BRETAGNE
– MORBIHAN
MAY
2017
GOLFE DU
MORBIHAN
The eastern end of the southern coast of Brittany lies in the Département of Morbihan and has an extensive inland sea called the Golfe du Morbihan formed by the near approach of the tips of two peninsulae. (Wikipedia tells us the single word Morbihan is a better designation as it is derived from the Breton “Ar Mor Bihan”, very similar to the Welsh equivalent with both meaning “Little Sea”)
The eastern end of the southern coast of Brittany lies in the Département of Morbihan and has an extensive inland sea called the Golfe du Morbihan formed by the near approach of the tips of two peninsulae. (Wikipedia tells us the single word Morbihan is a better designation as it is derived from the Breton “Ar Mor Bihan”, very similar to the Welsh equivalent with both meaning “Little Sea”)
For
the most part the sea is very shallow but there is a deep water
channel at the entrance where currents reach over 9 knots at times.
Nevertheless, with careful timing, boats have passed between
Morbihan and the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of years.
The region was
inhabited in neolithic times and there are large numbers of megaliths
created by people from that period with some dating back beyond 3,000
BC and thus being older than Stonehenge. They are not so impressive in size but there are many more of them and they cover a much larger
area.
Vannes is the
main city on the Gulf's coast and is named after the Veneti tribe of
Celtic people who traded by sea with Great Britain for many years
before the birth of Christ. They were defeated and killed or
enslaved by Julius Ceasar in 56 BC whose troops founded the city of
Darioritum at the confluence of two rivers where they debouched into
the Gulf. The present name was adapted from the Celtic for
the city to become known as Vannes when the Roman occupation ended
around 300-400 AD. Soon after a Christian Cathedral with its own
Bishop was created.
Sarzeau,
towards the end of the southern peninsula is much smaller but at the
centre of what has become a popular region for holiday homes and
entertainments of all sorts. Those include several campsites
and I chose one called Camping La Ferme de Lann Hoedic about three
miles south of Sarzeau and one mile from the Atlantic Beaches to the
south.
This provided
easy access to the tip of the peninsula near Arzon whence ferries and
excursion boats leave for Vannes and the islands in the Gulf, and to
both the flat land around the Gulf's southern coast and the somewhat
hillier land of the Atlantic coast.
I made my own
excursions by car and by bike and sometimes using both.
One of the most
interesting (and long) rides was to Penvins via the Chateau de
Suscinio.
Construction of
the Chateau began in the early 1200s on the order of Pierre de Dreux,
the Duke of Brittany ruling at the time. At first it was
designed to be a country retreat at which the court could entertain
themselves with hunting in the lands around filled with Game of all
sorts.
But it was progressively fortified over the next 300 years as first tensions and then outright warfare arose between Brittany and France until they were formally unified as a single State in 1532.
Duke Francis II of Brittany played an important role in the history of England for 12 years in the late 15th Century by accommodating Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, and his uncle Jasper, with about 500 of their Lancastrian supporters and soldiers in the castle and surrounding villages.The Castle escaped most of the damage and destruction afflicting many other medieval fortresses and modern restoration has sought to reproduce its late 15th Century condition as closely as possible.
It certainly makes an impressive sight from all sides, though it is difficult to get a good photo of the Gatehouse and Towers due to public access and views being obstructed by other private property opposite.
But it was progressively fortified over the next 300 years as first tensions and then outright warfare arose between Brittany and France until they were formally unified as a single State in 1532.
Duke Francis II of Brittany played an important role in the history of England for 12 years in the late 15th Century by accommodating Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, and his uncle Jasper, with about 500 of their Lancastrian supporters and soldiers in the castle and surrounding villages.The Castle escaped most of the damage and destruction afflicting many other medieval fortresses and modern restoration has sought to reproduce its late 15th Century condition as closely as possible.
It certainly makes an impressive sight from all sides, though it is difficult to get a good photo of the Gatehouse and Towers due to public access and views being obstructed by other private property opposite.
Suscinio castle entrance and gatehouse tower
Another view
The north east wall
South western gatehouse tower
My ride
continued along minor roads past holiday homes, campsites and small
villages until I reached the Pointe de Penvins with its Yacht Cub and
Promenade.
The seabed here
slopes very gently so although there is a significant rise and fall
of tide the water is either near or far from the high tide mark –
a factor that meant dinghy sailors sometimes had a long trek to make
over sand, and weed-covered rocks in order to reach their craft.
Beach at
Pointe Penvins
A long way to
reach the water at low tide.
There was
easier riding on the southern shore of the Gulf once far enough away
from the built-up area north and east of Sarzeau. Here there was
flat land, small villages, salt marshes with walkers' paths crossing
them and shallow bays, again with a great distance between high and
low water marks.
Shallow Bays
Abound
Moored Craft
at Pointe de Passage
The manageress
at the campsite was very helpful and friendly so when I told her
something of my earlier life she promptly insisted on taking a couple
of photographs of me relaxing with a book outside my caravan.
Relaxing
after a hard day's ride
Little did I
guess this would appear on her Facebook Page