France, Part 2

In Brittany, historical and literary suggestions overlap. From the mixing of Christian themes, traditional legends and memories of druidic cults, the stories of the Arthurian cycle are born here, in the Middle Ages, later sung by poets from every corner of Europe. In this land of great navigators, the corsairs of France had their ports in the 16th century and, in the following century, the East India Company kept its main headquarters here to manage trade with the East and the Americas. ST. MALO once an isolated fortified town, St. Malo dominates the mouth of the river Rance. Between the 14th and 16th centuries the city reached glory and wealth thanks to the exploits of its navigators. The old fortified town is surrounded by ramparts from which you enjoy a beautiful panorama over the city and the facing islands.

COTE D'EMERAUDE long beaches, rocky headlands and classic holiday resorts alternate along the northernmost coast of Brittany. This stretch of coast, known as the Emerald Coast, boasts one of the country's most exclusive tourist resorts: Dinard, discovered in 1850 and still today a destination of international tourism. In the De la Frenaye bay, from the watchtower of the medieval Fort La Latte, you enjoy a fine panorama, while the lighthouse that dominates Cap Frehel offers an even more extensive view of the coast. DINAN reveals its charm in colours that make you want to dedicate it the time to wander about in total calm. A magnificent medieval town with more than 1000 years of history, this city surprises with its many treasures.

Here are the famous houses with timber frames that remain the finest examples of Breton architecture, its arcades and its ancient seigneurial residences, its Romanesque and Gothic churches.... ILE DE BREHAT is made up of two islets connected to each other by a bridge. The island lies 15 minutes from Ponte de l'Arconest and has a mild climate suited to fruit trees, mimosas and oleanders. The tides in Brittany 1700 km of coasts, islands, coves and headlands and just as many sovereign tides....Breton Armor allows no half measures. From the Bay of Mont Saint Michel to the Crozon headland, from Penmarc'h to the Gulf of Morbihan, the sea pours out its endless procession of sensations. It lives, breathes, moves with unequalled energy. The tide rises.....the air vibrates with a new scent of renewal. The little waves gather strength and come to beach on the sand in a muffled sound of shells.

At the moment the tide rises the rocks disappear beneath the waves and the jetties are wet with spray....when the ebb comes, the waters return to where they came from. Slow at first, the sea gradually accelerates its rhythm before slowing again. The beach recovers its wide open spaces and the wet sand ripples or slips beneath the bare foot. In the open-air pools, the shrimp takes a silent nap..... POINTE DU RAZ - ILE DE SEIN a headland 80 m high jutting out over the Atlantic at the tip of Cap Sizun, offers a breathtaking spectacle over the roaring sea and the jagged rocks. Seafood: just naming it makes one think of the luxury of a grand soirée. Oysters are the flagship of Breton fish farming. Along these coasts mussel farming is a traditional activity that today manages to exploit even small, shallow stretches of sea.

Mussels, clams, cockles and oysters are raised in nurseries using different techniques.