We stayed very much inland most of the time during this last holiday in Brittany, exploring its towns and villages, and discovered that there is much more to Brittany than fishing boats and beaches.
One thing we noticed was that even the smallest of villages will have a huge, elaborately built church. This one is in the village of Plouaret.
Most of the houses are built from granite and another thing I noticed was that the chimney stacks are formed from the end walls of the building, which means that the fireplaces are at each end of the building.
We saw very few derelict or empty houses wherever we went, far fewer than in the villages and towns around us in Touraine.
We had mixed weather, often dull and rainy, which had the effect of making the grey granite look very dour. Much of the property didn't look as old as in Touraine and seemed to be very well built and solid. It was all very neat and tidy.
Houses were often crammed into small spaces with the front door right on the street, built in the days when normal transport was a horse and cart, or maybe a bicycle.
We ate out as many times as we ate in but never made it to this restaurant.
Next time, perhaps.
The gite was a long distance from anywhere which meant that going out specifically to eat was a major exercise.
They built such huge churches [as they did here in Norfolk] I guess a lot of that was to do with wealthy men showing off as well as seeking to glorify God. We are planning to go to France again [ further south]
ReplyDeleteHow right you are - it's so easy to get drawn to the beach, the sea is always a big draw. I enjoy visiting churches, too. The atmospheric peace inside and the stunning architecture on the outside. Looks like you enjoyed a lovely holiday!
ReplyDeleteIt is many years since we were in Brittany but we have very fond memories of our time there. This post takes us back to that time and reminds us that a return is very much needed.
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