Alas, our time is over in magical Mont Saint Michel. After lunch we checked out and walked our luggage out onto the causeway to catch a bus back to the mainland. People were beginning to arrive for their day at the island. A couple last photos at the entrance to the island.
Our first stop of the day was a 45-minute drive to the town of Cancale. After finding parking (at a lot very high up on the hill) we had a long, downhill walk to the waterfront. Cancale is still a working fishing village. We walked along the harbor to the main area of the waterfront.
The waterfront was lined with old buildings and tons of cafes.
At the far end we saw a number of small kiosks. Thinking it was a market we headed over to investigate. All of the vendors were selling oysters. Cancale is known for its oysters and they raise nearly 10,000 tons of them a year. It is also a major supplier of mussels.
A lot of people sitting on the sea wall having their oysters.
Once finished they would just throw the shells onto the banks.
There was a solid, deep blanket of shells.
A nearby ice cream stand that we looked at but decided against.
We could see Mont Saint Michel far, far in the distance.
We had lunch along the waterfront. Walking the back streets on our way back to the car. the walked back to the car.
 |
| Repairing the stone house. |
Our next destination is La Pointe du Grouin, the far tip of the peninsula we are on. We didn't have very far to go. Photos from our walk and the area around the point.
Some photos of the countryside.
Next stop was Les Rochers Sculptes, about 300 sculptures carved into a granite hillside on the water.
The sculptures were made from 1894 to 1907 by the Abbé Adolphe Julien Fouéré.
There was an art class or art club there when we arrived, everyone sketching. The walking was pretty treacherous, but we got a good look at most of the works.
There were also some wooden sculptures done by the same Abbé.
*************************************
More Les Rochers Sculptes
*************************************
From there we had only a few more miles to get to St. Malo where we are spending a few nights. Old St. Malo has huge granite walls surrounding it and was the former home of privateers (pirates approved by the king). We are staying in the Intra-Muros (the area within the walls), right in the center of everything. Great location.
The ramparts were very close. During World War II the city was badly bombed and much of it reduced to rubble, but the ramparts survived. And the citizens rebuilt in old part of the city to look pretty much like it did before the war.
Around the town and the ramparts.
Views along the ramparts.
Fort National.
We visited Saint Vincent’ Cathedral, just down the street from our hotel.
Lots of gorgeous stained-glass windows.
In the evening we found out they were having a concert there so we decided to attend.
A section of town near one of the gates had lots of places to eat. Unfortunately, it is mostly seafood and very little vegetarian options but if we look at enough menus we can usually find something eventually. A great first day in St. Malo.
Previous
Next
No comments:
Post a Comment