Having experienced some torrential downpours and with the forecast predicting more we decided rather than turn the whole property into a slippery mud bath it would be an ideal time to take advantage of the relaxing of ‘confinement’ rules and take a little holiday.  I know most people look for sun for their holidays but then again I suppose we are not ‘most people’!!

We set off on 14^th June to explore the nearby coast.  Our first stop was at Paimpol where we filled up with fuel and necessary supplies.  Steve also managed to find a street map of Paimpol which had, on the reverse, a pretty good local area map.  This combined with a newly found camping website and app to We decided to head towards Pointe de l’Arcouest where you can get trips across to the Ile De Brehat, not because we wanted to go there at the moment but because we thought the coast that way would be good to look at.  This was a very busy place and there didn’t appear to be any suitable parking for our ‘camping car’ so a quick check on the website and we discovered that fairly close by, at Launay, was a small ‘aire’ with parking for four vans close to a beach.  We stopped there, had a walk along the beach and ate lunch before deciding that there were probably more scenic places to spend the night.  We followed the app to Route De La Baie, Locquivy De La Mer.  Here was another small beachside camping area and what appeared to be a perfect place to spend the afternoon, evening and overnight.  Steve decided to go foraging with his fishing rod but was only successful in catching seaweed.  There were just two vans parked and after we had turned in for the night (Steve asleep within five minutes), I laid there listening to the sounds of the area.  There was quite a bit of traffic noise with, what sounded like, the occasional car pulling up to the parking area. I was pleased that we had remembered to lock the doors!  After a couple of hours the van next to us up and left – not sure if that was because of the noise or just that they hadn’t planned on staying anyway!  Shortly after that there were some really strange noises which sounded like somebody trying to get into the locked van lockers and obviously quite loud as Steve even woke up!  We couldn’t work out what it was and didn’t bother checking it out as it could have been some distance away but just sounded closer and Steve couldn’t be arsed to get out of bed!  The next morning we drove into the port town of Locquivy in search of breakfast supplies.  The route we took took us down a very narrow, very steep hill; so much so that I thought we would either tip over or get stuck!  However, there was a lovely little harbour with parking specifically for camping cars so we stopped there.  Steve went off and found a small supermarket and was able to purchase just two croissants and some bread (it was the sort of place that you pre-ordered your bread!)  After breakfast and before the heavy rains we thought we would take a walk around the port and down to the beach.  This took all of about half an hour and although the parking would have been a nice place to stay it was too early to stop for the day so on we went!

We set off towards Lezardrieux and with a camp ground showing at Ile De Bois we tried to find it using homing pigeon instincts.  Unfortunately on this occasion we failed!! Driving up a small lane towards a ‘panorama’ viewing point, we decided that we were definitely going the wrong way!  Fortunately there was adequate space to turn around and phone signal to allow us to use Google Maps (as our road atlas didn’t show the roads we were on!).  Once again we found a lovely quiet beach area with parking for a few vans.  Yet another walk on the beach and Steve was a happy bunny when he found Rock Samphire and Sea Purslane.  We were safely back in the van when the heavens decided to open and we sat with our fingers crossed hoping that we weren’t going to be flushed out to sea!

A very quiet night was spent and next morning we were off again.  We decided to take the scenic route to Treguier.  We found the parking – a nice spot next to the river, which was a short walk away from the town centre.  The architecture was interesting and the church spire amazing!  The whole feel of the town reminded us of the back alleys of York – a really lovely place.  We had a good walk round the town (with umbrella!) and down to the port and took a photo of the old entrance to the town – having looked at Treguier on line since, obviously a very common photo to take!!

Steve went fishing again, this time in the River Guindy.   He had to beat a hasty retreat back to the van when the heavens opened! I was pleased he had been unable to catch anything (as he told me he had only seen mullet in the river and don’t they stink!) A peaceful night apart from the rain and once again the next morning off we went!  We thought our next stop would be Lannion, although once we got there (in just a few minutes) we decided that it didn’t really look like the place for us so continued on to Morlaix.  We drove down a really long, steep hill and into St Michel En Greve, which had a huge sandy beach which appeared to go out for miles.  There was the possibility of parking there, but it was right on the busy road and other than the beach there didn’t appear to be much else there.  We arrived in Morlaix and parked up in the serviced camping area – it was at the end of the supermarket carpark and not a good place to spend the night but ideal for a walk around the town and reprovisioning.

After checking the app we decided that our next stop would be at a place called Penzé.  This was a small village with the parking next to the river, there was a very popular lunchtime restaurant but that was about it!  We went for a walk around the village and Steve tried his hand at fishing again but was still unsuccessful!!  After discussing what it was we were after on this holiday (we weren’t really sure, just avoiding the rain back at the property!) we decided that we would once again head to the coast.  I found a couple of sites at Plougasnou so off we went again.  The first site was overlooking the football pitch close to the town centre and not really our sort of place so we headed to the second one, Port Du Diben.  This one was extremely popular and was when we realised that we should always try to arrive at a new site at about 10am!  The vans leaving that day would generally be leaving or have left and some of the best spots would be available.  We were able to pull up in a spot with uninterrupted views across the water, with lots of boats to look at!!

The maximum stay here was 48 hours so we decided that we would stay for the whole 48 hours! Especially as Steve discovered mussels!  We went for a couple of walks and he managed to pick some Rock Samphire, which we had for tea with new potatoes and boiled eggs.  Surprisingly Steve really enjoyed the flavour, I couldn’t make up my mind whether I liked it or not, but I will not be in any rush to eat it again!!

When we had set off on our little trip we had assumed that we would be away for a week.  We had been informed that our village was holding La Fete De La Musique on Sunday 21^st June and planned to be back for it.  But with the weather we had had whilst being away we weren’t sure whether we would be able to get back to work if we headed home so were unsure whether we should just extend our holiday.  We decided that we would head back in the general direction of home and if we found somewhere nice to stay we would stop.  We drove through Trebeurden, Tregastel, Perros-Guirec, La Roche Derrien, Guingamp and arrived at a very exclusive campsite in the small hamlet of Kerio – home again!  There were several places we could have stopped, but they were quite big sites with lots of vans!

Although it sounds like we had a pretty good time there were times when things were a little rocky.  It appears that I may well have become slightly agoraphobic during ‘confinement’ and found it difficult to be away from the property.  The driving sometimes proved an issue too.  Steve has done all the driving so far but it seems that I am the one who keeps my eyes on the road and he is the one checking out the scenery!  Perhaps my proximity to the oncoming vehicles heightens my nerves!!  However by the end of the week we were already planning winter in Italy – all being well!!

Sunday morning and we started working, not inside the building as it was still too wet and Steve noticed some posters out on the road, so we decided we should check them out (especially as we had no idea what time the music festival would start, or where).  As far as we knew, people would be performing in their gardens and everybody else walked around and stopped to listen.  The posters were not actually posters but works of art and gave no information.  We couldn’t see anybody else out and about and thought we would return home.  This is when we saw our nice French lady friend who was pleased to see us and curious about where we had been.  She said that she had called to see us to offer sanctuary from the weather (by letting us stay in her empty property) as our road had become a river but we had already left!  What a lovely lady, how kind!  She had arrived for the music festival which was due to start imminently.  Of course, as we had just walked to look at the posters we didn’t have our masks with us so Steve walked back to the property to find them and also his brolly in case of rain!  There was an accordionist walking along the street being followed in a Pied Piper fashion by about half a dozen people.  We listened to a pianist, a family singing four songs with no musical accompaniment, and then a duo – a singer and a guitarist.  There must have been about twenty – twenty five people standing around watching, some with masks, some without, but all pretty much socially distanced and not a handshake or kiss in sight!  We were approached by a couple of our neighbours who invited us to join them after the music had ended for ‘saucisse et galette’, bring your own salad and drinks.  Not really sure about mixing during this time of deconfinement we weren’t sure what to expect but returned home and made some potato salad, a tossed salad and boiled some eggs.  This meant that we missed the DJ set but we could still hear it at the van so technically we didn’t miss it!  The final performance was the local rock band.  We have heard them practising on many occasions and thought they would be a group of teenagers so we were surprised to discover that they were effectively a couple of dads and teenaged sons.

After the music was over we made our way for ‘saucisse et galette’, prepping ourselves to explain that I’m vegetarian and Steve only really eats fish!  Contrary to stereotype, we were both still accepted even though we didn’t eat meat!  Steve had an awkward moment greeting the owner of the property.  When he went to shake hands it was pointed out that in this time of social distancing it wasn’t allowed.  The evening went very well, me doing my best to speak and understand French, our neighbours doing their best to speak English, and there were even a few German words (one of our neighbours is German and her French husband quite often can remember the German word for something when speaking English).  There was plenty of alcohol – everything from 15 year old Eau De Vie (Water Of Life – or rocket fuel more like!) to French Whisky to fruit flavoured Eau De Vie with prunes, blackcurrants and cherries.  Steve ended up playing the local version of Boules (I think it is called Palets) with the younger adults (good English speakers!!)  One of his opponents had been warned that he mustn’t lose to an Englishman! It became a Traou Rout (the two lads) versus Kerio (Steve) game (the two local hamlets) rather than France against England. Final score was 9-8-8, so Steve certainly didn’t embarrass himself!  With all the alcohol that had flowed social distancing seemed to disappear when it was time to say goodbye!  We managed to cycle home with no accidents even though we only had my small bike light to guide us.  The stars looked amazing but they didn’t give a lot of light and neither of us can remember a lot of moon!  Amazingly when we got home we realised just how late it was – it was Monday already, but because I was on a bit of a high for having successfully interacted I couldn’t go straight to bed so decided to have a nightcap or two – which I must admit I did regret when I woke up and could well have been the reason why I didn’t do any work on Monday!!