Tréguier to Port Blanc

June 11, 2019

I woke again to rain, but I wasn’t in a tent this time. I was in a comfy bed in a warm dry room, so I rolled over and slept for another hour. I still had time to get mostly packed up before breakfast.

The other two guests here are American and also cycle touring, riding EV4 in the opposite direction. They decided to take rest day today due to the weather. The forecast isn’t good; our host tells us it’s the worst day of the week.

I dithered about taking a day off too, but I think I’d go stir crazy! Instead, I delayed starting by posting yesterday’s journal page. I'd done it last night, but when I pressed "save" I discovered that I was no longer connected to the Internet.

Catherine suggested a shorter ride to Port Blanc might be a solution. I could take the coast route and there’s lots to see on the way. Plus she has a friend who has a chambre d’hôte there and offered to call her for me. Done!

I finally got out the door around 11:30, into a light drizzle. A new late start record! The beginning of my ride today was very hilly, with several steep climbs. I thought I might have to walk some of them, but I didn't. Fresh legs!

I left Tréguier by the Passerelle Saint-François across the Guindy, a tributary of the Jaudy. This footbridge opened in 1834, the same time as the original Pont Canada. Although there was a toll, it undermined the ferry operated by the Cordeliers St-François, who had a monastery on the far bank. The bridge was closed in 2004 for safety reasons (another bridge across the Guindy had opened in 1892) but completely rebuilt and reopened in 2013.

Just another standing stone by the side of the road...

The rain was starting to increase as I was thinking about lunch. I hadn't bought lunch supplies before leaving Tréguier and, looking at my map, the approaching orange splodge of Plougrescant looked large enough to offer something. It did, a small bakery/épicerie/bar. I pulled up just as the rain started in earnest.

I could have had lunch here, if I'd had food with me and the weather had been better.

For lunch I had a chicken sandwich (with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise!) from the bakery, a "ballon" of beer from the bar, and two apricots from the épicerie for dessert. Then I sat a while longer waiting for the precipitation to decrease from pouring to simply raining.

I worked my way north to the northernmost point of Brittany. There were signs to "Le Gouffre" which is close to the famous "maison entre deux rochers". I'm not sure what Le Gouffre is--it certainly wasn't anything like the Gouffre de Padirac! Having ridden along quite a bit of French coastline now, I think any break in a rocky shore where waves make a show is given a name and a car park!