England and France 2013 - Two

 Northern France  July 1-12, 2013

Ile de Sein

 After flying into Paris we immediately drove out to the Brittany Coast.  We were heading west to   We went there with our friend Frederique and her daughter, in hopes of connecting up with Dony,  an ambassador dolphin. Ile de Sein is a special place, rugged and peaceful with almost no significant vegetation, but there is a village of stone and plaster houses with a few shops and businesses. Fishing was the historical industry, and there still is some fishing, but day tourists and seasonal residents seem to account for the majority of activity.  The area has many rocky bays and shoals and beautiful lighthouses.  If you have seen a picture of a lighthouse almost being inundated by a large wave, the picture most likely came from this area.  Luckily, we experienced pretty nice and calm weather while we were there.  Unfortunately, we did not get to see Dony.
spend four days on Ile de Sein, a small island several miles off the coast in the Atlantic.

Beach at Fouras

After Ile De Sein, we followed Frederique to her home in Fouras, just south of La Rochelle on the mid-Atlantic Coast of France.  Fouras is great town of moderate size, and Frederique and her kids live in an original townhouse right across the street from the bay and a castle!

Zena's place

From the coast we went straight to the interior of France near the center of the country – the Morvan region. Zena, an old friend of Mary’s, lives on few acres in a 200+ year-old farmhouse. She has outfitted and decorated the house really nicely, keeping the rustic feel décor while upgrading functionality.  We thoroughly enjoyed the fresh food from the garden and

Zena’s excellent cooking.  We explored the old Roman ruins and sites in the area, and made a trip
to Abbey De Fontenay.  This restored 14^th century Cistercian abbey near Montbard is a gem.  It is far enough off the beaten track to not be crowded, and the buildings and grounds are very peaceful and awe inspiring.

From a cathedral of monks to a cathedral of mountains, we went to Chamonix, a town in the French Alps near the Swiss and Italian borders. Mont Blanc (the highest peak in Europe) and its sisters are the main attraction. Skiing in winter and hiking and cable car riding in summer.  The weather was great and the majesty of the Alps from Chamonix was breathtaking.

Mt. Blanc

We drove through the 7 mile-long Mont Blanc Tunnel from Chamonix to Italy and spent a day and night in Pre St Didier. There we enjoyed a very relaxing day at the thermal baths - a lovely complex of pools, waterfalls, saunas, relaxation rooms, snacks and massage.  We both loved it and appreciated the break from sightseeing, driving and walking. Our massages were good too. We needed this because our next stop was the hubbub of the Italian and French Rivieras.