La Basse Meslerais

This is a link to our website - we have two lovely holiday gites here in Brittany

La Petite Chapelle Bretonne

La Petite Chapelle Bretonne, originally uploaded by Petit Minou.

This in a lovely shot with lovely clouds highlighting the little chapel which I mentioned in my previous blog

It is miles from any village and stands next to an old farm on a ridge but
I can just imagine those small rural Breton weddings which have taken place there over the centuries

I think it is just so quaint - I must try to find out more of its history

Storm clouds gathering

Storm brewing, originally uploaded by Petit Minou.

My husband broke his arm last summer, the day before our first visitors of the season were due to arrive. He ended up with a pin in his arm and I ended up having quite a busy summer

Anyway, we were on our way home from his latest hospital check up last week, and stumbled upon this heavenly little granite chapel which has been recently restored

It is only about 10 minutes from our house but down a lane we hadn't previously explored, so you can imagine our joy when we found this little gem

Cathédrale Saint-Samson

Cathédrale Saint-Samson, originally uploaded by Petit Minou-not quite back yet !.

I seem to be on a bit of a Dol de Bretagne theme at the moment but it really is an interesting place to visit

This is the Cathedral of Saint Samson in Dol - one of the largest granite churches in Brittany - if you are wondering why it only has one tower then have a look at my previous post about the Menhir du Champ Dolent

Dol has a great Saturday morning which spreads down the main street which still has many timbered Medieval buildings which are full of character

Le Menhir du Champ Dolent

Le Menhir du Champ Dolent, originally uploaded by Petit Minou-not quite back yet !.

This megalith is almost 10 meters high but it is quite hard to judge its size from the photo. It is one of the largest menhirs in the region.

Of course, many legends surround its origins. The most common features the devil and St. Samson; when the Devil, who was sitting on Mont Dol, saw Saint Samson constructing the cathedral in Dol, he grabbed a huge rock and threw it at the building in order to destroy it. But the stone missed its target and destroyed only the upper part of one of two towers, that's why there is only one complete tower

The rock landed a few miles away and embedded itself into the ground in what is now called the Champ Dolent.

Please restore me...rendez-moi ...

Please restore me...rendez-moi ..., originally uploaded by Petit Minou-not quite back yet !.

This is an old Crêperie in Dol de Bretagne, which has for 'à vendre' for some while now. It's just a stones throw from the wonderful granite cathedral and stands on a small cobbled street.

I can't help imaging what a bustling little place it was it its day and hope that someone will come along and restore it to its former glory.

Cancale

We love taking our friends and family to Cancale when they visit.  It is a wonderfully atmospheric town which overlooks the bay of Mont Saint Michel. The town is famous for its oysters, there are lots of colourful restaurants all along the sea front which serve huge seafood platters.

You can also buy fresh oysters, by the dozen, from the small market stalls by the lighthouse and it's great to sit on the wall eating them and watching the world go by.  When you are finished you just throw the shells back into the sea

January sunset

We have had snow! Nothing like in the UK but enough for the school buses and my french class in Fougères to be cancelled and for us to prefer to stay at home.
I ventured, therefore, into the garden to capture this beautiful winter sun as it slipped away at the end of the day; mainly to see how my new camera would perform. I like the results

Le beffroi de Fougeres

Le beffroi de Fougeres, originally uploaded by petit-minou.

Fougeres and Dinan are the only towns in the west of France which have town belfries - 'beffroi'

The one in Fougeres is the oldest and was constructed when the craftsmen and merchants of the town were particularly active following the decline of feudal power in the middle ages therefore giving rise to the birth of a new era of civic pride

This elegant granite tower, decorated with a flamboyant gothic balustrade, houses a bell which has set the rhythm of life in the town since 1397 and watches over the busy weekly Saturday market

Art deco curves

Art deco curves, originally uploaded by petit-minou.

This is the former Morel & Gate factory shoe factory in Bonabry Fougeres

The town used to be huge in the shoe production industry in France and the Morel & Gate factory was renowned throughout the country.

It is a fabulous Art Deco building and the mosaic work was done by Italian craftsmen

It is now a residence for the elderly

La Plage des Chevrets

The Plage des Chevrets at La Guimorais (Ille et Vilaine) is the most wonderful beach I know

Enough said really !!

L'Anse du Guesclin

The Fort du Guesclin is built on an island, accessible at low tide, in Saint-Coulomb in Ille-et-Vilaine (Brittany), between Saint-Malo and Cancale

The first building was built in 1026 by the constable of Guesclin

In 1207 John Lackland, king of England, occupied the fort until Juhel III de Mayenne drove out the British after a bloody battle

The fort was dismantled in 1500 and bought by William of Châteaubriant and resold in 1589 to the Maison de Rieux

Finally, from 1757 to 1759 the old building was demolished and a new fort was built by Vauban with barracks and canons to protect the coast from the English

Having lost its military use in 1826 the Fort was sold at private auction and then transformed into holiday residences

In 1942 during the establishment of the Atlantic Wall, it was occupied by the German army who installed anti-aircraft guns

After 'D'Day in 1944, the fort returned to civilian hands, initially it was owed by the mayor of Saint Servan who then sold it in 1959 to singer Léo Ferré who lived there until 1968

Over the next 20 years it fell into disrepair but in 1996 it was purchased by the Ferres Porcher family who restored it to it's present state