Wednesday, June 22, 2022 - Concarneau Encore

Dan and Paulette wanted to visit Concarneau and we were happy with that choice. 

Concarneau Ville Close - the scaffolding is now taken down from the drawbridge entrance to the fortress.

The fortress was built on its own little island just a few meters from the mainland. It remains a formidable medieval fortress from the outside, but the inside is a tourist district of shops and restaurants. Only the inside ramparts remind you of its defensive purpose now. But it is perfect for us because both Paulette and I are looking for gifts for the grandchildren so window shopping is welcome today. (PS we might have found some things.)

Since we were all a bit tired from last night's Fête de Musique, we didn't leave the house until 10:30, arriving in Concarneau at 11:45. We parked in the same lot as before just a block from the fortress (Ville Close). It's busy on the streets, but less busy than the last time we were here which makes strolling the town very pleasant. 

inside a  spice shop

the main street is busy, but not crowded

For a break we exited the Port du Vin to look at the boats in the harbor. We lingered awhile with no other people on the walk outside the fortress. 

Looking out the Port du Vin. After a quick look, most people return to the inside shopping area.

A cormorant sitting inside a dinghy in the harbor. Waiting for a ride, buddy?

Along the walls of the outside of the fortress that faces the channel to the sea.

Looking at the pleasure harbor

We continued to the amphitheater where we found a shady bench to eat our lunch while watching children run around the stage in impromptu dance routines. 

Hydrangea blooming against the fortress walls

Our lunch spot in the amphitheater

Dave, Dan, and Paulette climbed the stairs to the ramparts to look over the wall at the channel out to the sea. 

The channel between the fort and Concarneau

Where Dave was standing on the ramparts to take the photos. 

the amphitheater where we ate lunch with the church of the Ville Close in background and ramparts on the right.

We also spent a few minutes watching the ferry from across the channel load and unload passengers then finished our shopping tour of the streets of the Ville Close. 

looking back from the ferry dock to the fortress entrance gate

The ferry is arriving. It costs 1 Euro and takes about 1 minute to cross the channel. 

We had time for one more adventure before leaving Concarneau, so headed to a ruined fort called Le Cabellou on a point of land across the fishing harbor from the Ville Close fortress. 

Paulette on the rocks at the edge of the fortress Le Cabellou

By now the sun has been clouded over and there's not a clear view of Ville Close even though it's only a few hundred meters across the harbor from us. 

Dan with Concarneau behind him - very hazy.

Le Cabellou is in ruins and has been for hundreds of years, but you can see how it would provide early warning of attack from the open sea. It perches on a rocky promontory sticking out into the sea. Only a guard house is left of the original fort. 

Dan and Paulette looking at the guard house

There is a reminder of WWII left in the center of this ruin - a German pillbox, an artificial rock made of cement that provided protection for German artillery pointed toward the English coast. It is now mostly overgrown with vegetation and the remaining side is covered with graffiti which I found amusing and artistic. 

Seagull on left says: "Isn't Brittany beautiful, guys?" The others answer: "Yes! We're moving in tomorrow."

The end of the German WWII pillbox (made of cement)

This side of the pillbox faces the sea and had an opening for large caliber guns. 

There is no more dawdling in Concarneau as we have dinner reservations for 7 pm tonight. The only adventure on the drive home was finding an "aire de service" (what we would call a rest stop) along the highway to buy some more AdBlue, the liquid chemical we add to the exhaust system that lowers diesel pollution (changes nitrous oxide into nitrogen and oxygen, I think). 

There's a blue tank next to the diesel tank on the car

You pour this stuff (5 liters at a time for us) in the AdBlue Tank. 

The drive to the restaurant is only 10 minutes through back roads that take us alongside farms and pastures. Then suddenly, we are on a spit of land that sticks out into estuary of the Rohu River and at the very tip is Dave's new favorite restaurant, La Cabine des Huitres (the Oyster Shack). This is where he had a memorable seafood dinner a couple weeks ago and he's happy to bring Dan and Paulette back for another meal. I'm a bit concerned because rain is forecast and it feels like rain and the seating is outside. I'm relieved to see that we will be seated under a large tent. 

Tonight's special included a half lobster for 19 Euros which is what Paulette and I ordered. The boys ordered the seafood platter for 25 Euros. We drank champagne with dinner and it was just right. It did rain, but we kept dry except for one windy gust which dumped water into Dan's chair. 

We look all bundled up, but it wasn't that cold. A bit damp was all.

Our meals were messy and slow to eat, but the camaraderie around the table made the meal seem to go all too fast. Toward the end we watched the oyster tour boat, Aux Rhythmes des Marées, come in with a group of people who decided to have drinks before leaving. The restaurant quickly put up a large market umbrella and uncovered a table with a fire pit in the middle of it. People were soon warmed by the fire under the dry space created by the umbrella. How clever. 

By the time we left, it had stopped raining. We have been so lucky this way. If it rains during the day, it always seems to rain when we are somewhere inside and dry. It's been quite amazing and surprising. Of course, we are on the coast and coastal weather is always very localized, raining in spots, sunny in others, and all things in-between. 

We had bread pudding and ice cream for dessert and talked for awhile before heading to bed. Dan and Paulette must pack and leave in the morning and we are sad to see them go. We've had some really fun adventures with them the past couple of days.