In Tréguier: a break from the bikes

September 17, 2022

I don’t know what it means especially, but it’s interesting to note that we’ve been in Brittany for six nights now and are traveling pretty slowly - fairly short distances and two layover days - and we’ve already come to two towns, Morlaix and Tréguier, that we’ve liked enough that we wished we’d been staying longer. Maybe we’re just getting more in the mood for slower travel, or maybe it’s because we’re getting older, or maybe it’s because we’re in our seventh month on the road now? in any case, we’re definitely enjoying traveling more slowly than we did in the past.

The weather is brilliant again today - sunny, not warm, not too windy. Perfect for cycling, but neither of us is tempted really. We’re both ready for a day off the saddles.

Cathedral

We take our time getting out the door this morning. The sun doesn’t come up until about 7:30, and it’s surprisingly chilly. The sky was clear overnight. When I woke up in the middle of the night for a trip to the loo it’s pitch dark but for a light patch on the wood floor. It’s moonlight, and the sky out the window is filled with stars. I look for a minute trying to decide if I’m looking at the Milky Way but it’s too cold so I quickly go about my business and return to burrow under our thick quilt.

We’ve plotted out a walk for ourselves that goes inland along the Guindy River, on the advice of our hosts at breakfast. Our hosts, a male couple -one from the Netherlands, the other French - who relocated from Paris to Brittany about 35 years ago, are a complete delight and serve up a terrific breakfast for us that even includes scrambled eggs for Rachael and a ham and cheese galette for myself. We’re the first ones downstairs this morning and have the dining hall to ourselves so they’ve got the time to chat while they wait for the sleep-ins to descend. While we’re eating we get the background of how they came to Tréguier, fell in love with it, and bought this run-down half-timbered place across the street from the cathedral - and then we’re aghast later when they came back and saw how much work they’d signed up for on making it habitable.

We aren’t far into our walk - maybe forty feet - when we come to the entrance to the cloister and I talk Rachael into stopping in now while the light is good. We’ll just take a quick look, I’m thinking; but it’s Sunday, entrance is free today, and it’s an amazing space. It’s obvious this won’t go quickly and now that I’m here I’d like to see inside the cathedral too, so I tell Rachael she should go on without me and maybe we’ll meet up on her way back.

I must be here for at least a half an hour. The former cathedral (the bishop moved on at some point) and the cloister are both remarkable - the cathedral especially, with the sunlight streaking in this morning through the stained glass windows. There is a lot to say about the cathedral, but fortunately Wikipedia got here first and saved me months of research.

Town

I’m well behind Rachael now anyway, so I might as well take time to look around the historic center. Old Tréguier is a fascinating place to wander through, with one of the best collections of half-timbered houses I can remember seeing in France. Walking along the river can wait awhile longer.

My crash diet is starting to show results! Laying off the full English breakfast and real ales is really making a difference.

What do you do with your used croquet balls?

Walk

By now Rachael’s almost three miles down the trail ahead of me. I’ll obviously never catch up with her. And in fact I turn back after only about three miles, and pretty slow ones at that. I’m held up for a long time hoping I’ll finally get a reasonable shot at that woodpecker hammering away far above me; and then again by a train viaduct I want to get a photo of but wait until the sun finally comes from behind the clouds to illuminate the interior.

So, not bad: 7 miles for me today, 12+ For Rachael. Sounds about right. The photos are a mix, but mostly hers.

A great spotted woodpecker! I’m sure of it - are you convinced?

Another viaduct shot, not easily acquired. I had to find a hummock high enough that by balancing on it I could get a shot with my arms outstretched above my head. They got tired waiting for the sun to come out from behind the clouds. My upper body workout for the day.

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Rich FrasierBeautiful pictures from both of you!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierThanks, Rich. Such a photogenic country, it’s hard to go far wrong.
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2 years ago

Kathleen ClassenWe are traveling more slowly than we have in the past as well, and really enjoying it. It is something for us to think about when we plan future tours. Is it an age thing? Or for us perhaps a post Covid out of practice thing? Or simply that the Alentejo and Algarve are so beautiful we would be crazy to rush? Whatever it is, we are having a wonderful time.
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2 years ago

Graham FinchYou've had a very artistic day out with the camera.... love it!
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchIt was a nice day, alright - probably overdue for one off the saddle.
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2 years ago

Keith ClassenGreat photos!
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2 years ago