february finistère 2026 part four

Still here then? I warned you concerning this ramble (well I think I did – I suppose I should be sure about that).  Not exactly life-affirming is it? Are you sure you haven't anything more time critical to be doing? Like sorting out your smalls drawer or refelting the garden shed roof?  A bike ride perhaps?

No? Oh well, on we go then, on we go…

On the Friday   Left Les Voyageurs hotel and headed in general direction of Le Conquet. Breakfasted at Ploumoguer in friendly hand-shake café (got the last two croissants from the shop opposite). We motored more or less the way we came. Sea views etc. And I just had to have another crack at snapping Le Four from a bit further east. (see above). I am somewhat fixated on Le Four I have to own. A bit gloomy though, what? It is what it was.

lanvaon

Merde! Again failed to get a table at Lilia crêperie and we were so vexed with the inclemency dull plus sharp drizzle associated with trying to mop up the missing light: Île Wrac’h - (Plouguerneau feu antérieur, above) – but raining too hard to walk out to it, so we compensated with a return to the farmyard that has Lanvaon (Plouguerneau feu postérieur) in it. Another intriguing aspect of navigational aids hereabouts. Find out all about it in my sister blog dedicated to Phares de France… some other time maybe. 

Thereafter we struck inland to Morlaix, where we passed imperceptibly into Côtes d'Armor, returning to the coast in very grey often wet inclemency but skipping altogether the rose granite section of coast (a honey pot) which was a pity. St Michel en Grève was our refreshment point, the cheery holiday rental (welsh owned) that charmed us way back, still showing bright and inviting… the friendly bar, but too too late for lunch and so thus onward to Paimpol. 

We were last in Paimpol in a warmer May 2018 when we had taken our lunch in a busy fish café. The digs for the night on this occasion is an old fashioned hotel. Our booking is a big room with balcony overlooking the well stocked harbour. The hotel boasts two restaurants (but closed Fridays –what a surprise). Friendly, intriguing. We liked it, very comfy bed, we parked on the quay … we ate next door. We should have looked around and found better I think, this was expensive, not to my personal taste really (but Mary liked it, so there you go). One sacrifices one's aspirations, you know how it is…

On the Saturday   Breakfasted very satisfactorily  in Paimpol at a bar close by the hotel thereafter mooching round the port a bit  to review fishing boats and one or two vintage vessels, before weighing anchor as it was bright and not raining even. Quick! The colour is back but is not set to last! So, north first to Pointe de l’Arcouet and Loguivy. La Croix phare. That red topped tower, out there. Love it!

Loguivy

I sought once more a distant view of elusive Héaux-de-Bréhat, way to the north (see above), accessible only by a boat trip. Previous images I have contrived to make of this legendary tower were from considerably closer, on the Sillon de Talbert shingle spit but without benefit of telephoto. These are better likenesses but the sun obstinately refused to illuminate the phare, thus underscoring its mystery and magic. (yeah, right). Still otherwise sunny, so we stopped off to obtain a view of Bodic across Le Trieux. What's not to like about Bodic? Oh my! 

As previously asserted, this post series is NOT all about lighthouses. Just mostly.

We floundered about to try and reach another coastline, eventually arriving on the Pointe de Plouézec (or Bilfot). The light still good but on the wane. I'm not sure now when the rain started (fuel top up at Plouezer) but it did, as sure as eggs-was-eggs. 

fréhel

Took rather devious routes, got lost a bit, briefly pausing at Cap Fréhel (honey pot busy), thereafter motoring through the suburbs of St Malo (bag-in-box shop) and on to Cancale, very pay-to-park busy but grey overhead. Ate an indifferent but freshly made crêpe when I should have been tucking into the local huîtres, then pottered back to St Malo and our assignation with the ferry. This last was late in arriving and fully subscribed (we had a booking, obvs). Armorique again; we sailed at 2130 when it should have left at 2000. Apparently there were problems……

And on the second Sunday   Armorique rendered unto us a smooth crossing back to the motherland and true to form we were almost (but not quite) the last off, after 40 minutes of admiring the car deck detail. The ferry had docked at 09.00 (when it should have arrived at 0745 but these variables are sent to try us, which they fail to do). So we were not on the road until 10.00 fgs. Torrential rain as usual greeted us upon our insertion onto the M275 and its forever roadworks. 

It took just over three and a half hours without refreshment to get back to Cheldon. As usual, busy roads were the order of our blightey return despite it being Sunday. Somewhere in West Dorset and/or Devon the sun came out and the last hour or so of our transit was bright and cheerily lit. We found it even warm upon arrival at our remaining property. This was our first sally back to the République, after selling up there, we deem it a reasonable success.  

That's it then. You still here? If you have been, thank you for your time and interest. I trust you appreciate just how much time and effort I put into disseminating via this means. It takes a toll you know. I am thinking of curtailing the activity in the time I have left . . . but thank you again for sticking it out, even if you are at base, none the wiser.