february finistère 2026

Look here. I undertook to construct a post concerning our first excursion back to La France after the Sablet saga completed, but my heart is not really in it. True, I am a man of my word and so I'm doing something to quell the outrage of non-compliance surely soon to be echoing about the digital portals, but I have to tell you now what follows is almost in note form, sorry, essentially just scribbled aide memoire made day by day. 

It was a very rainy trip (as if we are strangers to such a thing) – excessively so. If you bother with scanning the episodes here described it is safe to assume that it was raining, about to rain or had just stopped raining. You might be advised to wear a waterproof or two to get into the spirit of the following tripe. Did the inclemency screw things up for us? No it did not. Where is the itinerary? Forget it. Mme Melling made it up as we went along. No sweat. Itineraries are for long distance. This venture only amounted to 704 miles over there, and some of those were unnecessary. Essentially, we crossed over to Roscoff, lodged in Brest for a while, transferred to Paimpol briefly and returned from St Malo. 

It was not all about lighthouses, by the way, this jolly. But I have updated my other blog which concerns French lights… To save testing your patience beyond the limits, I've included some of the imagery made for that blog in this post. Two birds with one stone y'see. 

As my descriptions are liable to leave you more puzzled than normal at times, I am trusting at least that a flavour of what we did will manifest itself through some of the images I include herewith. Don't forget, we are not unfamiliar with this neck of the woods so at times you might get lost in the brevity of my description. I'll take questions, but may not be able to provide answers, as is often the case, you'll no doubt confirm. Do your best with it, such as it is, or go and think about making the supper, it might be a better use of your time (my mind is set on crêpes this evening, I've made the batter and I am hot mustard when it comes to crêpes – even though I says it what shouldn't).  Here goes: 

On Saturday  Depart at 1730 for Plymouth after a dryish sunny day, clouding over then rain arriving on quayside. Heavy rain. Armorique lightly loaded, leaves early. Bumpy crossing if not exactly rough. I take the top bunk despite infirmity. 

On the Sunday   Still raining on arrival at Roscoff. Dashed into the town and snatched the last croissants and coffee at the excellent Te Beg café after sitting in the motor waiting for a slight easing of the downpour (see above) before the sprint to said café. Thus refreshed we were away, along the coast west to fetch up unerringly at the thrice visited Kerfissien beach, wellies on for that – and waterproofs… on for the rest of the day. We walked out. Tide out. Impeccable sands…grand granites… no tick tack development. Clean: next to no shoreline pollution, plastic etc.… 

Pointe de Curnic next but it proved too wet and windy to go on foot as far as the point. We tried to get a crêpe at Lilia but the target crêperie was fully subscribed (Sunday lunch and Valentine’s Day). Vierge Phare espied again and the mainland embarkation point called upon (no boats today note: we've been out to it by boat and up its 400 steps on a previous sunny visit), then Portsall, parking by the Amoco Cadiz anchor. Nothing doing for lunch there either unfortunately. Not too fussed.

Thence to Brest – managed to park o/s hotel after going to wrong Mercure first! Our hotel, almost dead centre. Not the port hotel that is. Comfortable room but not quite as large as projected – top floor, very quiet, view towards and beyond the Rade de Brest. Ate in Oceania hotel nearby as our hotel has no restaurant fgs. Rather pricey supper but good quality fine dining. I suppose. If you like that sort of thing. Hmm. I am not so sure these days that I do. 

On the Monday   Grey overcast and a cold wind blowing but this soon changed to squally heavy showers interspersed with brillant sunshine. Made heavy weather of getting out of Brest and drove along the narrow one way road that is fenced off above the naval base, direction Portzic phare. Found good coffee and cake for breakfast at La Plage de Ste Anne, then after a lot of faffing (missing out Portzic but taking in a UoB technology campus… several times…) finally fetched up at Pointe St Matthieu. Wonderful, a favourite place. 

Pointe St Matthieu is popular and it is plain to see why: maritime memorial, monastic ruin, museum, coastguard tower and a wonderful phare to ascend (previously achieved). Great cliff top views aussi. Ships pass. Walked to the former ww2 german gun emplacement overlooking Les Rospects (got wet doing it) and shuffled back in golden light, drying as we went.  

Drove on to Le Conquet and had a spiffing seafood lunch: much more my scene. Thereafter the short walk to the harbour was punctuated by an oncoming squall, forcing us back into the refuge of the wheels. Le Conquet shows little change for the worse and remains an attractive place to take the air. Vowed to return. 

Up to Trezien (phare, see top, with the van) inc. an unforced short diversion to Porsmoguer beach where we had our last pre Sablet stay on this coast, Kerhornou, Easter 2009.  Thereafter we toured north along the coast edge roads towards Porscav; tremendous seas – returning to Trezien and Point de Corsen. Finally we wove our way down to Pointe de Petit Minou where we found the lighthouse under wraps & repair. 

We noted here that the recent winter storms have devastated the mature pinewood windbreaks all over Brittany, changing the former familiar shape of the landscape for years to come…… And thus back to Brest, back in the hotel by about 1800. Great day!