Again the rain - Rainy Brittany- 8
Again the rain
Early in the morning it's raining again and so the hike to the lighthouse of Saint-Mathieu [↗] is canceled. In fact, the weather forecast is not very promising and we're prepared for a whole day of rain.
Breakfast is truly French again, very frugal. Half a baguette, two croissants, butter and jam. But our hostess is very warm and friendly.
Just as we are about to leave, the weather decides to give the rain a break and so we head to the Phare du Petit Minou [↗] again, hoping for some interesting light. This time there is only one other photographer and since Freya is too lazy to get out of the car, Jürgen takes some pictures and returns quite quickly.
Now Freya suggests that we try the lighthouse near our hotel again, which means that we have to drive more or less the whole way back. But ok.
While yesterday it was so crowded that we couldn't find a parking space, today we are the only car. There are some construction workers around and it looks like the lighthouse needs some maintenance.
The first destination on the original list is Locronan, also one of the most beautiful villages in France. But the visit was rained out - literally. We sit in the car for a while hoping, but it's nothing.
Since the heavy rain does not stop, we change our plans and drive to the city of Quimper [↗], which was not on our list. Since the churches so far have been interesting and photogenic, we want to visit the cathedral and see if there is more of interest. Unfortunately, the church is closed without any notice as to why or for how long. It was only back at home that Freya found out that it is closed in the off-season from 12 noon to 1:30 pm.
So we walk through Quimper under our umbrellas and see enough of the town to find it attractive. We have a good lunch and then we're on our way again.
We skip the next lighthouse on the list and go directly to the Phare d'Eckmühl [↗]. This lighthouse is not so much for its appearance or the beautiful landscape, but for the staircase inside. With 60 meters it's one of the highest lighthouses in Europe and for a small fee you can climb it.
When Freya hears about this, she refuses to join and tells Jürgen: "You can do it all by yourself...". And that's what he does. Inside, some young people are decorating the tower for Halloween. Thanks to the weather there's not much else going on and Jürgen can take pictures relatively undisturbed. Unfortunately, a ticket office has been installed on the ground floor. This means that the view straight up from the bottom is no longer possible. But it is also worth taking pictures from a few curves higher up.
The view down is less attractive, and due to the weather the same applies to the view from the top of the tower.
Meanwhile Freya goes to the beach. It's not raining at the moment and she has discovered a new "hobby". She picks seeds from the public greenery. It smells fishy on the beach now that the tide is low, and birds and people are looking for tasty treats. There is even a sign showing what you can find and how much you can take.
Since yesterday was Sunday, we would like to stock up on our supplies today. Where? At Leclerc's, of course. We have grown very fond of this store. Each one is a little bit different, because the local owners don't have to follow the central guidelines, but the fresh food always looks very tempting. The one in Quimperle has an extra large selection of beers. Jürgen finds something. Freya takes cider, but ends up taking it home.
Our hotel is in Le Pouldu, a part of Clohars-Carnoët and only a few meters from the coast. It seems to be mainly the surfers who come here, but for them the season is over as well.
First we are shown a nice room on the second floor. But when we arrive with our suitcases, the lady at the reception tells us that there is also a room on the second floor. But it would be smaller and without sea view. As said, elevators are a rarity here.
It's now about 6 p.m. and Jürgen wants to hike to an arch in the neighboring bay. By the way, the rain has stopped.
From the hotel it's about 3.5 km along a coastal path. It's a nice path, but a little too close to the edge for Freya's taste. "I'm not going back on that path," she says, and Jürgen babbles about the headlamp she's always forgetting.
Near the parking lot, which you would use if you came by car, there is a bench on the cliffs. Freya stays here and sends Jürgen on alone.
Jürgen doesn't know exactly where the arch is, so he misses the descent to the right beach and photographs the setting sun from the cliffs. On the way back he tries it by chance and this big rock standing around really has a hole in it. It is only recognizable as an arch when you are down on the beach. Of course the sun doesn't set directly behind the rock, but the sky has turned pink in the meantime. Also a nice background.
But now back to Freya and a few quick photos of the sunset from where she is.
At the request of a single lady, we then walk back along the road 😉. To her credit, it didn't take any longer. And since it started raining again, it was probably the best solution anyway.
