In my view, Brittany has some of the prettiest beaches in Europe. Often hidden, or at least protected by slabs of rock, they emerge unexpectedly as you walk coastal trails. I remember thinking back in 2008 when I first came to the Finistere district and stayed for a week with Ed in the tiny village of Aber Wrac'h (just 25 miles north of where we are now, but it would take you 45 mins or longer to get there, because the roads that cut through Brittany are narrow and impossible to follow), we hiked along the Channel coast and I would repeatedly say -- how can any beach be this lovely? (You can glance at some of the photos from that time in an Ocean post here.) Oh, they're not pristine -- you'll find the occasional washed up seaweed and there aren't always easy access roads to them, but they are my idea of what a small lip of sand should look like. On a sunny day, they never fail to make you smile.
Today, our last full day in Brittany, that glorious sunshine is with us! It's a day for the beach, for sure.
(Looking out, I see that the trucks are clearing the beach before us of seaweed...)
But first, breakfast. No more distant bakery -- the one underneath us is just fine. I add to my bakery shopping list several baguettes -- we have some cheese, we have some tomatoes. We'll picnic by the sea.
(breakfast plates)
(the kids, because the grownups aren't necessarily up for photos at this hour of the day...)
Ready!
We want to go to the "secret cove" we had discovered on our evening "adventure" our first day here. It looked so inviting! It does require an uphill walk and then a steep descent, but we're up for it!
(at the cove, a handful of grownups are taking maybe 8 or 10 kids out on a raft. The little guys can't be older than Snowdrop. They each have a paddle and they help push the boat along...)
The stairs help you get down to the beach part of the way, but the last bit of the descent requires a scramble over rocks and boulders.
Finally, we're on the lovely sands...
(while the group of kids paddles away, who knows where... we never see them again.)
Today, Snowdrop wants to hit the water. It's not without its challenges. The depth changes and even the gentle waves feel powerful as they sway a little body one way, then the other. Snowdrop starts out being audacious, but learns quickly to be more restrained. You don't mess with the ocean.
(on the retreat...)
As for Sparrow? Well, he's fine with staying to the sidelines for a while...
But there is, I think, the realization that he can't fully participate in the funner activities. Swimming? Not yet. Sand castle building? Still not quite the age for it...
I take him for a little walk and we mess with taking selfies.
Climbing over a parent is amusing as well. For a while.
Lunchtime. It's a challenge to keep the sand out of the sandwich, but still, the baguettes taste so good by the sea!
(Finished off by a Breton cake...)
Young family photo!
We head home. Showers, rest, refresh.
While Sparrow naps, I take Snowdrop out for a promised last ride on the merry-go-round. What a disappointment! It has packed up and moved on. If ever you feel like summer has really slipped past you, it's when you see an empty space where the merry-go-round once stood. Snowdrop is crushed!
What can one offer to make up for it? Well, there happens to be a stand that's still selling freshly spun cotton candy...
Oh, the stickiness of it! The oozing sugar attracts yellow jackets (one gets trapped in the spun threads of sugar) and I'm somewhat relieved when the girl hands over the remains of the sugary mess. I promptly throw it away.
Gogs, what did you do?? I wasn't done yet! I just was taking a pause!
Oh dear. I tell her that maybe after a brief period of play (there is a playground by the beach) we can get another, hoping that she'll forget.
In fact, she does get caught up in the swing...
... and in the climbing the ropes.
But she does not forget about the cotton candy.
(Back home again... )
In the evening, we return to Sans Souci for supper. The pizza-moules frites place across the street. Just because, it's close, the kids like the food and the grownups don't mind it either.
I'll end with that photo -- the two travelers, still happy, still willing to put up with the craziness of it all, just for the experience, the surprise, the joy of being in it together, with the whole family. Good times and tough times.
Tomorrow, we fly to Amsterdam.
Today, our last full day in Brittany, that glorious sunshine is with us! It's a day for the beach, for sure.
(Looking out, I see that the trucks are clearing the beach before us of seaweed...)
But first, breakfast. No more distant bakery -- the one underneath us is just fine. I add to my bakery shopping list several baguettes -- we have some cheese, we have some tomatoes. We'll picnic by the sea.
(breakfast plates)
(the kids, because the grownups aren't necessarily up for photos at this hour of the day...)
Ready!
We want to go to the "secret cove" we had discovered on our evening "adventure" our first day here. It looked so inviting! It does require an uphill walk and then a steep descent, but we're up for it!
(at the cove, a handful of grownups are taking maybe 8 or 10 kids out on a raft. The little guys can't be older than Snowdrop. They each have a paddle and they help push the boat along...)
The stairs help you get down to the beach part of the way, but the last bit of the descent requires a scramble over rocks and boulders.
Finally, we're on the lovely sands...
(while the group of kids paddles away, who knows where... we never see them again.)
Today, Snowdrop wants to hit the water. It's not without its challenges. The depth changes and even the gentle waves feel powerful as they sway a little body one way, then the other. Snowdrop starts out being audacious, but learns quickly to be more restrained. You don't mess with the ocean.
(on the retreat...)
As for Sparrow? Well, he's fine with staying to the sidelines for a while...
But there is, I think, the realization that he can't fully participate in the funner activities. Swimming? Not yet. Sand castle building? Still not quite the age for it...
I take him for a little walk and we mess with taking selfies.
Climbing over a parent is amusing as well. For a while.
Lunchtime. It's a challenge to keep the sand out of the sandwich, but still, the baguettes taste so good by the sea!
(Finished off by a Breton cake...)
Young family photo!
We head home. Showers, rest, refresh.
While Sparrow naps, I take Snowdrop out for a promised last ride on the merry-go-round. What a disappointment! It has packed up and moved on. If ever you feel like summer has really slipped past you, it's when you see an empty space where the merry-go-round once stood. Snowdrop is crushed!
What can one offer to make up for it? Well, there happens to be a stand that's still selling freshly spun cotton candy...
Oh, the stickiness of it! The oozing sugar attracts yellow jackets (one gets trapped in the spun threads of sugar) and I'm somewhat relieved when the girl hands over the remains of the sugary mess. I promptly throw it away.
Gogs, what did you do?? I wasn't done yet! I just was taking a pause!
Oh dear. I tell her that maybe after a brief period of play (there is a playground by the beach) we can get another, hoping that she'll forget.
In fact, she does get caught up in the swing...
... and in the climbing the ropes.
But she does not forget about the cotton candy.
(Back home again... )
In the evening, we return to Sans Souci for supper. The pizza-moules frites place across the street. Just because, it's close, the kids like the food and the grownups don't mind it either.
I'll end with that photo -- the two travelers, still happy, still willing to put up with the craziness of it all, just for the experience, the surprise, the joy of being in it together, with the whole family. Good times and tough times.
Tomorrow, we fly to Amsterdam.
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