Postcard from Penlan

Following in the footsteps of Paul Gauguin the famous French Artist (admittedly about 120 years after him) we visited Pont Aven, just 40 miles South East of us in Finistere. Sitting on the River Aven at the limit of its tidal reaches it boasts a quayside, several old watermills and lavoirs (wash houses) along stretches of the river. The town centre is laced with waterways whichever way you look.

We visited on a Tuesday when the market is held along the quayside. We walked through the stalls to the sound of two young French men playing guitar and singing in perfect harmony. The aroma of fresh spices, fruit and veg, meats – both preserved and freshly cooked – lead us past the clothing, leather goods and sweet stalls. Potatoes frying with garlic, onions and lardons promised us a great takeaway snack; which only gave way to crepes and a beer in a quayside restaurant when we discovered we had no cash and our only means of payment was a debit card. Well, sat outside in the sun sipping a Breton beer was a very good second best.

After eating we walked back up through the town as the market stalls were closing, crossing the small bridge for some photos of the water mill restaurant. The evidence of Pont Aven’s artistic background is present, with virtually every other shop selling paintings and artefacts to suit all tastes. We assume from the lack of prices on the paintings that most of them would require the use of a credit card and so we stuck to window shopping.

Due to the landscape around the town, as well as the beautiful buildings around the centre you are continually seeing interesting private houses set back on their own against the banks of the river, with neatly kept gardens. Behind the main streets you can lose yourself walking across small bridges and through ornamental gardens.  Water is a constant feature, seeming to come pouring out of every conceivable gap in the walls. There are walks to view the old lavoirs on the sides of the river, as well as the old watermills.

There are plenty of restaurants, cafes and bars to choose from, many with their own riverside gardens and vistas and one containing the workings of the watermill itself (apparently the only one which can still function). There is apparently a flower festival on the 1^st of August each year including Breton music and dancing in traditional costume, which is said to be the prettiest in Brittany. Gauguin was post-impressionism; we were, well, just extremely impressed and will definitely Gau-a-guin.

 Visit the Penlan Gite website for holiday accommodation

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One of the reasons for coming to Brittany was to be close to the sea and be able to pursue a fascination for all things nautical. A little while ago we went down to Le Guilvinec on the Southwest tip of Finistere, about a 40 minute drive from us. It’s a fishing port which boasts a large fishing fleet and has made the unloading of fish into a spectator sport. It has a visitor centre where you can watch the catch being unloaded and the auction inside.

We first visited on a Sunday when you can walk around the dock where they work on the boats. Its quite spectacular to walk under the huge vessels as they are supported for painting and repairs. The rest of the fleet was all at anchor and it made quite a picture with the array of different colours on display.

Just the other day we went back to watch the boats coming in and the spectacle was quite amazing. We joined lots of visitors on the viewing gallery above the larger boats being unloaded. These are the deep sea boats which take several hours to unload as the hold up to 25 tonnes. After a little while we walked along and down onto the entrance to the port.

As we did, as if by magic, all the other boats in the fleet started appearing on the horizon as though someone had just blown a whistle.

These slightly smaller boats came in two’s and three’s back into the port where they quickly unloaded their catch including Langoustines, crabs, red snapper and plaice to name a few. There was a throng of people gathered either watching or handing over cash to buy fresh crabs as quickly as they were passed from the boat. The whole Quayside was alive with boats moving to and fro and seagulls circling looking for the scraps. Several gulls would land and pick out the remains of fish still trapped in the nets rolled up on the backs of the boats. As the boats came into harbour many of them had seagulls sat amongst the aerial masts and radar like lookouts.

 The whole image, the sights, sounds and smell will remain with us for a long time. The crowds of onlookers gazing down from above seemed to add to the atmosphere of the place. I am sure it is somewhere we will be returning to often. I will be looking for those winter sunsets behind the returning boats as they arrive in the late afternoon/ evening, Claire I am sure will be looking for some fresh langoustines.

 Visit the Penlan Gite website for holiday accommodation

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