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Brittany-From Saint Brieuc to Paimpol along the Granite pink coast

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Introduction

Climate

Bretons

Music

Cuisine

History

Restaurant recommendations

Hotel recommendations

SAINT BRIEUC is the capital of the departement "Cotes d'Armor". The main advantage of this city is you're near 60 km seashore, with wide beaches, very agreeable and an ornithological area of big importance. Saint Brieuc, named after Brioc, one of the seven saints that came from England in the 6th century, is not very thrilling, except maybe the restored Cathedral of Saint Etienne. It was pillaged, buried and generally battered about since it was first built in the 12th and suffered also in 1944. It is a modern industrial town, rebuilt after being severely damaged in the fights of 1944. The old area around the place de la Grille is also worth a visit.
But all around, in the country side, small character villages are scattered, cities with their historical quarters and weekly outdoor markets. Try to drive around specifically at evening time, when the westering sun does wonders for the colours in the gorse and the great sweep of sea before the Baie de Saint Brieuc.
Don't waste to much time in Saint Brieux and better have a dip in the atmosphere of little fisher villages like BINIC, a fantastic sea view, an own museum about the New Foundland seamen, or the nearby ETABLES SUR MER, a beach resort, with the beaches set in between the cliffs of what is called the GRANITE ROCK coast. What a beautiful region this is: fine beaches guarded by tumbled rocks, many of them indeed pink. SAINT QUAY PORTRIEUX, once a fishing port has another few nice sand beaches and excellent tennis and golf greens. For the amateurs there is n 18-hole on the property of the 12th chateau de Coatguelen, now a hotel. You can even have cooking lessons there! Saint Quay is now a seaside resort for summer visitors. Walk along the quay and try one of the seafood restaurants, where local lobsters are available, though at a price.
Up north lies BREHEC EN PLOUHA, along a beautiful bay. This city has the reputation that is here that the Breton language, primes above the French one. It is a tourist town, but also a favourable retreat for naval pensioners. You can notice that by admiring the coquettish, neatly kept cottages in the back streets of the village, each with a delightful garden.

Kermaria chapel

It is possible, you will pass the hamlet KERMARIA-an-ISQUIT (where they speak Breton mainly), just inland from St.Quay Portrieux, and visit the small, yellow stone chapel which contains some frightening frescos of the 15th century. A "death dance "(danse macabre), where 47 skeletons are led by Ankou, representing death.

Abbey of Beauport

Steep cliffs mark the coast up to the bay of PAIMPOL, make a stop at foot of the Paimpol peninsula, where you can admire the interesting ruins of the ABBEY OF BEAUPORT, having been sacked and burnt in the far past. Surrounded by woods and salty water swamps, it remains very evocative, like a lot of ruined abbeys. Notice that certain parts have been repaired. This complex was used as a halting place for the pilgrims who travelled to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, in northern Spain.
We come now in sight of PAIMPOL, but that's for next post.
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Bibliography

La Bretagne face á l'Europe et á l'Ile-de-France , by Pierre-Yves Le Rhun-Histoire de Saint-Brieuc et du pays briochin, by Jean-Yves Ruau- Saint-Brieuc, by Maurice Le Lannoux-Les baies de Saint-Malo et de Saint-Brieuc, by Leon Trebuchet-Vies des saints de la Bretagne Armorique par Alber Le Grand (1636)(édition de 1901 ,Quimper)

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