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| La Ville Close as the fortress is called |
Our journey in Brittany continues as we explore the coastal towns of the southern coast. Concarneau
is an old port town with a medieval island fortress linked to the mainland by a
drawbridge. People still live and work within the fortress and there are many
restaurants and shops for the tourists.
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| flowers at the entrance by the drawbridge |
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| entrance gate |
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| a particularly picturesque cafe |
I
can just imagine sailing ships and
fishing vessels sheltering in the small harbour behind the fortress, safe from
storms.
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| in the harbour with the modern town behind |
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| walking around the walls |
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| the tide is going out |
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| fortifications on the walls |
Nowadays, yachts moor in the basin and
the port is home to a large fishing fleet.
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| Love the little white painted cottages with black slate roofs everywhere in this area |
Pont-Aven is on the Aven river close to
the sea and is well known for the group of artists referred to as the Pont-Aven
School which included Paul Gauguin, Paul Sérusier and Emile Bernard.
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| no wonder artists loved the town |
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| River Aven at low tide |
With the railway opening between Paris and
Quimper in 1862, access to the coast of Brittany became easier and artists from
around the world came to Pont-Aven for the summer to work together.
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| cute local restaurant - though the thatched roof wasn't typical |
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| the french really know how to use flowers |
Now the town is filled with art
galleries and many artists live here all year round. Naturally, that means many
tourists too. We had intended to go to the Musée des Beaux Arts de Pont-Aven as
they reportedly have a wonderful
collection on display – but it’s closed for major renovations. Perhaps next
year.
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| typical local house |
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| a beautifully finished boat moored in the river ready to sail off to who knows where |
Finally, we visited the Musée du Faouët nearby. It's in a 17th century former
Ursuline convent.They
have a large exhibition of a local artist, Jean-Bertrand Pégot-Ogier
(1877-1915).He
was a painter, photographer and champion cyclist before being killed during
WW1.
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| We bought this as a poster. Love the colours |
Onwards
to the Loire Valley…..
Bonne semaine mes amis
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