Rural France and camping visitors

Benodet sits at the mouth of the Odet - a deep, winding river, bordered by trees and very reminiscent of the river Dart. After our crossing, we motored upriver until we found a quiet anchorage to relax and catch up on sleep.

Chateau on the river Odet

Wreck in river Odet

The next day, we took the dinghy upriver to the city of Quimper (pronounced Camp-air), which was shockingly affluent after all the sleepy little fishing villages we had visited in Spain. We were taken aback by the sheer number of tourists, the amount of restaurants and knick-knack shops, and the prices! One chocolate shop had incredible (and edible) works of art made from chocolate, but each one cost a staggering 30+ euros. We made do with the view through the window!

Chocolate toolbox 

Chocolate creations

The buildings, however, were very old and picturesque, from the old and impressive cathedral to the Tudor-style houses. We were tickled to see a ‘crepe factory’ in one shop – a lady endlessly spread pancake mixture onto rotating hotplates, which unloaded the cooked crepes onto a pile just before returning to her for the next load of mixture. Hypnotic to watch!

Quimper city

Crepe factory!

By coming across the Bay in one hit, we had missed the chance to visit our friends on ‘Magic Dragon’, who we met in the Canary Isles. In summer, they run a triathlon training centre in France near la Rochelle (www.tri-topia.com for any athletes out there!). The children were keen to see their friends and on a mad spur-of-the-moment decision, we decided to hire a car and go and visit them.

The journey didn’t start well when we appeared at the harbourmasters’ office to enquire about a bus to Quimper. They only ran every two hours and we had just missed one. Several phone calls revealed that no taxis were available for over an hour… Fridays are apparently a bad day to call a taxi! We were stumped… until a guardian angel in the form of an Englishman named David offered us a lift in his car. A kind gesture from a fellow boater that finally got us on the road.

Miles of empty roads and countryside

We hadn’t studied the map carefully and the 'three-hour' drive turned out to be more like five hours…. Finally, to everyone’s relief, we arrived around ten thirty pm, with the fuel gauge nearly on empty…

Lee on chef duty

Breakfast!

Lee and Sam have spent several years transforming derelict stone farm buildings into a lovely home and purpose-made centre for triathletes. We spent the next couple of days relaxing and being waited on hand and foot.  We ate croissants for breakfast, swam in the triathlon pool and drank beers in the hot tub. The children were delighted to see their friends and loved having space (a garden!) to run round in.

Heated triathlon pool

Hot tub!

We went to a once-a-year ‘brocante’, or car boot sale/antiques fair, where everybody found a bargain and the children got to hold tame parrokeets. We ate ice creams opposite a huge old ruined castle towering over the river. All in all it was a thoroughly relaxing couple of days. As long as we didn’t think about the long drive back…

Brocante fair

Katie and Meadow

Back in Benodet, we were able to repay our guardian angels via drinks aboard and Spanish lemons, and we were fascinated to hear about their extended voyage in their motorboat. They had brought a car across from England, so are able to explore thoroughly inland as they go. Thanks again to David and Sue!

We spent a day exploring before moving on again. Benodet itself is a picturesque tourist town with a choice of sandy beaches along the mouth of the river. We followed the riverside walk first up a little creek to the local supermarket, then downstream to the town and its beaches. In both places, we were tickled to hear telltale British and Irish voices – obviously a popular holiday destination.

Smart boulangerie at Benodet

Benodet beach

Two sea trips took us first to Audierne, then around the notorious Raz de Sein. This time, we passed the headland and its six (SIX!) lighthouses in flat calm water, unlike our bouncy trip southbound.

Lifeboat off Pointe de Penmarc'h

Calm passage at Raz de Sein

We spent a couple of days at Douarnenez, which we shall remember for its fish.  Firstly, the canning factories ashore, with their shiny metal fish decorating on the building.

Douarnenez fish canning factory

Secondly, we got ‘fished’ ourselves – somebody thought it would be funny to chuck handfuls of whitebait in our dinghy while we were ashore… which duly thrashed about, leaving tiny scales and bodies everywhere! 

Then, back on board, we got the fishing rod out at anchor, and caught over twenty mackerel in about five minutes.

Catching mackerel at Douarnenez

DOUARNENEZ

Then we had a lovely sail around spectacular rocky headlands to Camaret, chased by a ‘pirate’ boat, or perhaps Dutch sailors overtaking in their black yacht…

We sat out a series of choppy days on the pontoon at Camaret. My cousin and family came to visit from their campsite on the north coast, and the children had fun fishing off the pontoon (three prawns and a possible fish egg!) and bodyboarding in the sea.

Simon fishing

Vauban tower, Camaret

Guacamole taste test

They spent a night aboard and we had a lovely walk along the coast the next morning. A series of forts had been built on the exposed headlands (some dating back to Napoleon’s time), and the children enjoyed exploring them all.

Pointe de Toulinguet

WWII war memorial

Kerbonn was an important site in World War II and a memorial here commemorates the Battle of the Atlantic – huge anchors and mines are prominently on display with apt wartime quotes and poems.

Clare on the rocks

 We picnicked right on the headland, overlooking the rocks we had sailed around, watching sailboats out to sea. A tranquil spot, if you kept your eyes on the sea, not on the busy carpark nearby!

Lots of classic boats passed through Camaret on route to Brest festival, and we have now sailed across the Bay to join them. Now for ten days of boat festival and music!