Brest 30th July

30th July

There was a some rain forecast for today but it never appeared, just a bit of cloud.

Empty tramway 

Spent the day wandering about Brest, didn't do everything I intended but not worried!

Major tramworks

I was going to take the tram as it's easier to work out where it's going but it has been shut down for six weeks while they connect a new line to the system.

Seen in a bike shop window 

I still have legs that work though and I could walk the tram route without getting run over. 

I went to the other side of the town to the Jardin du Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest.

Chinese Sequoia 

This is an old quarry that has been turned into a park/garden to display plants from all around the world.

I daundered down through the park admiring the landscaping until I found myself at the beach, perfect, just in time for lunch at the Trimaran. Not actually a trimaran, just a restaurant.

Nice quiet beach

Graffiti on the road bridge

A wander around the marina, a different one this time, then back up through the park to visit the glasshouses where they are doing conservation work on plant species that are endangered or extinct in their natural habitat.

Hibiscus

Pitcher plant

It was hot outside but in the glasshouse, particularly the rainforest one, the humidity was high as well and I certainly noticed the difference.

A fascinating collection of plants mainly from the French colonies but elsewhere as well.

Desert plants

A walk back to town then with a detour to look at the cathedral, relatively new. with some excellent stained glass.

There is obviously a lot of sin in Brest as there are ten confession boxes, at least one being manned,or should that be preisted?, all day, every day.

Back to the hotel then to collect my rucksack, that they had allowed me to leave, and a walk to the railway station.

High speed train at Morlaiux 

The double deck high speed train to Paris was taking me as far as Morlaiux, which didn't take long, then a bus to Roscoff, rather slower.

Mud

Roscoff is overpriced and full of Brits, but at least there is a proper harbour that dries out!

Harbour protection 

Brest 29th July

29th July

Another hot day. I had booked a late morning train to Brest thinking that I could do something in Auray in the morning but that was before I realised that there is nothing to do in Auray!

Not sure what the significance of this is on the walk to the station in Auray

Tried to have a bit more time in bed but failed so sitting outside a little café near the station drinking coffee.

The best of Auray 

The trains were once again on-time. It takes all the tension out of rail travel when you can believe the timetable.

I'm sitting in the railway station, gotta ticket for my destination 

Brest is a lively place even without the maritime festival and there were lots of people about.

Well, not too many people in this picture 

Booked into the hotel in the middle of the town and went off to find the Maritime Museum in the castle.

Castle and museum

The museum was very good but I thought there would be some mention of the early single handed sailors like Eric Taberly, who was from Nantes, and like a lot of the other famous yachtsmen of the time sailed from Brest.

Beautiful ship model 

The yachting triumphs mentioned are all more modern like the Olympics, obviously as they are being held in Paris at the moment. and the Jules Verne round the world race.

Brest Castle

The castle itself is very interesting so the visit was well worthwhile.

Down to the marina then to gaze at the yachts. If you can't go out on them the next best thing is to look and there were some very nice ones to see.

Another nice salad for dinner and now sitting on the balcony outside my room overlooking everything in the street below.

View from the balcony

Carnac 28th July

28th July 

Beautiful morning but it was threatening to get hotter. Had a walk around the Jardin des Plantes while waiting for the train, every plant, shrub and tree is labelled. Ideal for an ignoramus like me.

Jardin des Plantes in Nantes 

The train was perfectly on time and so was the connection, surely we could do the same?

Train on time at Nantes

10.36 train arriving at 10.36

Walked to the hotel I was staying at in Auray to see if I could leave my rucksack, no problem the room was actually ready.

The walk from station to hotel included a couple of nice paths

There was a snag, as usual, by the time I walked back to the station the bus had just left. Auray is one of those non places that just spreads out between the railway and a main road with nothing to look at.

Plenty of rails at Auray 

The bus was late leaving and even the kamikaze driver couldn't make up the time but it was only a short walk to the  "Maison des Mégalithes"  where I had a tour booked.

The tour group 

The stones are fenced off and accessible only with a guided tour, a bit of a waste really as we were only told, in a roundabout way, that they don't have a clue how or why they are there, but it did allow access.

Fascinating! But how can they be sure it's not a showroom for Obelix's menhir delivery service?

The bus back was on time and had a much more relaxed driver.

Marina at La Trinite-sur-Mer through the, tinted, bus window 

There was a Lidl near the motel but shut so I had to hunt for dinner, it was looking bad for a while and I nearly had to go to McDonald's, but it worked out alright in the end.

Dinner 

I had to check out the church for my evening constitutional, surprisingly plain for a Catholic Church.

Aurey church 

Toulouse to Nantes 27th July

27th July 

Not much to say about today. Travelling to Nantes on the bus. There was a problem with the trains in Bordeaux with bus replacement services and the bus is much cheaper!

Olympic protests seem to be targeting the railway as well so the bus is probably a better option, at least you are guaranteed a seat.

Toulouse bus station 

Stopped at a motorway services, equally bad if not worse than British ones.

Typical horrible service station 

I was wondering how to get into town from the bus station until we got there and it is next to the tram stop, now that's what I call joined up thinking. Even better the tram's free at the weekend.

The hotel is in a rather sleazy black street near the railway station, well I did go for the cheapest I could find, so I went to check how the trains were running. The station was being patrolled by a squad of soldiers armed with submachine guns. They are obviously taking the threats seriously.

Nantes 

The temperature here is positively cool, only 21° and cloudy. That's more like it!

It even started raining as I went for a look round the centre. Everything is so much better when it's damp and cool.

The castle is good with battlements that are quite good for taunting, could just do with a bit more height.

The cathedral from the castle 

Did the tourist thing and went into an Irish bar although I had a pint of Cornish 'Proper Job' IPA.

Cathedral 

The Cathedral here is closed for restoration as well but very impressive on the outside.

I do like a flying buttress!

The town is full of tourists but feels better than Tolouse somehow although there are as many apparently homeless.

Maybe it's just that I don't like the south, I much preferred north west Spain to the south east.