think we must have seen Portland, too, though that looked different from out to sea, too. Looking back south, it was hard to tell, but could I still see the northern Cherbourg peninsula very faintly on the horizon? Continued watching the IOW as we had tea in the cafe (Note 2).

Went outside again as we passed Culver Cliff, the sea now busy with big ships. Portsmouth came into view as we rounded the island. Could see along the coast between Fawley and Selsey Bill, the South Downs behind. Picked out the spire of Chichester Cathedral. A fine evening we came to Portsmouth, everything lit by the low sun. Though the Bretagne coast was less busy and more picturesque, I thought now that our home coast stood out well, lots to offer, plenty going on, generally a good place to come back to. Good that we were able to stay on deck until we docked, didn't have to go down to the car deck until afterwards; though this did mean we were later home. Docked at 6.15pm UK time, off the ferry about 7.00pm . Therefore, got to view Portsmouth Harbour and the assortment of ships here in the daylight. Passed close to the Historic Ships area, with HMS Victory. In front of it the Arc Royal warship.

Note 1 - St. Malo - Portsmouth sailing home from the 1982 camping holiday, August 1982 - so much for Dad's ideas of spending nine hours or so sunbathing on the outer deck. The crossing was very choppy. For much of the way, he sat huddled outside, clutching a loaf of French bread, using it as a focal point to avery sea sickness. Mum, meanwhile took my brother and me to the restaurant for lunch. I felt really ill, went an ashy white just as Mum paid for the lunch. Promptly made a b'line for somewhere, a crew member calling out as I went the wrong way and hastily handing me a paper bag. My tidal trouble didn't help either - worse in those days, both aches and moodwise, hence, earlier in the week, the crazy golf strops and general moaning. Exactly the sort of thing I meant by coming back to Brittany now as an adult in a better frame of mind than I'd been back then and enjoying it more as a result.

Brittany 2010 - 6 - Cancale and around

Friday 24th September - Pointe du Grouin - Cancale

Weather improved from yesterday evening, though still very showery and certainly more autumnal - Ouest France - Temps assez agité. Made for dynamic skies and striking skies. Sea a bit rougher, with some waves, peu agitée. Went to Pointe du Grouin, the promintory to the north of Cancale. Fresh and breezy on the Pointe. Views of Mont St. Michel to the east, in the distance during gaps in fast moving shower clouds. Beyond it the southern end of the Cherbourg peninsula. The broad bay of Cancale, near the centre a hill standing out on otherwise relatively flat land, Mont Dôl. Just across the water, the Chenal de Rivière, from the Pointe was an elongated island, Île des Landes. Presumably because it was relatively narrow and probably shallow with rock outcrops / ledges beneath the water, it was rougher. When we came back from our walk, there was a strong current here as the tide ebbed. To the north of the Pointe was a cylindrical white lighthouse, the Phare Herpin. Rocky islets: the Île des Rimains, Le Châtellier. On the horizon, the Îles Chausey. On the top of the promintory, near the car park, was a coastguard lookout. Beneath it a concrete bunker. Have to remember in France, that unlike the pill boxes built back home to help defend Britain from the Nazis, the structures here were built by the Nazis occupying France - D.Day N'oublier jammais (, D-Day, never forget), 6 Juin 44 Merci.

Did a short walk on the east side of the promintory to Port Mer, a village with a sailing club. The bay was sheltered, some tropical / Mediterranean plants growing, so it felt hot and sticky when the sun came out for a bit. CCEng, overdressed, as if taking to the Scottish Hills. Must admit, I was a bit taken aback when I later discovered his shorts etc on the backseat. Sailing school at Port Mer, École Voie. Some dinghy boats / sails. Lots of yachts moored in the bay. Rounding the bay, though another reminder of the Nazi occupation, this time, a gun port with a really F'off steel gun.

Quick lunch stop back at the Pointe, dodging heavy showers.

Caught in another heavy shower when we got to Cancale. Parked on the seafront, though a bit out of the main melee where the car parks were full. Quiet on the streets, though. Seems everyone was lunching in the numerous restaurants, dining on oysters, for which Cancale is famous. Tide was now a long way out, exposing the muddy shore (note 1), leaving sailing boats high and dry. Had to shelter for a while under a shop awning as it poured with rain, watching tractors continually coming and going from the oyster beds, some of them with boats. When the rain had cleared, we walked to quay with the lighthouse and looked over the nearby oyster beds. Oyster farmings in tractors busily harvesting them at low tide. Beach near the shore a shingle of discarded oyster shells (from people eating them on the shore). Best view from up the hill, good view over the lighthouse and quay from here, too. Both took more photos than we knew what to do with, but the best view was looking across them to Mont St. Michel. The beds must be unique, haven't come across this kind of thing anywhere else. Map shows them extending some way out to sea. The ebbing tide, began to expose the farthest ones. Must be a race against time for the farmers to harvest the oysters against the tide which, no doubt races in here, as with any extensive flat shore. The tide marks on the islets to the north of the beds, showed how high the tidal range is here, the high water mark probably 12m+, as with the Rance.

Headed back to Dinan Port mid-afternoon to do some packing and cleaning. Ate out again this evening, again at La Terrasse, though the coo, breezyl autumnal weather made for some confusion. Not many tables laid outside on the terrasse at all. Generally very quiet everywhere, unlike Friday night at home, though it got going a bit later. Plenty of space inside and, as we were early, we had a table in the corner with river views on two sides. Restful watching the river as it got dark and the lights came on. Had some more local cider. Main course with pork very good, for dessert a Breton flan (rather than pastry, sugary milky consistently, rather like creme caramel.

Brittany 2010 - 5 - The Rance - Dinan - Léhon

Wednesday 22nd September - Dinan - walk along the Rance to Léhon

Slept on this morning until gone 8:00am, when it was light outside, though no movement from CCEng before then either. Woke myself up properly by drinking a cup of tea outside, watching the Rance. Felt much better for that and tried to sketch the reflected buildings and boats further up the river at Dinan Port. Tricky in the changing light, particularly when the sun came up over the valley side. From then on it quickly warmed up.

Still very warm during the middle of the day, though sensed the forecast change in the air as it clouded over during the afternoon. After a couple of days involving car travel, thought we'd have a quiet, easier day around Dinan. Stocked up on bread etc at a small grocers, near town centre. French bread and camenbert for lunch at the gite.

Afterwards, we walked up the Rance to Léhon. Crossed the Pont de Gothique, where some school children were out in colourful canoes. Walked under the viaduct, following the bend of the river beneath the cliff. Then came to some woods which looked distinctly French with the tall poplar trees on the far side. Approaching Lehon, came to a lock, here a more regular canal type one, this part of the river forming the Canal d'Ille et Rance which continues on to Rennes. Above the lock on the far side was Léhon Abbey. Next to it an outdoor municipal pool. Rounding the bend from here, we saw the Abbey from another viewpoint, stone structures on the bank reflected in the water. Near here, too, was a humpback bridge, the Vieux Pont. CCEng photographed some cyclists crossing it, before we walked into the village and round the front of the Abbey. Some pictureesque cottages and flowers here. Went up the hill to the Chateau Fort. Views over the village and Abbey, north to Dinan, too, with the Chateau tower on the Ramparts here visible up the top of the hill. In the opposite direction, glimpses of the Rance between the trees. Saw the Jamien IV boat sail up here before turning round. Saw it again later when we came to the lock, this time walking on the west side of the river. Walked among the poplar trees and then out into the green area near the viaduct, past the allotments. Back at Dinan Port early evening.

Thursday 23rd September - Dinan - Maison de la Rance

Today's Ouest France weather page (Meteo) - Dégradation automnale. A good description of the change in the weather, not to mention what we've already had back home. Overall quite a bit cooler, which was refreshing. Morning dry, mainly cloudy, but wet in the afternoon. Because of

the forecast, another easy, car-free day around Dinan. Went up to the town in the morning, CCEng interested in looking round the cycle shop near the railway station. I quickly found it too crowded / car flappy everywhere, so headed back.

Lunch at the creperie opposite the restaurant we'd eaten at on Tuesday evening. The food was fine, likewise the local cider in boules (cups), but the waitor didn't speak much English and I found it hard to hear his French over the car flap by the bridge. Some confusion between salad and cider, and didn't realise we could have had salad with galatte.

From there, we crossed the bridge and took a walk along the Rance, passing the gite, brasserie and working woodworks factory on the far side. Then turned back to visit the Masion de la Rance. As it name suggests, all about the Rance river, everything from wildlife, tides, barrages, local industry, also a bit of geology. It answered most of the questions I'd had during week about the valley. Bought a book from the shop afterwards (15 euros). Reading and understanding the French a slow process with the dictionary, but well illustrated with good photography. A good memento of what we'd seen from the boat on Tuesday / along the valley. Nearly all the material was in French, but as it was familiar with the subject and scientific terms are pretty similar in all the European languages, I got the general gist of much of the static display at least. The audio-visual thing in the cinema room was harder, but still appreciated the visual content, with scenes along the valley, including the Viking port seen from the boat, Léhon Abbey (though didn't get the bit about the fire). What looked like a natural oxbow, forming the wetlands near Dinan, though, was actually an artificial, the meander short circuited when the river was canalised; similar to the Burpham Loop on the Arun.

Geology - granite further up the valley at La Hédé, schists nearer than Channel. Also Miocene sediments (about 15Ma), limestone and sandstone. Deposited in a shallow sea, much of Brittany to the west was an island at the time. Granite / stones quarried in the valley transported by barge when the river was canalised. hadn't been sure what I'd been looking at in Dinan and St. Malo. It looked very granite-like, coarsely crystalline with a high mica content. Some of it, though showed alignment, consistent with a metamorphic schist. Saw an igneous dyke from the boat trip on Tuesday, too. Don't know how common these are. Had also been curious about how the incised valley at Dinan had formed and how long it took. Seems it was formed during the past two million years, as the river cut down into the bedrock to meet the lower sea levels during the Pleistocene cold stages. When the sea level rose at the end of the last ice age, the lower part of the valley was submerged, forming the tidal ria seen today. Presumanbly, ongoing sea level rise accounts for the Viking camp now being semi-submerged.

Palaelithic habitation from 300,000 years ago, Homo Erectus. Presumably some Neaderthals later (about 40,000 years ago), though didn't see much about them.

Vikings (Michelin Brittany Guide - invasion of Brittany in 919AD, driven out by Normans twenty years later.

Granite working - gather it's stopped now in the Rance valley, though a commonly used building stone. A display about the poplar woodworks / products.

Wildlife room - canal wetlands and tidal estuary - short films / audio info about birds, such as herons, egrets, comorants and gulls. Think I saw a kingfisher on our short walk along the river earlier.

A whole room, the last one, devoted to all things tidal, including some short films with audio through headphones. A bit about tide mills, the barrage and the astronomy behind tides.

Outside, some granite sculptures surrounded a boat carved out of granite - it floats, due to the Archimedes thing and has been out on the water fourteen times. Took 4000 hours to carve. As well we viewed these before we went in, as while we were looking round inside, heard rain on the roof, some thunder, too. When we came back outside it was still raining. Sheltered in a very homely cafe on the west side of the port, drinking tea. Comfy chairs and good coffee table books about Brittany and fairies (fees). The Irish have that word, too. Must be a Celtic thing. Hadn't realised the King Arthur - Merlin legend was over here, too. Some see it set in Medieval England, some in Brittany. The third series of Merlin has just started back home, so recognised some of the names in one of the fairy books.

Brittany 2010 - 4 - Cruise on the Rance

Tuesday 21st September - the Rance tidal barrage - Rance cruise (Chateaubriand)

Perfect weather for our boat trip. Today was the hottest day (up t trip, but felt very hot and tired when we got back to Dinan afterwards. Roads busier, too, with more dual carriageway driving. Parked in a large, free car park on the west side of the barrage. Quite busy with camper vans / people gorping at the barrage. Constant stream of traffic on the dual carriageway across the barrage, but traffic lights at the car park so OK turning out afterwards. The Croisières Chateaubriand cruises building situated at the far end of the car park, at the Gare Maritime. Used the time before our trip to look at the barrage, Usine marémotrice.

The Rance here must have been in my memory from 1982, but when we got here, I realised the scenes in some of my dreams about the Severn Bridge, including last January, more closely resembled the Rance at the Barrage than the Severn crossing. Certainly the rocky outlooks either side of it. True it wasn't motorway, but it was certainly more pedestrian pedestrian-friendly than the Severn bridges. There was a footway on the northside, which we didn't walk along, but took the subway under the dual carriageway. Climbed up on the cliff overlooking the barrage, just as they opened the lock. The lock here, was a big step up from the typical British canal lock, with sturdy steel gates and deep basin, capable of taking sizeable boats. All the boats today were yachts with tall masts, so all the traffic had to wait (traffic lights on the barrage and near the car park) while they raised the lifting bridge. Watched the road go up in front of us, before a procession of yachts headed downstream towards the Tour Solidor, a chateau-like tower on a rocky islet connected by a stone bridge, to the west of St. Malo.

After watching the lock / bridge operations at the barrage, we went for a short along the west bank to some seats overlooking an area with saltmarsh plants. A quick sketch looking towards the barrage.

Back at the Gare Maritime, I paid the balance and collected our tickets for the boat (25 euros each, paid for by the fifty euros Mum surreptiously posted before the seniors' holiday in Suffolk). The lady at the counter spoke English and gave me a sheet with a translation of the onboard commentary; very helpful as I could only pick out odd words. It was a three hour trip, 12-33pm. Sat upstairs on the open deck. Downstairs was a restaurant, filled with a coach party. Perhaps they were a choir: during the second half of the trip, it became more lively below deck, with rounds of clapping and cheering, followed by various French sing-songs and solos towards the end.

A very restful cruise. The first half of the trip, with the commentary was faster. The one back, quiter and slower paced enabling us to enjoy the views. They got up to about Mordreuc, where the river narrowed, before they turned round. Because of the muddier / shallower nature of the Rance going upriver, how far they can go depends on the state / height of the tide. At the most co-operative tides they can get as far as La Hisse, where we were on Sunday. There seemed to plenty of water all along the bit of the river we saw.

Some of the sites along the way:

As with the Dart (another ria), various creeks, some grand houses with expansive gardens. Some comorants.

Montmarin - boatyard, manor house, remains of a tide mill.

Le Cale de Jouvente - Chateau de Jouvente, Manor of the Rance. Old coastguard house, now owned by a hot air balloon enthusiast.

La Passagere - where smugglers, deserters crossed the Rance during the French Revolution.

Islands - Chevret (Rat Island), Notre Dame (Monks Island)

Saint Suliac - village on the east bank, at the widest point of the Rance, 2.5km.

Mont Garot - 72m promintory, highest point on the Rance. Nearby Viking camp, about 1000 years old, though didn't appreciate its significance / fact it's now semi-submerged in the Rance, until seeing more about it at the Maison de la Rance later in the week.

Chateau de la Roche / Tour du Chene Vert - remains of a C13th castle, with prominent stone tower on the cliff top. Now partly a house.

Pont Chateaubriand and Pont St. Hubert - passed under two bridges in close succession, where the river narrows between two rock promintories. First one, with a large arch, carries the N176, second one a suspension bridge.

Plouer-sur-Rance - small inlet here, with one of a number former tide mills on the Rance, precursors to the barrage in harnesing tidal power. This one now appartments.

When we got back to the gite we thought we'd walk up to Dinan, but in the heat, both very sluggish up the hill. Didn't really enjoy it up the top either, so came back to the cottage and chilled out for a bit, before going out again later for a meal. Went to the Café Terrasses near the Pont Gothique. Ate outside on one of the many tables under the sun umbrellas. Had the set menu, being a bit cheaper than ordering courses separately. Then went for a stroll across the bridge, past the Maison de la Rance. Near full moon reflected in the river. Then walked up into the town, the hill much easier now. Came down a circuitous, poorly lit way, via the road winding underneath viaduct.

Think I saw Uranus through binocs (7x50). Easy to find this evening because close to Jupiter. Harder to spot than I thought due to glare from nearby nearly full Moon. Both planets at opposition today.

About the barrage

Operating since 1966, with a peak power output of 240MW, generated by twenty-four 10W turbines. Understand they can generate on the food and ebb tides. It is 750 metres long, now owned and operated by the French electricity company EDF. It took three years to build, which involved blocking the flow of the Rance completely (question was, where did they put it?). Though, I haven't seen anything anywhere to suggest that the capacity or operating efficiency of the barrage has been affected, or any dredging undertaken, it seems sediment accummultion is still an issue on the Rance. This is a big case against a Severn Barrage, certainly the behemoth Cardiff-Weston scheme, which I hope will be scuppered by forthcoming austerity measures. There must still be potentially expensive / challenging unknowns here: the geology, therefore the sediment regime, on the Rance is very different to the Severn, predominantly hard rock such as schist. The other thing is, the Rance is a relatively small estuary (the tidal bit 22km long), without any major tributaries, unlike the Severn estuary. What we saw of the Rance today, was a more friendly colour than the tidal Severn; in the main, emerald green like the sea, fairly clear, though, from what we saw of the estuary from the boat, it became increasingly muddy moving upstream, particularly above the Pont Chateaubriand and the stretch we saw below l'Ecluse Chatelier on Sunday was clearly unnavigable at low / falling tide. Before lobbiers for the Severn Barrage quote figures, too, they should note that on the Rance, the tidal range has declined from at least 8m to about 5m. The latter figure is comparable with the tidal range around around Southampton. The high tide height, up to 13.5m is still the same, but the low tide mark above the barrage is now around 7m. Gather, as well, from the boat notes, that the river no longer lives up to its name: the word Rance is derived from ranc, meaning noise. The noise came from a tidal bore wave which rushed up the river before the barrage was built.

For more, see the Wikipedia entry.

Brittany 2010 - 3 - Cap Frehél and Fort la Latte

Monday 20th September - Good day on the coast, at Cap Fréhel. Parked in the car park in front of the lighthouse. Busy here, but not many people ventured far from the car park. Lighthouse relatively modern, built in 1950, out of granite. The Cap, however, is formed of red sandstone. As it was very hard / well-cemented and resembled the rock forming the Brecon Beacons, I thought it was Devonian Old Red Sandstone. Actually (see weblink in intro'), it was much older, Precambrian. Distinctive bedding. A sea stack just off the promintory. Further along the cliff, to the north was a stone tower, presumably a beacon at one time. CCEng remembers propping his bicycle against this when he came to Brittany in the early 1990s. Numerous nearby cairns built with loose, angular boulders of sandstone. Heavy tourist erosion, removing much of the vegetation between the lighthouse and beacon. Some areas fenced off, espace conservation, to allow the vegetation to regrow.

Apparently (Michelin guide) there was a Breton myth about it being possible to walk to the UK from Cap Fréhel. Perhaps they got the idea from it's distinctive flat topped profile. Apparently scientists have shown it would have been possible during human / hominid times. Presumably, the western Channel was always too deep, even during the ice ages. No Precambrian red sandstone in SW England, anyway.

Walked to Fort de la Latte which we could see silouetted against the sun from the Cap, on the first promintory to the east, the Pointe de la Latte Followed the GR34 clifftop path around the bay. Views beyond to St. Cast, the St. Briac area. In the distance, St. Malo. Felt very warm in the sun, though clouded over as the day went on, particularly inland. Emerald green colour to the sea (hence Côte d'Emerald). Pine trees in the more wooded area towards the middle of the bay, gave an almost Mediterranean feel. Rocks underfoot changed as we neared the Fort. The red sandstone became greyer, quartzite perhaps. Wasn't sure about the cliffs near the Fort, but there were granite pebbles in the cove where we had lunch, enjoying the view of the Fort, a grand castle building. Dare say it'ss been used in films.

Walked back to Cap Fréhel, buying ice creams from the shop in the round building near the car park. Also a restaurant here, though didn't look very busy today. Now a definite current running around the Cap from the west.

Back at Dinan, went for another early evening walk and did some sketching by the Rance. Bought a couple of slices of crumble from the cake shop at the bottom of the hill.

Brittany 2010 - 2 - Dinan and the Rance

Sunday 19th September - Dinan - walk along the Rance to Écluse Châtelier (a lock / barrage)

Orion over the Rance when I woke up. The sunny and warm, especially during the afternoon. Spent the morning looking round Dinan - no runners, today, but still very busy by the middle of the morning. Took the cobbled Rue de Petit Port and Rue de Jerzuel up the hill into the old town. Past various artist studios, with ceramics, painting and jewellery. In the old town, it seemed to be mostly eateries, souvenir shops and collectables such as metallic signs. Some amusing signs in French, warning, as far I could understand, about guard dogs with the capability of racing the door to gate distance in four seconds, or a tally of postmen, theives maulled.

Felt slightly smug about trying out my French at the tourist office, when booking tickets for the Chateaubriand Rance cruise on Tuesday.From the tourist info' walked passed the chateau and roughly followed the ramparts to the Jardin Anglais, in front of St. Sauveur's Basilica. Summer flowers still in bloom. View from here over the Rance, the Port, viaduct. above the viaduct some greenery on the inside of a bend in the river, some allotments. From here, continued following the ramparts part way along the north side, then headed back into the old town. It was now getting a bit hot and busy here, so thought we have bagettes back at the gite before heading out again after lunch. Port busy with boats and cyclists.

Spent the afternoon walking along the west side of the Rance below Dinan, following the GR34c path. Busy with cyclists and walkers. Passed the timber factory near the gites. Sizeable place, making wood products from poplar wood, predominantly crates for veg etc. Quiet over the weekend, but quite a bit of traffic movement in and out, some lorries leaving very early Monday morning. Once past the factory, the Rance began to widen and it became more rural. Past a park with some picnic tables. Rock outcrops either side, though not quite sure what I was looking at, probably schists, though they looked very weathered. Hot walking in the valley. Some wooded bits, but could have done with more shade. Walked as far as the lock, l'Écluse du Châtelier. Here, the Rance underwent a marked change in character. Above the lock, through to Dinan and Léhon, the Rance is canalised. Deep green water and very slow moving. Don't think I saw any flow on it through the Dinan Port. The wider stretch of water we walked along today was bit canal, bit wide, slow winding river: a cross between the Severn and the Basingstoke Canal, we thought (well, as with BC, we had to be on the lookout for cyclists all the time). Yachts were moored in the wide stretch of water approacing the lock. Along the lock here, at La Hisse, was a dam. Immediately below it, was a very muddy, and virtually empty tidal river. Certainly not navigable at this state of the tide (low), though we noticed the water begin to rise. Suspected the tidal barrage has contributed to heavy sediment accumulation here. I couldn't see any information about this kind of thing at the lock-dam; only declining eel populations, a problem throughout Europe, climate change and pollution probably contributory factors. Don't think dams and barrages would help them either. Presumably, they've found a way round this on the Rance (the Pitlochry hydroelectric dam has a fish ladder, allowing salmon to reach their spawning grounds).

A bit cooler, with more shade on the way back. Some guys walking the other way showed a strange interest in my sunhat, the brim lifted at the front so I could see where I was going. One of them took a photo. Gather they thought it looked like something out of the French Revolution. The effect of a few glasses of wine, beers or cider, maybe?

Took another early evening stroll through the Port. Tried sketching the viaduct; a rather complex subject to do quickly. Had to move as the Jamien IV docked. This was the pleasure boat cruising to Léhon Abbey. Mum and Dad did it when they were here in June.

Brittany 2010 - 1 - Channel Crossing

Overnight ferry crossing - Portsmouth - St.Malo - Brittany Ferries, aboard Bretagne - 17/18th September

Now we're on the south coast, we are well-placed for ferry crossings from Portsmouth. The Pompey - St. Malo crossing is the longest Channel crossing, taking eleven hours out (overnight) and nearly nine hours back (daytime). Much prefer this to the equivalent time flying economy class or in the car, heading up to Scotland. Unlike with those other means of travel, I could actually enjoy the crossings and saw them as part of the holiday (rather than a grind at the beginning and end).

The sailing time was 8.30pm, but we left in good time, getting to the continental ferry port about two hours earlier. Didn't have to wait too long in the car as began loading vehicles onto the car decks soon after we arrived. Sun setting over Portsmouth Harbour as we boarded. Once aboard, found our cabin. An expensive extra (about £65 for a twin, ensuite) but it was worth it for an overnight crossing and assurance that we'd be less tired when we got to France. I'd expected a pokey bunk, like they have on sleeper trains. I think some were, but we had twin beds and, considering we were aboard a ferry taking 600 or so people, it was quite roomy.

After dumping our stuff here, we went up to the top, open decks to enjoy the afterglow of the sunset over the harbour. Many now very familiar landmarks: Fawley, Portsdown Hill, of course the Spinnaker Tower, but had views of the harbour we don't normally see. Close to the ferry port were retired / scraped naval warships such as the Arc Royal and HMS Bristol.

When the ferry left, making a very tight turn in the harbour (bow facing the land when we'd boarded), it was more of less dark. The stars coming out - Arcturus, constellations of the Great Bear, Corona Borealis, Summer Triangle (strictly and asterism), Perseus, Pegasus. I was in two minds, though about all the lights. On the one hand, they made the departure from Portsmouth much more interesting and memorable. Had it been in darkness, we'd have missed it all. The Spinnaker Tower was striking, the colour of the light underneath the viewing area changing from through blues and purples. Thanks the illumination of the other key buildings / features around the harbour: HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and Gunwharf Keys, before passing through the harbour entrance (wasn't aware of this). Then, the Southsea shore. Non-the less, the spread of light all along the shore and the skyglow rammed home how urbanised the south coast is. As I'd tried to ram home in protest letters about light pollution in the 1990s, it made everything look more urbanised by night than day. To the west, beyond the glow of the M27 corridor was glow from Bournemouth-Poole. Even on the more rural IOW, there was a fair bit of light. Both the Fawley power station chimney and the IOW TV mast became lines of vertical red lights (necessary for aircraft), the latter, visible well out to sea. But was quite so much lighting at the oil refinery necessary? Quite a bit of light offshore, too from tankers / shipping, excepting the dark container ship which left the Solent, behind us. Most notably, a tanker moored off the eastern IOW, among the ships which seemingly just park there. Looked as if it was a gas tanker, so I guess they had their reasons for mooring well off-shore, with the F'off lighting. The south coast skyglow was still visible well after the land here had disappeared over the horizon.

Various facilities onboard, including a bar with stage, a self-service cafe, games rooms, "duty-free" shop. Lower decks all vehicles. All the cabins on level 6, salon seating on level 9, the second from the top. In the bar was a stage. CCEng said, "This is surreal: part concert, part bar, pat boat.".

Though tempting to stay up all night watching the stars / land / sea, thought it would be more sensible to try and get some sleep and be fairly alert in the morning. Cold on deck, in any case. Intially the movement of the boat was slightly giddying, but used to that, got some, if not broken sleep in the cabin. Dreams of sailing up the Rance, looking at the rocks.

Saturday 18th September - Arrival: St. Malo - Dinan - Dinan Port

An novel, though disorientating day. First of all, disorientating on board the ferry: disadvantage of European time, an hour ahead, was darker mornings at this time of the year. Admittedly, had the blind down, but woke up at 6:45am, felt more like 4:00am. As we were due to dock at 8:15am, no time to lie in. Got up a bit before CCEng (no less dosey). One of the first on the open deck, the brighter stars of Orion still visible in the twilight. Breton coast now in view, flashing lighthouse on Cap Fréhel. Crew members hosing down the deck, making it wet underfoot. When CCEng emerged from the cabin, went and had a quick cup of tea in the self-service cafe. The both went out on deck as it quickly got light. Rocky islands, islets, bouys and lighthouses nearing St. Malo. Pity we had to miss much of the arrival vacating the cabin and waiting in the car, on the car deck. As Brittany Ferries said in the pamphlets given to us before boarding, a complicated logistical exercise loading / unloading cars, vans and lorries off a ship this size.

Off the ship just before 9:00am. Found a car park near the port, just outside the walled old town. Pricey but handy. From then on, spent a few hours looking around St. Malo: the old town, beach, the Petit Be, pier near the port. Began by walking onto the ramparts, passed the cathedral, enjoying the views down to the beach, across to the islets of the Grand Bé, Petit Bé, and more distant Cézembre. Thought, though, we ought to get a proper breakfast. After some searching found somewhere with lots of outside seating in the square. Menus, helpfully in English as well as French. For about 12 Euros, had a galette (buckwheat pancake filled with ham, bacon and cheese), bread, croissants and a hot chocolate. Needed to buy a bottle of water later from a small grocery shop as the day warmed up, but the breakfast filled us up for much of the day. Didn't need lunch. Full of food, then, we continued our wanderings round the old town, the ramparts and shops. Watched the Bretagne ferry load up with more vehicles, leave and head out to sea, departing at 10:30am. Walked out across the sandy beach to the Petit Be. Given the warning notices in French English and German - fort courants - I was warey of the tide. Particularly as I didn't know what it was doing. The warnings said, do not venture out onto the causeway connecting the GB and PB with the beach, on the flood tide when the water was within ten metres of the causeway. Now it was well within that distance. I'd seen the tide go out a bit during the morning, but didn't know if it was turning or not. We got onto the Petit Bé, then. Viewed the tomb of Chateaubriand, a poet, on the east side. Watched the ferry head out to sea, the Condor catamaran (from Poole, also stopping at Jersey) speed towards the shore, admired the flowers. All very restful, but resisted the temptation to dose because of the tide. Got back across alright, though afterwards we saw the tide was coming in, and coming in quite quickly. By lunchtime, the causeway was underwater. Walked out onto the pier near the port, lighthouse at the end, watched the catamaran leave.

Left St. Malo about 2ish. Stopped off for a grocery shop just across the Barrage de la Rance. When we got to Dinan,

I didn't expect it to have quite such a mad feel to it - there was some sort of running event on, making it extra busy. It was still going on early evening when we tried to find our gite. We did, but flappery ensued for a time as the road we'd intended to take down the hill, underneath the viaduct was closed. Tired, then, when we arrived, but

felt a bit better after a cup of tea, followed by an evening wander along the Rance through the port, across the Pont Gothique, along the other side to the waterworks. Back again, there being no other bridge. Port area bustling in the evening sunshine (the plus side to the hour ahead) with boats and eateries. Views of the viaduct beyond the bridge.

Bretagne waterwayfarings - September 2010

Cap Fréhel - mixed media study

Overview

Notwithstanding the pre-hols flap and our bitty / rusty French, we had a great week , exploring the Rance valley and coast between St. Malo and Cap Frehel. We were based in Dinan Port, by River Rance. It had been nearly twenty years since either of us had visited France, so it felt very much a novelty. This trip's now wetted my apetite for more. We'd like to explore the Finisterre area. As a river lover, I'd like to revisit the Seine and Loire, which I haven't seen for nearly 30 years. Certainly a stimulating, refreshing change. Because of the language thing, we did have to think more than we did holidaying in the UK, but in many ways that was good for me. One of the main things which had put me off trips to the Continent until now has been car travel. I don't like it at all in the UK, but in Europe, everything's on the "wrong" side of the road, or rather driving on the right, in a right-hand drive car. This can make a crucial difference overtaking trundling tractors or joining dual carriageways from slip roads, but the lower traffic volumes were easier. Memories of my parent getting very aggitated driving / navigating on those camping hols in my early teens hadn't helped either, especially the second trip to the Loire valley, "I'm looking for a socking great town called Tours!" We had a minor prang but that was on this side of the Channel, within a mile of home, as someone opened a door at a flappy road junction.

Generally, we were lucky with the weather, changeable both sides of the Channel: turning autumnal at home during the week before we left; then back to summer again, with temperatures on the Tuesday as high as 24C; then, in the words of the Ouest France newspaper, Degradation automnale, with heavy rain on Thursday afternoon and part of Friday. Both camping holidays in the early 1980s had been partly in Brittany. It was good to revisit places I'd been to then, with an adult's perspective, rather than that of a sulky teenager. The Chief Chartered Engineer, C.CEng. had been cycling here in the early 1990s, though missed many of the best bits, being on the road and inland for much of the time.

Rockwise, I missed having the access to geology maps and guides. This meant I wasn't really sure what I was looking at; though I did pick up a bit about the geology of the Rance valley from the Maison de la Rance exhibition. Also found some info online when we got home, from the Farnham Geological Society http://www.farnhamgeosoc.org.uk/archive/pdffiles/brittany08.pdf

Seems from this that the crystalline, mainly metamorphic rocks we saw and the hard red sandstone beds at Cap Frehel were formed during the latter part of the Precambrian era, around 600Ma. For a time, there was an island arc, later a continental collision. The Variscan geology (late Palaeozoic) was further to the west, the granites here being the most southerly extension of the granite batholith which outcrops in Devon (Dartmoor), Cornwall and the Scillies. Gather there are similar Precambrian rocks on Jersey. The water towers just to the west of St. Malo, must have tapped more permeable sedimentary layers in the much younger cover (Miocene periods and after).

This was our itinerary

17th /18th September - overnight ferry crossing - Portsmouth - St.Malo - Brittany Ferries, aboard the Bretagne (Brittany Ferries). Arrival at St. Malo, travel to Dinan.

Sunday 19th September - Dinan - walk along the Rance to Ecluse Chatelier (a lock / barrage)

Monday 20th September - Cap Frehél and Fort la Latte

Tuesday 21st September - the Rance tidal barrage - Rance cruise (Chateaubriand)

Wednesday 22nd September - Dinan - walk along the Rance to Léhon

Thursday 23rd September - Dinan - Maison de la Rance

Friday 24th September - Pointe du Grouin - Cancale

Saturday 25th September - return Channel crossing St. Malo - Portsmouth

Introduction

I am an artist based on the Hampshire coast of England, painting mainly mixed media. I have

My Water & Art blog has been running since 2008 (http://artywater.blogspot.com), showing some examples of my paintings and sketches, along with accounts of trips out to various places of watery, artistic and / or geological interest, mainly in the south of England, on the south coast. I'm setting up Water & Art Extra as a place to talk about longer trips further afield, such as holidays. Until now, I've included them in Water & Art (eg our trip to Scotland in May 2010), but they tend to be too long and quickly get lost among all the other entries close to home. I'll start with our week in northern Brittany in September 2010.