Week-end sur la Côte d’Emeraude – Échappées belles

Week-end sur la Côte d’Emeraude – Échappées belles

Hello from the math world, as we say in Breton. It’s great to be back. This week, I’m taking you on a weekend trek along the Emerald Coast. And all of this on foot, since I’ll be starting from Mont-Saint-Michel in the Manche region, right behind me, and more precisely from kilometer marker 0 of the GR34, voted the French’s favorite hiking trail. What was once the “Sentier des Douigners” (Sentier of the Douigners), created in the late 18th century to combat smuggling, now offers nearly 2,000 km of marked trails for nature lovers. I’ll also occasionally leave the GR34 to visit the islands or the spectacular towns of the Emerald Coast. In short, here I am, off for three days of exploring beautiful landscapes amidst breathtaking scenery. So, welcome to a sunny weekend in the land of fairies, pirates , and bottlenose dolphins. Welcome to my beautiful getaways. Let’s go! Hello Jérôme, welcome to the Emerald Coast. How are you and have a good weekend? So, it’s on foot and with his back to me that Jérôme will travel for this beautiful getaway to reach Cap Freil and its famous lighthouse. As the English say, “so far, so good.” Saint-Malo will be his first stop. When I arrived in Saint-Malo, every morning I would come here and say hello to the mother. There’s a life-giving energy here. There you go. Here on his path, our walker will never truly be alone. How many kilometers have you covered since you left? Since Saint-Michel, I’m almost at 80. The primary function of these houses was for receptions. We even called this kind of small Malouinière “bottle lives .” So that illustrates it well. Brittany and Japan are very similar. It reminds me of my island of Okinawa. And he’ll be blown away. It’s both spectacular and incredibly beautiful, isn’t it? Head for the dolphins. I can’t get enough of this. It quickly becomes addictive. A little break to recharge. Whoa! It’s huge. It’s a steak, basically. Before heading back out there, you just want to lie down and hold on tight. It’s peaceful on a weekend on the Emerald Coast. Not bad. In the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, Jérôme will meet up with Julien Avril who, between tides, will guide him on a short warm-up walk. Julien. Hi Jérôme. Hello. How are you, Julien? I’m doing well, very happy to be here. I started my trip, my hike on the Emerald Coast, here to Cap Frê ideally. You’re west, you go west. I’m always west, you know. Yeah. Well, well, right now, when we head roughly west, it takes us to the rock, to our Mont Saint-Michel, passing through the bay. Okay. How many kilometers is it for 7 km? Well, listen, what are the safety instructions? It’s very easy, you know. You take off your shoes. Yeah. Yeah. You walk and you walk. Yeah, yeah. That’s exactly it. And you, how long have you been guiding people across them? It must be the 9th year now. You know, I’m starting to be one of the old-timers. Hundreds of round trips. So, 400,000 km. Parent. Yeah. There you go. So you’re in good health. Yeah. Normally, my legs aren’t too bad. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You mustn’t think too much. You just have to put one foot in front of the other, like a Norman, like a Viking. If it sinks, you leave it, you accept that your foot will sink. But you’re always preparing for the next step. Okay. This bay of Monts-Saint-Michel, it’s extremely vast. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of people know it for the high tides. Yeah. And few people know its size. Here, we have 250 km². There you go. Okay, we walk, we walk, we walk. But it’s still so far away. And yes. In fact, it only gets closer in the last three kilometers. Okay. And you know what we’re going to do? What I’m suggesting, we’re going to switch to hiking mode. You see, I’m going to zip up our jackets, strap the packs tight, and we’re going to try to walk at a shore-fishing pace. We’re shifting into second gear. You What do you mean? Exactly. Absolutely. Okay, let’s go. Let’s go. Let’s walk briskly. It’s still a place of pilgrimage. Yeah, there are always groups who cross the bay to get to the sanctuary, and then others who come by land to pray. So, originally, it was just a rock in the middle of the sea. How was it built? Why? What’s the story of Monts-Saint-Michel? The archangel Saint Michael is said to have appeared to a monk in the town of Avranches and given him a mission: to build a sanctuary on this rock. Okay. That was in 708 AD. Okay. There are still monks living there today. Yeah. There are the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem established here, who are authorized by the State to restore a spiritual dimension to the place. Okay. Because for a while that wasn’t the case. No, it wasn’t. Mont Saint-Michel, and after the French Revolution, was a kind of Alcatraz before its time, a prison that was practical since it was isolated from the mainland. It wasn’t yet connected to the mainland by the cave. There you go. For my weekend hike, it’s a good warm-up. Yeah, it’s a warm-up especially. It’s almost a hopscotch. It’s my treat. By the way, you’ll tell me how much I owe you. It’s free, it’s on the house. And there you go, you’ve done the hardest part, Jérôme, it’s arriving at Mont Saint-Michel and that’s the reward. What a marvel. Look at this light, this sky in this little cloud. It looks like a painting. There are a lot of people, huh? I think Mont Saint-Michel is in the top 3 most visited sites in France, I believe. That’s right. Yeah. Then, surely the most visited site in the provinces. Okay. We’re definitely better off staying dry, right? The main entrance, a series of entrances, the beginning of the fortified enclosure. And here, this is kilometer zero of the new starting point of the GR34. Okay. So that means that when I come back down from the abbey, you’ll head west, towards Brittany. This is the beginning, this is point Z0. Yeah. Okay, that works. And here, obviously, well, there are a lot of people. I wouldn’t have many people on the trails. Much fewer, I think. It’s magnificent. This is the very impressive entrance. The entrance is grandiose. From here, you can go directly up to the church at Bastial. Here, you’ll be lucky because the cloister, which is one of the finest, most sculpted parts of Saint-Michel, has just been restored. Oh, it’s sublime. I really love the mix, the greenery there, the mineral and the plant life. It’s incredible to blend all of that. Mr. B, hello. Hello Julien. How are you? I’m fine. And you? I’d like you to meet Jérôme. Jérôme, pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you. Xavier Boui is the administrator of the historical monuments website. Okay. Okay. So, you’re the one who managed the restoration because he told me it had been restored. It was managed by the National Monuments Center, and that was no small feat. But I have to go to the Belvedere, and I think you’re interested in the Belvedere, Julien? The view of the B is always interesting to me. Let’s go. Yeah, let’s go . Wow! So here we are on the lacework staircase, overlooking the void since we’re on the ramp of the flying buttress. Okay. How lucky to be here! Oh, you were right to come by, weren’t you? Wow, it’s beautiful! That’s quite a view . We couldn’t be higher or closer to the archangel who’s right above us. Okay. How high are we, by the way? We’re at about 145 meters altitude. Wow! The archangel is at 156. Okay. Exactly. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift. For me, it’s really time to go through the mountain gate, to cross this kilometer marker and start my hike. Come on, I imagine it’s this way. It’s exactly over there. Heading west And the surprising landscapes of Brittany. Oh yes, back to Normandy. Careful, we’re not getting into that debate, I’m out of here. Thank you very much for the gift anyway. It’s a beautiful gift. Julien returns to his bay, always ready to show tourists the treasures and dangers of this desert of water and sand, churned twice a day by the highest tides in France. Now come here, but stick close to me. We’re going to play a little game. Are you ready? Yeah. 1, 2, and 3. You jump harder, harder, harder. We’re not happy. Again, again, but really, you’re not happy, you really have to hit it and you’ll see the ground changes completely. And there you go. Now you dance. Oh yeah, you have to stay in place. We’ve sunk a hat. I’m going to show you how I sink and how I come out. But just before that, you’ll notice that visually, before we arrived at the area, we wouldn’t have been able to guess that there was quicksand. For example, if you pull on me, you won’t be able to get me out. Look, I’m bending over like this. And to get out, I’m putting my weight on one leg. I’m just going to wiggle it a little bit. Then, well, I’m going to get on my knee and I’ll pull myself up twice , always moving my leg forward, and then I’ll get out slowly but surely. Really move, huh? It moves. It’s really made. Oh, but I’m a mom. Mom, my shoes were in there. And beyond that, it’s mystical. You start from a kind of void. It’s kind of lunar, you know. It’s desert-like. You don’t know where you’re going, you’re going towards the horizon. I like it when it’s misty. There’s a feeling of infinity. It’s not so good anymore what’s part of the earth, the sea, or the sky. It’s continuous, and that’s what makes it a moment suspended in time, a bit magical, you know? So, where’s our fish? I want a fish! I’m sure there’s one somewhere, hanging around. The ground is moving. It’s a feeling of freedom to be able to walk barefoot across this whole expanse. We’ve been watching for what, 10 minutes, and it’s risen quite quickly. Now it’s up to our knees. Yeah, it’s a bit unnerving in the end, this feeling of the water rising and rising, and then you wonder how you’re going to get out. Truly, the spring tides fascinate visitors everywhere, whether they’re walking, like in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, or fishing on foot, like in Saint-Malo. The Emerald Coast at Marbasse offers a new jewel every day. Me, you could really say I’m a local, you know. I was born within these walls, and my playground, well, it’s right here. So, for 50 years I’ve been scouring the rocks for crabs and chasing my dreams. So today, Gill is still fishing with his son. Yeah. No, I’m here. When it’s dug out here, it’s the mark that goes under the rock and clears away all the sand inside to dig its hole and its crevice. Where’s the blue gold of Brittany? That one’s going back to the sea. Too small. When we catch the Omar, we have to measure it from the corner of its eye here to the end of its head here. And here, you can see it’s not big at all, it must be 8 cm, a little less. So it’s going back in the water. Nature is generous if we allow it to grow its specimens. At the whim of the tide, the less experienced fishermen search for shellfish. Cockles, not heavy ones, or razor clams. Here, the people of Saint-Malo are proud of the crustaceans the tide provides. Over there, a large stone has been put back in place with a hut underneath so that next time, at the next tide, in two weeks, a crab will take up residence inside. I’ll catch it the following time. When the tide comes in, it’s time for everyone to return to shore. Then we’ll have to wait for the next low tide to explore the hidden corners of the sublime Emerald Coast. I won’t disturb the artist in his creation. Hello. How are you, Sophie? I’m fine and You? Great! You’re really into it. I’m trying, it’s a little bit difficult because the light is constantly changing. Yes, it’s always beautiful. It’s magical, isn’t it? Oh, I just kept you company for a little while. What do you think? I’ll keep going, I’ll add more. The sea is your main source of inspiration, natural forms like that. Yes, especially working on a scene, it’s good because it forces you to be in the energy, in the moment, in the instant. Hm. And to try to capture the moment very quickly. Yeah. Tides are a must too. Tides are a must. Yes, the tide comes in fast. How long have you been in Saint-Malou? Are you from Saint-Malou? A Saint-Malou native at heart. Yeah. I arrived in Saint-Malou with the fox. The fox is Surcouf’s boat. It’s Surcouf’s boat that you have there. Ah yes, of course. Surcouf’s replica , the most famous corsair of Saint-Malo. So you came by sea. What does that mean? I arrived the first time I truly discovered Saint-Malo. It was by sea and through the bay, and I fell in love with the bay of Saint-Malo because I think it’s especially this fortress that rises up like that. Yes, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? It’s a city with so much energy. I don’t know if it comes from the stone, from the presence of the sea, but the elements are very present. There’s a force here that’s always there, that invigorates. There you go. This place is quite magical. Oh yes. And every time I come here, I find it beautiful every time. But it is. The magic works. It does. It’s true. Aesthetics are important. Yeah, but look at the breakwaters. I think they tell a story. It’s really very beautiful. And the Briselam isn’t just folklore. No, it’s actually useful. Yes. It cuts the momentum of the waves, the tidal waves, the currents, the force of the sea. When I arrived in Saint-Malo, every morning I’d come here. Yeah. Either to the beach or to the ramparts and I’d say, “Good morning to Mother.” No, it’s too cute. Yes. Yes. What would she answer? “Come, come, come, come, come quickly.” It was Mother’s call. Mother’s call. Yeah. I think if you learn to sail here, you can still sail in lots of places at least. But the problem is that it’s so nice that you just stay there. Yes, I have that feeling. Yes, I have that feeling, it’s a real problem. Unless you haven’t found the exit from the ramparts and you’ve been wandering around for years. But anyway, that’s not it, it must be that. It’s a very mineral city, isn’t it? And the granite. There are some rather austere colors, almost a gray. But at the same time, you know, I know that when the sun comes back out, the city, poof, it changes completely. Always beautiful light here. Yeah. I like the protective aspect of the stone, it’s reassuring. A disembarkation from the old town. A little coffee, please. Yeah. Come on, it makes you want to go in and see. Hello. Hello. It’s funny. We’re comfortable here. This is a café that has been classified as a historic and heritage café of Europe. It has existed for about 200 years. And for the last 20 years, Jean-Jacques has put his personal collections on the walls, on the ceiling everywhere. Yes. Oh yes. He’s quite a character. Okay. We’re almost on a rocking boat. There you go. So let’s take advantage of this little relaxation period to do a bit of swinging, shall we? It’s peaceful, a weekend on the Emerald Coast. Not bad, eh? Malo is a very touristy town. Yes, it’s open. We have a lot of people who come to settle here, uh, newcomers. Uh, it’s also a town of travelers because many people from Malo leave and come back home. So it’s a mix, a diversity that’s quite nice. It enriches itself. Here we are on Rue de l’Orm, one of the prettiest little old streets in Intamuros. Yeah. Rue A shopping street, in any case. A shopping street. And I’m taking you to an institution. Here’s the butter house. You’ll see. Bordier. Yes, I know its reputation. Oh, well, well. Hello. Hello, how are you? Hello. Hello. It’s been a while, and you, Jérôme, you’re… you’re what we call having the butter trend in your hands. Well, yeah, it’s my baby. And it’s funny, isn’t it, because 10 kg of butter, you multiply that by 22 because it takes 22 liters of milk to make 1 kg of butter. You have 220 liters of milk there. Ah, I know your reputation precedes you, but I think one of your characteristics here at Bordier is to always make butter in the traditional way. Yeah. Well, yes, that’s really the method, it hasn’t changed. I’ve just gone back to the past. Yes, to the past. Yes. And your butter has a beautiful color. Ah, well, that’s the result of the cows’ diet, the animals’ diet, you know. Uh, it’s the chlorophyll in the grass, the beta-carotene, that gives it that buttercup-yellow color we see especially, it’s true, uh, late summer, early autumn. And on the other hand, it’s true that lush green pasture gives a very yellow butter, having gone through an ivory cream stage with extraordinary sunshine and a clear blue sky. It’s the rainbow of food. Ultimately, the true identity of taste lies in what the animals have eaten. So, I saw that you have different flavors, aromas, I don’t know what the term is. Yes, indeed. Well, among other things, you see, I have what you let your customers taste. Absolutely. I’ll give you a small spoonful. Okay. Eating butter like that, a small spoonful, is amazing. I hope this doesn’t get out, okay? No, no, no, no. It’s seaweed butter with three types of seaweed that bring three different characteristics and, above all, three colors too. Very, very good, very yogic, very marine. Then we move on to this. Ah, this is super interesting. In the mouth, a galette. A real butter galette. You’re in the buckwheat. It’s buckwheat in it. Buckwheat ? It’s excellent. The very terroir side of our region. Now we’re completely changing terroir. We’re going to bring in some acidity. Thanks to raspberry. Raspberry. It’s raspberry. It has little seeds in the recipe. Savory, sweet recipe, and so finally it makes a starter, main course, dessert, all that, but without overdoing it, very nice, pretty formula, and well, I’m going to use it because I’m going to buy some from you. Ah well, sir, finally business is picking up. I intend to have a little picnic during my walk, my hike, so there you go. So what shall we do? We’ll do a starter, main course, dessert. Excellent, it makes a butter sandwich, butter and butter, one or two slices of butter in a slice of butter, it’s a nice sandwich. There you go, I think you’re making a good living with that, the butter, the money for the butter. Thanks again, I’m coming. Thank you, Sophie. Have a good day. See you soon. Goodbye. So, Jérôme, here’s your hotel and tomorrow I’ll take you out on the water to show you Saint-Malo seen from the bay. There you go, perfect. I wish you a good night. Thank you anyway, Sophie, and see you tomorrow. See you tomorrow. Bye. Brittany, a peninsular land facing the sea. Like a stone ship, Saint-Malo gazes at the horizon and opens itself to the world. In the 16th century, Jacques Cartier, a cod fisherman’s son , was one of the first Bretons to set sail to conquer the New World. On the king’s orders, the shrewd navigator crossed the Atlantic, discovered Canada, and sailed up the St. Lawrence River before exploring Newfoundland. Since then, sailors have never stopped setting sail from the lights of Saint-Malo. You’ll be in the back at the end. This rope here has to stay taut. It has to stay taut while we raise our hands. Ah yes, great. That’s good. We’ll let it finish. Go ahead. Go on, everyone. Jean-Claude is the captain of the Fox, the last ship outfitted by Surcouff, the shrewd shipowner in the 19th century. Uh, You’ve all heard of the Corsicans, right? Yes. What’s a corsair? It’s someone who has a letter of marque that allows them to seize other ships, but in the name of their king, unlike a pirate. Because back then, you were always at war with someone anyway . So, the privateers could practically always do their job. On a ship like that, there were 40 to 50 corsairs embarking. Colbert, Louis XIV’s finance minister, set up this system to develop the French navy, wage war, and enrich the state. Wait, wait, wait, don’t get these things mixed up. The cargoes of gold, cloth, or spices were unloaded in Saint-Malo. Going out to explore in order to trade later, the call of the sea and the lure of profit were inextricably linked back then. A sailor could make quite a bit of money, depending on the captures. The peasant was still heavily taxed on the land, and then there was a system where you were conscripted against your will called “changaillage,” where sailors were lured into drinking in bistros and taverns in the evening, and then they’d find themselves that same evening or the next morning aboard a ship off the coast of France. And once you were on board, you had no choice. Anyway, it was pretty much a sink-or-swim situation. In the 19th century, the port of Saint-Malo was one of the most important in the kingdom. It became a real haven for sailors. Here, they were safe from enemy attacks. The high tides, the currents, and the rocky coastline made it difficult to access. Even today, they say, “He who sails from Saint-Malo can sail on all the oceans.” Setting off to explore the oceans, I think that’s been the dream of many men, and it still is to be able to conquer this vast expanse of sea with all its secrets. But there’s still a lot of danger, a lot of storms. That’s part of the dream. This coast has become a land of sailors. Pleasure boating, fishing, cruising, offshore racing, exploration, the merchant navy from training ships to container ships, all without a hitch. Two months at sea, and you’re really at sea. Me, for example, in the morning, I liked to have my breakfast and go up to the bridge with my cup of tea. There ‘s not much to see, really, because it’s open water everywhere. You feel both extremely privileged to be there and at the same time so small. The boat I was on was 140-150 meters long, but when you look around you, it’s absolutely immense. I feel incredibly privileged to have experienced all of that. Claire teaches mechanics at the merchant marine school in Saint-Malo. At a young age, she set sail for Pointe Noire in the Congo. Then she spent ten years sailing the world. Today, she’s back in her home port of Saintuliac, a place brimming with treasures and sailors’ tales . Is that my postcard you have there? Yes, it’s your postcard. Yeah, land. By the time you receive this postcard, there will be ice floes as far as the eye can see, and it will be dark almost all day. But I can’t wait to see the Northern Lights with the stamps. The ones that didn’t fit on the envelope, I put on the postcard. Like Claire, Serge has returned to his home port. A fisherman, he worked the great fishing grounds in the northern seas. Now, he scours attics for treasures from capoeira vessels. When you stop, yeah, it’s true that there’s the sea, and it’s a whole world, and you leave it. It’s hard. Very hard. Yeah. It’s different. I had a friend who often said—well, a quote from Plato, but it’s pretty funny—the living, the dead, and those who go to sea. And it’s true that on land it’s not the same. We’re not recognized the same way, you know? Sailors at heart. The captain is Breton, and as he says, we were born with our feet in the water. We have webbed feet like seagulls. Hi, how are you? I’m great. And you? Always welcome in the studio, even when you’re hard at work. Yeah, it’s really cute here. Thanks, here, I brought some snacks for coffee. We need some energy for today. Yeah, have a look around. Yeah, I’ll take a look. So what were you working on, exactly? Uh, a new comic. Oh yeah, that’s right, you’re doing that. Yes. There you go. Sketching. So, I’d like it to look like it’s done very easily. Click click click. A bit like dancing, you know, or music. And actually, it’s quite a bit of work, always with very little color. Oh yeah, but I think it’s very well done. And without even realizing it, even though it’s fiction, it’s very personal. Okay. Emerald Coast. There, we’re getting the color back. Very nice. Thank you. Well done. Would you like a quick coffee, Jérôme, before we go? Yeah, with pleasure. Yes. So today, we’re going out on Charlotte, a little boat that belongs to a friend named Yann H, and it’s the same type as my boat. A small, traditional fishing boat. You’ll see, we’re going to have a great time. Go ahead, please . Ah, thank you. We need to eat when we go to sea. Here, thank you. Get your strength back. Jôme, do you like my neighborhood of Saint-Servant? Yeah, it’s cute. It has a bit of a village feel to it; you wouldn’t think you were in Saint-Malo, actually. That’s true. That’s true. But it was an independent village before this little port; it’s very nice. You have the Solidor Tower, one of the first defensive structures built against the Beast of Saint-Malo, but especially against the entrance to Laarance, which is right next door. Hello Yann. Hi. How’s it going? Let me introduce you to Jérôme. Hi. Sorry, excuse me. Hi Yann. Very nice boat. It’s released at the front. Released. Completely released. Great. And that. Come on, that . Come on, we have to get that going. Is that good, Captain? That’s very good. Perfect. Mettel. I do n’t have a diploma, unlike you, because Sophie explained to me that she had passed her exams and so on. Yeah. Yes. It was something to be on a sailboat that was exceptional. What type of boat is it? This type of boat is a vaclotte. That’s the generic name we use for the sailboats of Normandy. The working fishing sailboats of Normandy. This one specifically was used to fish for oysters and mussels with dredges. Yeah. The Saint-Jacques boats are still very good, they’re already 70, 100 years old, they’ll never be obsolete , and thanks to Yan, traditional sailing is democratized. You can come on this kind of boat without ever having sailed before, for example. Well, I don’t know about sailing, but yes, it’s accessible, it’s a living heritage, that’s what we want, a living heritage beyond the postcard. We’re in the postcard, we’re part of it, but we sail, and it’s impressive, isn’t it? The city, the city, isn’t it? Ah, and then there’s a rather particular atmosphere with these clouds, this slightly piercing light that’s very aesthetic. So, you see, Jérôme, this is La Conchée, it’s one of the great defenses built by Vobans of the Bay of Saint-Malo. It’s been under renovation for 25 years now, with helicopters, a crane now, and we imagine that at the time they built it in only 5 years. It’s the Choset quarries that were used to build this fort and Monts-Saint-Michel. Okay. It’s granite, but a gray with a bit of yellow in it. There you go. Not a tombstone gray. Okay. We’re arriving at Saisres. It’s an island that was left to its own devices for 70 years. Tons of bombs were dropped on this island to glorify the Germans who had fortified it. Today, everything has changed because for the past year, the Coastal Conservancy has acquired this island and, with the army, has been able to clean it up, allowing visitors to discover the back of the island and, consequently, Discovering all the birds, the nests, everything so close by. It’s very interesting. Thank you, Yanne. Bye. Ah, it was very… Ah, it was magnificent. So here we are in Saisre. Well, yes, I’m very happy to bring you here because this trail hasn’t even been officially opened yet. It’s brand new. So, this is an island that was heavily bombed, heavily bombed. It seems that the first or second napalm tests, that is to say, were carried out on the island. A prime target simply because there were indeed 300 Germans stationed there in bunkers. Ah, and in fact, this was a prime location for them because they could prevent any Allied advance by sea, any landing anywhere. But I didn’t know the history of this little island, which seems so calm and peaceful, which has lived through such dark times. And yet, it’s now a haven of peace. Yeah. Oh, it’s extraordinary. In Jérôme, I’m in heaven, at the entrance to Saint-Malo. And actually, by boat, we always pass by. I’ve seen it for 12 years, and now suddenly, it’s the first time I’ve seen it from this angle above. H You don’t realize? No, that’s why I don’t have the same emotion. A setting of pleasure. Ah, I’m happy. It’s Ah, it’s great. But I’m happy. I’m happy that you appreciate rediscovering this place differently. Hello Fran. How are you, Sophie? How are you? I’d like to introduce you to Jérôme, listen, well, Jérôme, who always brings me… Pleased to meet you, Franck, welcome Jérôme to the corsairs’ place, that’s your hideout, right? If I understand correctly, it’s the hideout of the corsairs of Saint-Valop, okay, you have a voice that has shouted a lot at sea. Oh yeah, well, when there are strong northerly winds, you still have to complain. So how did you get here, Franck? On a windsurf board? Ah yes, in the 70s, and windsurfing brought me here. And then, yes. Ah, okay. OK. And then I thought to myself, this place, you just want to get stuck in and hold on tight. I thought, this is where I’m going to make it. And since I’m here, we’re going to fight to make it become, I mean, a living island again. It was Noman’s Land here. 20,000 bombs fell here. 20,000 bombs, you can’t just open up and say it’s a free-for-all, everyone go have barbecues over the shells. No, that wasn’t possible. So there was a huge, huge involvement from the navy and then the coastal authorities who were determined and who wanted this place, despite all the problems that entailed. Today, it’s a success, it’s 25, 30 years of struggle. It just goes to show that it’s possible to protect our country and revive part of the heritage of the town of Saint-Ballot. Now, today, it’s for everyone. And here it is. Thank you. Magnificent. Thank you very much. It’s beautiful. Great. Take it well, okay? Oh yeah, it’s a very pleasant stop. Thank you. And I like your perspective on this place, the way you appreciate it, the way you experience it. It’s really lovely. Come back whenever you want. At Ál, when the sea recedes, there’s a Michelin-starred chef who likes to have a bowl of sea urchin. So, I gather wild seagrass. This is called sea purslane. This is a bit like lemon and is very, very good. And I marinate it in vinegar and use it for cooking. There you go, I’ll continue. Okay. Chef Kudaka was born in Okinawa, a subtropical Japanese archipelago of palm trees and coral reefs. The river is a popular spot for Japanese tourists. For over 10 years, he has lived in Brittany. Brittany and Japan are very similar. When the weather is nice, this turquoise sea, this vast sky, it reminds me of my island of Okinawa. The sea is beautiful, but when you swim, you freeze. Unlike back home, a few years ago I worked in the Mediterranean, but I couldn’t live there. The French Riviera isn’t wild enough for me. The beaches are too touristy. Here, I feel at one with nature. That’s why I chose this land to work in. In Japan, in the Chinese belief system, the force of nature is revered. Here in Brittany, the chef, married to a Breton woman, has rediscovered this respect for the elements: air, earth, and sea. Hello. Hello Raphaël. How are you? Are you well? So, what are we doing this morning? Here, the chef has a typically French first name, Raphaël. His colleagues gave it to him when he arrived in France because they were mispronouncing his Japanese name. He’s kept it ever since. Is it worth the rib of beef? I cook it like this, hair side down first. Really, really, really browned, and then each side like this. Yeah. Slowly, slowly. The mouth. I want to eat quickly in the kitchen. I ‘ve never tasted it in Japan, for example. First time I tasted this. Wow, what is it? I don’t know this Charlie culture. And riette is his favorite treat. When he goes on vacation to Japan, he always packs some in his luggage. Breton and Japanese cuisines have things in common. Here, as there, gastronomy combines land and sea. We like to mix meat and fish on our plates. I love watching the tide come in and go out. I can feel the earth’s power. This spectacle deeply inspires me. Tofu, sesame, mango vinegar. Raphaël likes to combine Japanese and Breton flavors because he describes himself as a French chef. At culinary school in Osaka, he saw Alain Ducasse and Paul Bus pass through his kitchens. Trained at the Lyon hotel school, he worked in France for Olivier Relinger and Marc Vera. And for 12 years in Tokyo, before settling in Cancal, he was the chef of a renowned French restaurant. With it, he had already earned a Michelin star. Today, I use Breton seaweed. In Japan, they eat it from a very young age. Here, it’s everywhere. But the Bretons don’t use it. I hope to introduce them to seaweed, and who knows, maybe one day in Brittany, and even in France, everyone will eat it at home. The first time I came to France in the 80s, a colleague invited me to a crêperie. That was my first encounter with a galette. When I put a piece in my mouth, I thought, “But there’s buckwheat in there!” The taste brought back a flood of memories. It made an impression on me, and that’s how I started to become interested in Brittany. Buckwheat, another thing Japan and Brittany have in common. A tide came by, and dessert arrived. Apple crumble with almond cream and roasted buckwheat ice cream on a bed of Breton apple. Itakimas desbrit. Enjoy your meal. It was impossible for Jérôme not to make a detour to Cancal. He decided to leave Saint-Malo to discover this magnificent little port town of 5,000 inhabitants, famous among other things for its renowned oysters. Hello. Hello. A dozen or so. Go sit down on the edge. Enjoy the sun. I’ll open them for you. Come back in 5 minutes, they’ll be ready. So, a dozen or so, here we go. Hello. Hello. How are you? Well, I’m going to get some flat oysters since that’s really the specialty, the very essence of Cancal. That famous little hazelnut, almond flavor, so specific to the flat oyster. So, this size, we can find them in our oyster beds. No. And this is the same as at least twenty years ago. Twenty years ago. You’ll see, it’s quite nice. Oh yes! Well, this one is a bit barbaric, though. Wow! Oh my ! They’re beautiful, aren’t they? Yeah, thanks. Luckily I’m hiking because I’ll have to work it off. It’s a good way to doping, that’s for sure. Wow, that’s quite a piece, isn’t it? Yeah, it’s called a horse’s foot. Okay. It’s enormous. It’s a steak, you know. There’s a lot of substance there. Do you hike too? Or okay. I left 3 days ago. OK. And the goal is to do the whole coastal path, what we call the GR34. Yeah. All the way to Saint-Nazaire. 4 months of TRC. So I’d already done some sections, in particular I’ve already done the R34, but only for three weeks at a time. So, yeah, four months is a whole other project. I’m just a small fry, you know. I started from Saint-Michel, but I’m not as seasoned as you, if you know what I mean. Listen, you’re doing the right thing by taking a break here. Yes. Cancal oysters are famous far beyond the borders of Brittany and even the country itself. Exactly. And where are you heading from now? Saint-Malo. Saint-Malo. Pul Capray. But I might try to keep up with you. I think you’ll walk much faster than me. How old are you? 26. Oh yeah. You don’t have any joint problems yet? We’ll try to preserve them as long as possible. People sometimes don’t realize how much elevation gain there is on the GR34. But some days, for 20 or 25 km, it’s practically all ups and downs like that. It never stops. It’s not at all his style. What’s Pointe du Groin? How far is it from here? Leaving Cancal, between 6 and 7 km. Okay. Following this coastline, this GR34, also allows you to discover your Breton homeland. Exactly. Both the landscapes and the people. In fact, one of the goals of doing the whole thing is that. It’s to take the time to get to know the people of my region better. I’m really going to cover the whole thing, really do it in its entirety. There’s the sporting objective too. Pointe du Grand, that’s one of the most popular Breton headlands, because it’s estimated that between 500,000 and 1 million visitors. It’s the starting line of the Route du Rome. Listen, I’m going to continue a little further. I still have a few kilometers left. I should arrive around Capfel tomorrow if all goes well. I’ll walk a bit more today. Okay. We’ll meet there. I’m not taking the same path. I’m just going to the little beach down there to catch a boat to see the dolphins because there are loads of them there, I’m planning. Yeah. Yeah. Gael maybe. Exactly. Hi Jérôme, welcome to paradise. Thank you. I’m doing very well. The school here, we’re in a sailing school. Exactly. It’s a marine education center and sailing school at the same time. We’ve been around for 14 years and for 14 years we’ve been living our passion. Exploring the marine environment in particular. Yeah. Raising awareness about the fragility but also the beauty of the marine environment, and the most beautiful ambassadors we can find in the area are the bottlenose dolphins. And that’s what we’re going to do together this morning. Great. I’m glad to hear that. Okay, thanks. Off to see the dolphins! The light on the sails is sublime. It’s like stepping back in time. It feels like we’ve traveled centuries. That’s what’s so great about this boat, you really could feel like you’ve gone back centuries. It’s our local emblem, it’s called the Cancalaise. We used to have dozens and dozens of boats like this one, used for dredging oysters. And what’s a bit sad is that there are only two left. They’re just a tiny speck there through binoculars. So what we do, you see, we stop like this every 15 minutes. Then, we do like in Obéx, you know, you get as high as possible and then do a big 360° turn. Okay. And if there’s nothing there, well, you keep going. And the idea is to prospect in this way. Are the dolphins we’re seeing in the decline the ones that travel in groups, in pods? Absolutely. Yeah, they’re a gregarious species. They’re very rarely solitary. They have a lot of interaction and actions with each other. And so we have fairly large groups. We’re talking about animals that are often in herds of 30 to 40 individuals. We say herd. Yeah, we can say herd. You can say, well, like with fish. But since they’re mammals, you can also say herd. We’re on the water to collect data on these animals, and the idea behind our outings, It’s about raising awareness but also collecting data to better understand the local population. Okay. You have a dolphin right there, look. Yeah, they’re bottlenose dolphins. So, I’m going to take a picture of the dolphins’ fins. Wow! Did you hear their breath? Yeah. Yeah. So, they exhale as soon as they surface, refill their lungs, and then they’re off again for another dive. Look, it’s coming towards us. Did you see the marks on its body? It has quite a few marks. Look, it’s coming. You see? Look through the transparent part. Look, it’s right here. It’s incredible. Oh my god. Oh, it’s insane. It’s just crazy. And it’s wonderful to share it, isn’t it? Ah, it’s like Christmas came early. They’re back. It’s a gift. It’s a gift, you see. I think you have more than twenty individuals right there. And when it happens like that, it’s a magical moment. You never want it to end, and yet I imagine it’s not like that every day . No, it’s not like that every day. There are days when you don’t see any. Yeah. And then there are days when you’re definitely part of the pod. You always get that feeling, even after 10 or 12 years like you. How can you ever get tired of it? It’s never the same. It’s crazy. When you study dolphins, you get the feeling that you’re basically asking who’s studying whom more. There’s a real connection. We look at each other. And, uh, no, you can’t get tired of it. It quickly becomes addictive. From Saint-Malo, with a 1.5-hour ferry ride, the English Channel offers its islands. In Jersey, an Anglo-Saxon island, the road signs are in French. Here, it’s like Brittany, but they pay in pounds sterling and speak English. The English Channel connects the cousins ​​of Little Britain and Great Britain. Britty, that’s where it’s at. John was born in a mining town in the north of England, and 30 years ago, he came to settle in Jersey to answer the call of the Channel, the call of the granite cliffs that overlook it. For me, living in England wasn’t enough. I was looking for something else. I went to Australia, to New Zealand, but everything brought me back to Jersey. Within a stone’s throw, a 20-minute drive away, there’s everything I love in life. Kayaking, paddleboarding, the beach, climbing, and that’s enough to make me happy . A guy from Craig Island. He wouldn’t leave his little rock in the Channel for anything in the world. If you head straight in that direction, it’s America. So we have strong winds, storms coming from there. The water is incredibly choppy. We have enormous waves crashing against the rocks. We hear them, we feel the spray. It’s at that moment that you forget everything. Escape from the world. Caribbean blue, the English Channel isn’t exactly tropical. But that doesn’t displease the daring. What’s the temperature? 11°C. 11°C. And you don’t mind jumping in? No. S is 61 years old and she learned to swim before she could walk. Ready, girls? Let’s go. Every day, winter and all, S is in the water. She’s crossed the Channel seven times and she doesn’t plan on stopping. She’s already training for 2020. We’re privileged here in Jersey. Our mother is translucent, crystalline thanks to the ebb and flow of the tides. The English Channel is my spiritual home. It’s where I’m happiest in the world. It shelters my heart and soul. I’d love to live there. I should have been a fish. We like to call ourselves the mermaids of Jersey. The Channel. If Jersey regards it with kindness and respect, it’s because it generously offers its treasures to Lille. Oysters are exported to tables in New York or Tokyo, and whelks travel as far as South Korea. Do you want a whelk? Oh yes, I love them. And so does my friend Gary. Well, that’s great. But you didn’t tell me his wife had a baby. But I didn’t know anything about it. Do you want some Omar? Yes. What size? When I was a little boy, about 10 years old, I used to dive around the coast. In May and June, we’d go fishing for crabs and lobsters and put them in onion sacks to sell from a cart on the beach. We sold them for 10 pennies each. See you next week when I get back from London. Have a good trip. He’s taking Léomar to London for his son. The mother is one of us all in Jersey. Parents, grandparents, here everyone has a boat to go fishing. We all live on an island for and with the sea. So our fish shop is the heart of the island. Even if they don’t want fish, they come to chat. We make them laugh. Vicky, the fishmonger from Jersey, lived in Paris and London, but her sleeve called her back. Here, Jersey fishermen sell their catch on the island or in France, in Granville and Saint-Mans. It’s more for me than for you. Here, many families have French ancestors. Several decades ago, Vicky’s family left the French coast to open a business on the island. Jersey isn’t part of England. Jersey has its own autonomy. We obey the Queen. She is our sovereign, but we have our own government. We don’t have to follow everything they do in England. Everyone is talking about Brexit and what’s going to happen. France and Jersey have built a relationship over generations. It can’t just end like that. In Jersey, you can swim towards France. We’re closer to France than to England. Brexit shouldn’t affect Jersey, and I hope it won’t. In the 6th century, exiled Britons came to the island. They crossed what they called the Sea of ​​Brittany at the time. Victor Hugo also crossed it in the 19th century. After Louis Napoleon Bonaparte’s coup d’état, which forced him into exile, he took refuge on the Channel. This is the true link between the Breton cousins. Okay. Hello. I was recommended to visit the Malouinière du Puit Sauvage. It’s here. That’s a good idea. I’m here and I still live here, so there you go. And I also give tours. So you’re the owner. There you go. Oh great, perfect. What does “juste malinard” mean? The first secondary residence built at the beginning of the 18th century around Saint-Malo. Okay. There were about 200 of them, and 112 are currently listed. These houses were no longer fashionable at all in the 19th century. So many have disappeared. These are shipowners’ houses, and their primary function was for entertaining. We even called these kinds of small manor houses “bottle-emptying” houses, you know. So that illustrates their purpose well. Okay. Okay. The second function was to have a garden, orchard, vegetable patch, small poultry yard, and maybe a chicken coop. The third function of these houses—we’ll go into the courtyard here—is the small holes you see here, integrated into the outbuildings. These are dovecotes. They were the shipowner’s postal service back then. They even sent pigeons on the ships. And when the shipping company was engaged in coastal trade, they would go to Bordeaux or Île-Dieu or even as far as Marseille to get wine. The captain would arrive in a port, buy two pigeons, and the shipowner would know the next day that the ship had arrived safely . Fascinating. Well, I suggest we go inside. Enjoy discovering the grand salon. Oh, look, we have all the original furniture. This is the living room. It’s actually one of the reception rooms. There you go. This manor house has belonged to you from generation to generation. It’s quite special, actually, because my father came back here in 1942, bought this house, and started researching his genealogy. He realized that one of the Caesarean grandmothers was born here. So it was in the family during the reign of Louis X, during the French Revolution. He realized that before the manor house was built, for 200 years, it was Also, great-great-great-grandparents who lived here. So it’s quite special. Paintings everywhere. This one’s lovely. Beautiful light. It’s one of the canvases I painted for a certain period of my life. You certainly have a beautiful brushstroke. Thank you. And here’s the shipowner’s office. Then we’re going to the ends of the earth. We’re in Polynesia. At least. Privateers or shipowners are rather good company. Which might explain why some never returned. They were reported missing. I might have cousins ​​all over the world. Here are vegetable gardens. It’s a community garden, actually. People come to grow their own vegetables, and so the original function has been restored. Here you have two small garden pavilions at each corner. Hm. That one was an afternoon room. Ah yes, yes, I see a room where something other than a nap can take place. Okay, I understand perfectly. And under the Empire, it became an oratory. So, a change of use, a change of… Oh, the greenhouse is sublime! There’s a rather extraordinary cactus collection, unique in Brittany, actually. Ah, it’s fantastic. And well, it’s originally plants brought back by our ancestors, right? When we went on expeditions, we brought back a lot of exotic plants. Yes, it’s not very endemic, the cactus, quite… I think there are more than 700 different species, in fact. Thank you very much for this visit, it’s very kind. It’s a beautiful place. I fell in love with it when I was little. So, I’m continuing, in fact, my father’s legacy; he put a lot of heart into his collections, and so, here I am, continuing to maintain this place. We’re doing some more work in front of it. Short garden. Good evening. Good evening. Welcome. Thank you. So, what’s the group called? The group is Kick en grogne (Kick in a groan). Kick is grumbling. That basically means, you still can’t, you can still grumble like that. Even if you grumble, I’ll do it anyway. So we ‘ve taken up “who’s grumbling.” They say Bretons are a bit stubborn. That’s kind of the principle, isn’t it? It’s also badly far away, particularly. Yeah. It’s great anyway . You have an incredible place. Yeah. Yeah. We’re lucky. We’re lucky. We’re going to, well, this is the dance hall. Yeah. Dance hall for us. Rehearsal for the musicians too. How did you get started? What led you to traditional dance? Me, actually, I followed my sister who did Breton dance and so I thought, hey, I’ll give it a try. I wasn’t particularly drawn to it at first. And once you’ve had a taste of it, especially with your friends, well, you’re hooked. Good evening. Good evening. There’s a lot of work going on here. Arri, you arrive in Kikogne’s dressing room. This is where you found all the costume reserves for the stage group. Every year we put together new choreographic sequences. We develop new costume designs, new projects… it’s good. Wow! Let’s see what it can look like. Yeah. There you go. When it’s finished, it’s going to be magnificent, isn’t it? We’re immediately transported back in time. Yeah, that’s it. Very beautiful costume. B, I’ll watch you then. Well, you’re even going to come with us, you know. Oh, I’m not sure if the girls… 5, 6, 7, 8 and 1, 2, very small steps, 5 and 1, 2. There you go. Come on, let’s go. Gavotte. Bravo! Oh. Careful, he’s going back up the rope. Hello Stéphane. Hi everyone. How are you? I’m doing well. And you? You told me under the Breton flag and under the sun. And under the sun. Well, you know I don’t know Dinard, so I ‘m counting on you to show me around. Finally, a little walk. Here are the must-sees. Okay. Let ‘s go. Come on, it’s lively here. There are a lot of people. Ah, always. So you ‘re from Dinard. Dinard? Yes. Dinard. I’m the tenth in my family, and my nine brothers and sisters were born in Périgueux in the Dordogne. But, well, my parents have Moved here just before I was born. You’re the only Breton. The only Breton. That’s funny. Yeah, it’s funny. I can’t believe the weather I’ve had since I arrived here. Kim Nard’s microphone. Oh yes, the famous one. We have palm trees, we have the rancid sea air which gives us a special climate. Is that really true? Oh, okay. We can gain a few advantages compared to others. Hello sir. Hello sir. We’ll have two sausage patties. Two. Yeah. So you’re not too much of a sheep, and yes, I came to walk along the Douigners path to see the whole Emerald Coast. It’s magnificent. There you go. Great. How much do we owe you for €5? I know you, I’ll give you a discount. Oh yes, I see. It’s written there. Thank you. What is the stronghold of the sausage patty, by the way? I wouldn’t have upset you. It’s Breton. It’s very close-knit, unlike Saint-Malo, which is a rather massive town. I get the impression that Dinard is the opposite: a very open, quite spread-out town. Yeah, it’s true that the ramparts of Saint-Malo are quite heavily built up. They’re the ramparts, they’re the defense. Dinard is a bit more spaced out. We still have a high density with all the towns there that are by the sea. All these listed towns are really emblematic of Dinard. We have one that’s quite famous. We have the Villa Rogb, which is on the left during Halloween, which was bequeathed to the town of Dinard, and we have the Villa Saint-Germain. It’s just sublime. A family that owned it. There are very few villas that have remained in the family, actually. Many have been divided into apartments. Okay. In fact, it’s one of the last villas that belongs to a family. It’s great. There’s a bit of a “birit” feel to it. Yeah, right. Oh, it’s crazy! You, who do windsurfing, you’re kind of in paradise. No, for windsurfing, it’s fabulous. It’s fabulous because we have a fantastic area to sail as far as the eye can see. The water is constantly changing depending on the tides. So, what’s down there? Is that the GR? Yeah, it’s the GR. It’s the coastal path that starts at the Rance estuary and runs along the coast all the way to Saint-Luner and beyond. Come on, I ‘m here to explore it as much as possible. So, I’ll take you. We’re going to be right by the sea here. It’s both spectacular and incredibly beautiful, isn’t it? It’s hard to believe we’re on the GR34 here. The GR4, which is impassable during spring tides. This whole area from here to the club is practically covered by the sea, and you have to get swept away. There are people who get stuck on top of the rocks there. So, you have to take the shuttle boat to Cap Frère. Oh yes, I could have taken it, but I decided to go via the GR34. And actually, if I manage things well, I should be able to get there before the end of the day, you see. Yes, yes, you have to keep a good pace. A good walk, a good rhythm. We’re arriving at the club now. So, here we are at the Wishbon Club Dinard, founded in ’78. So, 40 years this year. Wow! Exclusively windsurfing, a club for board owners. And then we expanded from the ’80s and ’90s. We evolved to include catamarans, a paddleboarding center, all kinds of watersports. Okay. I’ll introduce you to my sons. So, boys, this is Leo. Nice to meet you. And Paul is the last one. How’s it going, Paul? It’s going well. You’re setting up the boards. You’re going to go sailing. Sailing for a little while. Get our foils ready. So, what are these? You see, these are the boards that… There you go, exactly, these are the foils. It’s a bit like the same principle as airplanes, actually. A lift system, meaning you jump off the waves, you take off, you do tricks. There you go. Exactly. Basically, we launch ourselves from the shore, we build up as much speed as possible to propel ourselves onto the wave and go as high as we can. And here, we’re not going to jump, but fly. It’s really impressive. Great. And you, then? How did you get started in windsurfing? I started in ’79. I competed for quite a few years at the national level, and then, uh, from ’92 onwards, I took over the club again. Uh, I slowed down in terms of competition, especially since my two boys also started competing. Everyone in the family is talented, so they’ve competed in the World Championships. Léo got a top finish in the European Championships . He must have finished 4th in a European slalom championship. That’s a whole other discipline. Oh yeah, you guys are crazy, aren’t you? I’m going to put you in the front row for the show. Well done, guys. Ah. Last one to arrive buys the drinks. That was this winter in Africa. Wow! You see, I arrived facing… No, but you’ve gone back to the bottom. That’s great. Incredible. It’s really cool. It’s impressive. Oh well, we were talking about surfing, it’s definitely surfing here, isn’t it? We’re just hanging out. Anyway, thanks for this day and I’ll be back in Dinard. I’m still trying to improve a little, and I’m sure I’m better at charcuterie boards than windsurfing. A few dozen kilometers south of the Emerald Coast, there’s a little paradise for hikers and visitors. The Brossé Liande forest covers 7,000 hectares. These ancient trees are steeped in legends, including those of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. An investigation into unusual discoveries. Every year, 100,000 visitors lose themselves in the mythical Brossé Liande. In a forest like this, you can see the whole imaginary world of fantasy. You can see magicians, forest spirits, nature spirits. Everything the human mind could dream of surrounding a forest can be found, on a grand scale or a small scale, within this territory. Séverine is a fantasy illustrator. In the 80s, she was a bit of a punk, as she puts it. Since then, she’s left Paris for the charms of Brittany. It’s true that here, I’ve found particular colors, a bit special in Brittany. The red of the earth because of the iron veins, the green of the forest, the blue of the sky, and it creates a very particular harmony. And it’s true that my color palette has changed. More in the sadder seasons. The mist, which is always so conducive to the imagination. Here, she has found a living forest, a forest that inspires her. My forest is indeed a forest populated by women. We mustn’t forget that in the Seventh Culture, women are very present, very important, powerful. So the Broselliande forest is, of course, a forest inhabited by women. In Arthurian legends, knights fight for the love of a woman, and deeds transmit knowledge and wisdom. They are powerful and inspire the storytellers of Broselliande. In Viviane Saarine, it was Diana who gave her three gifts. She said she would be the most beautiful, the most perfect, that she would rise to the rank of a fairy, and that she would meet the most extraordinary man of her time. But in exchange, she could not leave the Brossignan forest. And one morning, she turns fifteen. She is no longer a little girl. She is not yet a woman that morning. For Viviane, she stands at the edge of possibility. Marie is a storyteller. For her, if King Arthur became king, it was not because he possessed the sword Excalibur, but because he had a wife, a fairy who foretold his reign when they met in the forest. In the legend of King Arthur, women play an essential role, right? They are initiators, inspirers. This forest is the same. I perceive the forest as a woman, as a way to court a woman. You have to take paths, detours, take your time, get to know each other. Like a woman, the forest is multifaceted. You can’t ask the impossible of a woman. A woman is never like that. To a woman, It’s like the moon, like the seasons, like a day—it can change. And that’s how I perceive the forest, how I connect it to the feminine world. The forest is a place of initiation. When these visitors enter, they don’t know what awaits them. What encounter will they have? A trial or a fairy with a dreaded spell? Who knows? Do you feel ready to enter the forest? Yes. Then let’s go. For me, in my experience, the Brosellon forest and all forests—you don’t come in as if you’ve conquered the place. You ask to enter; it’s like entering someone’s home. That’s why, for me, it has a sense of the sacred. There are guardians of the gate. You ask the guardian, “May I enter? Thank you.” That’s how I see things and share it. After that, you either accept it or you don’t; everyone is free to do so. For 15 years, Caroline has come to the Broselliande forest every day, and with Christelle, a pianist, she sings as a duo. To nourish their creation, they call upon the forest and its melody. Sound to open themselves to wonder. ” I’m not looking for a melody, I let it flow through me, whether it’s with the water, with the piano, with the birds, with the wind, the forest envelops us. You could say it’s a very welcoming, feminine energy.” Enchanting and inspiring, in this majestic forest, magic hides everywhere, in the illusion of a lake or in the treetops. Broselliande offers its wonders. Hello, sir. Oh. How are you? Yeah, very well. Did you lighten your load? You were too hot. Exactly. Or the Breton heat. Exactly. What’s wrong? Oh, nothing much. A little pain in my knee, but it’ll hold up, I hope. There’s still a long way to go. Not bad. Yeah. How many kilometers have you covered since you left? Since Saint-Michel, I’m almost at 80. So, why did you ask me to meet here? Well, I knew you wanted to go to Capfrel, but actually, just before that, there’s a place I particularly like. Okay. You, and I think you’ll like it too. OK. I’m coming with you, Mr. Hiking Leader, the guide. There, there, I suggest turning right. Wow, it’s superb. Yeah, it’s a little gem perched on the cliff there. Yeah, like magic. It’s called Fort La Latte, the most visited castle in Brittany. We can take a look around. Don’t be long. Come on, let’s go. Ah, that’s great. Ah, it always fascinates the locals, me. Ah yes, so there, you’re going to enter this rather legendary castle of Brittany. It’s a building whose construction began in the 14th century, 1340 to be exact, and it was partially destroyed at the end of the 16th century. And what mainly remained was this large tower you see, which is the castle’s keep. Okay. So, who was it used to protect against back then? Well, partly the English, of course, and also, what we often forget to mention, is that it was also used to defend the Corsicans when they went on the attack against the English. Exactly. Sometimes it came quite close to the coast. We fired cannons from here. So, we fired cannons. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I see you’re like me. You’re passionate about history. Yeah. That’s also why I’m hiking the GR34, to immerse myself in the past. Yeah, because there’s heritage all along the coast. Things to visit, to see. Everyone from the coast. We’re going through all the eras. Yeah. It would be cool if we went up there. What is it? Listen. Yeah. Yes. We can. Come on, listen. Come on, let’s go. Yeah, we’re imagining ourselves there, huh? We’re imagining ourselves in that era, especially with the furniture. Exactly. It’s 17th-century furniture. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. One of the Lord’s living spaces . Do you want to see the throne? The throne? Yeah. I can tell you’re joking from your little smile. You know what? Go ahead. So, I suggest you go over there, right at the back, immediately to the right. Yes, I sensed the joke. The latrines. Very well. The latrines. Well, I don’t, you know, I don’t particularly feel like it, and so you can see what a lovely little view they had anyway. It’s good. Okay then, I’m going to flush and then I’ll be right there. Last step. That’s good. It’s not like you have an extra 20 kg on your back. Exactly. It’s true that climbing a dungeon with 20 kg on my back, I’d never done that before. You see, it’s not the end of the world, but it’s not far to get from the fort. Yeah. The effort is worth the reward, it’s worth the effort and much more. It’s very spectacular in any case. So what are the parts we see down there on the right and left ? They’re the living quarters of Isabelle’s owner. Okay. She lives there. She lives there. I know Isabelle quite well. Okay. There’s a knock at the door. You think she doesn’t know? I don’t know, but we can always knock. Listen. Come on. Oh, there’s someone there. Oh, it’s Gan. Hello Isabelle. Oh, it’s Getan. How are you? Great ! And how’s the GR trail going? Oh, well, yes, listen, yeah, it’s going well, it’s going well. I’m right in the middle of it. Oh, that’s wonderful. And guess what? I met Jérôme on the GR34. I’m not as much of a hiker as him, you know. I’m just out for a stroll. Hello, ma’am. Hello. Santz. Come in, that’s kind of you. Thank you very much. I know curiosity is a bad habit, but I’ll own up to this one. He’s very curious. It’s incredible. I’m very surprised. I wasn’t expecting it to be almost period-appropriate, well, period-appropriate, I imagine at least the 17th or 18th century. Yes. Yes. 18th. 17th or 18th century. I might be a bit discreet, but this tower, this castle, how many generations has it been in the family? It was bought in 1931 by my father-in-law. We’ve been at the Queen’s for 38 years. 38 years of work. Yeah, I imagine. Mainly maintenance, we’re caretakers. Owners of historical monuments are caretakers. So you live here year-round? No, six months is already quite a while. Six months is already quite a while. Okay. Yes, I think winter is going to be a bit difficult. It’s very harsh in winter. We’re cold. Uh, to get to the rooms, we have to go, uh, along the ramparts, so outside. And we have, it’s quite a rugged house. Well, thank you, madam. Thank you very much. Goodbye and continue to take good care of your castle. Thank you again. For your hospitality. There you go, and see you soon. Yeah. What a pleasant destiny, huh? Absolutely amazing. Yeah. What’s it like with the light? Listen, Jérôme, I think we’re there. Yeah. I’ll let you enjoy the end of your journey. Cape Frêel, there it is, marked by the lighthouse. So, exactly, how beautiful it is with the light? Except for the lighthouse, its taste, as the English say. So far, so good. It fits well tonight. There’s a smaller lighthouse to its left. That’s it. Older. There, there’s an old one on the left. The one on the right. There, that’s more recent. My favorite spot here. The most beautiful view for me is the sunset there. Go down a little onto the rocks, a little bit on the opposite side of the valley. There we go, that’s it. The atmosphere is absolutely incredible. I never tire of these landscapes. I could easily put down my bag. I imagine you could too. No? Well, listen, gladly, gladly. You’re going to see landscapes like this. You will throughout your stay here. You’re going to have a feast. Speaking of feasts, I have some food if you’d like, that I gathered during my weekend. Here, I’ll let you take possession of all this. Thank you, young man. Your turn. No, I don’t really like butter, as you can see. Even if you’re only at the beginning of your adventure, my weekend ends today. Mine ends here. And it’s true that we experience the journey, we experience the discovery at a different pace on foot. Necessarily. We take the time to see things and we don’t live the weekend at all. The same way as if I’d been in a car, and you’re not going to contradict me, obviously. Well, that’s the end of this trip. I thank everyone who joined me during this very enriching weekend, and I’ll see you very soon for more wonderful getaways to other faraway lands. Don’t forget, you can follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, and of course, watch this show on replay. Ken to you, as we say here. Orqu to you, see you soon. he

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Week-end sur la Côte d’Emeraude – Échappées belles 22 septembre 2018

Longue d’une quarantaine de kilomètres, la côte d’Emeraude se situe sur la côte nord de la Bretagne, entre Cancale et le cap Fréhel. Son nom provient de la couleur de la mer. Place forte des lieux, Saint-Malo et ses forts ont toujours défendu ce territoire maritime, d’où se sont élancés explorateurs et corsaires. Cette côte est aussi le paradis des randonneurs avec ses 350 kilomètres de sentiers balisés, dont le GR34, l’une des routes les plus touristiques de France. Jérôme Pitorin découvre les falaises rocheuses de la côte d’Emeraude à pied, en randonnant sur le mythique sentier des douaniers.