You may have come to France, or even Brittany to enjoy music festivals? Yes, Small Britain is the best place for live music... the region where there is the more important number of music festivals in France. The biggest, les vieilles charrues, gathers more than 200 000 visitors … and it's money worth... Famous international bands (old and young ones) and French singers will sing for you for a nice price !!!
And maybe, if you went to listen live music in Breton festivals, you've noticed that your glass was refundable! Using and using it again and again !



Festivals lovers know or imagine the quantity of plastic cups used on an outdoor demonstration ... Thousands of plastic glasses are used on those week ends... and sometimes (at best) they end up in a bin ? Or (at worst) on the floor...

And we have a local figure who is fed up of this mess of plastic and is looking for a solution... to fight this over-consumption of oil... Bruno, the boss of a pub (le sablier) in Rennes.

He began to work (voluntarily) with a supplier of glasses in the South ... of France. Who had a product made in Spain with the C E symbol (made in China not to be confused with our symbol European CE! It is almost the same... just the gap between the letters is wider!) ...
But it is a nonsense: to sell a « green » product that is not produced locally, that needs to parcourir miles to be washed and again ...... No, no, really, green washing will not go on with him!
He needs a more logical solution, a local one, a real green cup... produced here with recyclable plastic... And he did it !

The adventure began some months ago with a plastic food industry, Française des Plastiques, (located in Louvigné de Bais a few miles from Rennes), that makes the precious « container » with .... ITS waste, ITS defective products...The raw material is there, the cup Esprit planète is born ... The glass is recyclable and manufactured here. ... It is also washed in Brittany ... and the festivals love it ( Bobital, Reggae Summer Fest...).

And for good reason ... it has lots of advantages:
It can be rented or purchased by the event organizers. It can be used many times up to a 100th. You can customize it.



The principle: a deposit of 1 euro, you get a cup documented and reusable. For hot or cold drinks. Washable again and again.
The only problem : the tab. Because of it the glass is not 100% recyclable but 30 %. The tab does not hold when it is a 100%. But Bruno is looking for a solution... And he will find one !
Cheers



Read it in French : Festival du gobelet réutilisable en Bretagne : esprit planete détrone le verre en plastique à usage unique

Summer time ! We must take care of our youth!
Have you tried stilts with kids, I did and it's nice. I even made them myself, I made them with my children ! You can do races with toddlers (2 years) ... You just have to carry them and help them to walk ! Quickly the child moves his feet alone.
As for my 4 year old daughter, after several days of intensive training with a nice mum, she moves alone without assistance. We play with my 2 year old son and we had a good laugh. Even the old one aged 12 wanted to have its own (but he is less addictive).



As with many crafts, if you want to succeed, you need to prepare the material you'll need. To do these stilts, you need a minimum of equipment ! Eat canned food and keep them !

Material:
For the 2 years old : 2 cans (empty) contents 212-ml.
For the stilts of the child aged 4 : 2 empty cans but larger (content: 425ml)
For the older one (12 years) the larger size.
String
Elastic pants (for the stilts of the two youngs) ...better to use a rubber band wider than that of my pictures, but I only had that one the day I started the stilts).
Scissors
A sharp opener



Make two holes in each can (on the side, top and front). Make sure that metal parts do not exceed (better inside for the child does not get hurt).
Tie elastic and string. Pull them from inside the box to the outside. The node is hidden.



Take the measure with the shoe for the elastic (the stilts have to be tested with shoes, otherwise it hurts to walk). Measure the rope, the child must be able to hold it in his hands. Tie it in the can, (this is the most difficult step) ... Node must be large enough that it does not pass through the hole. Repeat the same for other stilts.

The game is ready. .... Put on with shoes on. Give him the rope to move the stilt and... very soon the children understand how it works (even at two) and how to move forward. .



Read it in French : Faire des échasses pour des enfants de 2 et 4 ans

Origine
The nasturtium is native from South America. According to sources, it comes from Peru or neighboring Andean countries (Colombia, Bolivia and even Brazil). Jesuits, during the 16th C imported it into Spain. It then conquered Europe as an edible and medicinal plant.

Description
Linné, a famous swedish botanist fixed his name in 1753 Tropaeolum majus. In Europe, the plant exists in many varieties. Annual, it is sensitive to frost. Its flower (five petals) 3 to 5 centimeters varies from yellow or red.



Its size is adaptable to your garden: dwarf (30-50 cm) for your flower pots or climbing varities (several meters) on your walls ... or creeping as ground covers ...
It has another peculiarity ... it is waterproof, water do not wet the plant but it forms drops that slide ... It is called the lotus effect ...

The growth : seedlings or cuttings
Plant indoor in February and replant in April when the weather is ok. The nasturtium likes sunny places. The plant is fragile (the stem snaps easily ... avoid windy areas). If despite your good care, it breaks, put the cuttings in sheltered soil. In a few days you will have roots. The seeds are done in July, after flowering ... Let dry until next year.



Utility ... in gardens
Aphids: Organic gardeners love them .... Very useful for gardening, flowers attract aphids .... You will just burn have to burn the blackened flowers with insects.

In the kitchen
This plant is edible, everything is (from bud to flower, seeds and leaves ....). The leaves and flowers are considered as a stimulant, they taste like watercress. They are used as flavorings in salads ( peppery flavor). In Italy, they are used to decorate dishes of fish or meat. The fruit or soft buttons can be soaked in vinegar. It tastes like capers. Spanish people aromatize their vinegar with the flowers. They often add the tarragon and pepper.

Medicinal Properties
Essential oil has antibiotic effects .. It is also used against urinary infections or flu. Or to treat bruises: crush the leaves until you get an oil. Brush the blue. It itches a little.

Sources : Wikipédia Allemagne, Espagne, France, Grande Bretagne, Italie et Portugal. Sources: Wikipedia Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy and Portugal.

Read it in French : Plante ornementale et décorative, aromatique et comestible : la capucine

Inquiring minds will note that the main color of the stone houses of the region Brocéliande or in other places in Brittany, is red.
Red shale is a rock, very common here in the country Brocéliande near Paimpont, home of the knights of the Round table.



Once upon a time ...
A rock (the story does not date from yesterday, but from over 465 million years). Under the sea, this metamorphic rock (rock that is changed by heat) is of sedimentary origin (these sediments are often clay). Its color comes from its content of iron oxide (iron rust becomes red ....!).
When the sea receded some 250 million years ago, the rock became what we see today. The red shale is a friable rock. It comes in sheets and very difficult to carve. Therefore, it is used as building material.



The region is rich in red shale quarries, many buildings are built using this stone : houses and farms, walls, castles... Rennes, once it was a fortified city, was called Rennes, the red city (its fortification walls were in red shale). If you're dreaming of a red stone farmhouse, then you know now where to find your dream house.



The castle of Trécesson … is a beautiful building built in red shale. Located in the town of Campénéac, this fortress was erected between the late 14th C and it is listed since 1922. The castle is surrounded by water... The access by a bridge leads to a large gatehouse and two towers connected by a machicolation (the "balcony" at the top of the walls). It also has a hexagonal tower (the one facing you with 3 windows).
The site has been inhabited long before the construction of the castle. Many owners have lived in the property. It is still private.

The place is famous... by the legends that took place in the « château de Trecesson ».

We'll begin with the saddest ... la légende de la dame blanche (ou la mariée de Trécesson )... (Sensitive souls, go your way). The legend of the white lady (or the bride of Trécesson) ...
The story takes place in the middle of the 18th C. A lovely bride, in tears, will be buried alive under the eyes of a poacher (hidden in the tree where the girl will be killed). The witness, once the murderers gone, tells the story to his wife who decides to go to the lord Trécesson ... He will offer her a decent burial and looked in vain for the murderers.

The second is almost a fantasy novel: La légende de la chambre aux revenants
The legend of ghosts in the room is nicer: one room, in Trecesson is haunted ... A guest, of bravado, decide to sleep in the haunted place. That evening, an invisible door appears and servants install a game table for two men who will play cards .... The man, scared to death, fired on the players. The bullets have no result! He finally fell asleep. from exhaustion. The next day, when he woke up, a pile of gold coins (louis d'or) is the only proof left of that game.

The 3rd legend called le manoir du Pied d'Anon
A young Marquis de Trécesson loves to play in the salons of Versailles. He has lost everything. Fortunately, Firmin his valet, reminds him of a small manor, the mansion du Pied d'Anon (which was a small wooden hut perched on granite).
The intrepid plays again and regains everything he lost ... The story does not say if he then remained quietly in his castle Trécesson …

Read this article in French : Maisons et chateaux de schiste rouge en Bretagne

2 differents steps... Ratatouille is easy to make but needs time to be good.

1 - Preparation of vegetables ratatouille
2 - Crumble and cooking
1 – Ratatouille with summer vegetables
In summer, the ideal is to make a French ratatouille. The secret is to cook it a long time. Better to make a big one that you can freeze.The recipe is for 8 people.

Ingredients for 8 people 2 garlic cloves
An onion
2 peppers
2 eggplants
5 zucchini
8-9 tomatoes
Olive oil
Garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes. Peel the onion and add to garlic (15 minutes).While the onion and garlic cook. cut into small pieces peppers. Add and cok fr 15 minutes. Continue with the other vegetables (15 minutes each). Then cook over low heat for one hour (no cover). Let cool a few hours and again cook for an hour. It's done

2 - Crumble
Ingredients for 4
100g flour
50g butter
50g Grated Parmesan
Cut butter into small pieces and add to flour and grated Parmesan. Mix until small balls. Pour the ratatouille into a baking dish. Add the crumble top. Oven for 20 minutes to 7.
This winter you can do the same thing with carrots, leeks, potatoes and mushrooms ... Or any other vegetable that you will cook in the oven before proceeding.

Read it in French : Recette du crumble salé aux légumes de saison

It is not a church like the others. Thanks to Father Gillard. Who was considered by the ecclesiastical authorities as an original... His ideas of tolerance were not appreciated. He was therefore send to the most remote parish of Morbihan... They thought hard life of the countryside will bring him back to more acceptable ideas.

The church was in a poor state, he decided to renovate it...(1942-1953) His own way and the result is what you see today: a church where the Arthurian legend, the Celtic world and Christianity are melted. Father Gillard considered that these three worlds had to meet ... The myth of the Grail helped him to get them closer.



References to the Knights of the Round Table are not very surprising... This small town of a hundred inhabitants is located very near the Forest of Brocéliande, the place associated with their epics.
The Celtic world has left many traces in Brittany ... (Druids gather every year in the forest) ... As for Christianity, it is everywhere here... when you're driving around.... notice the stone crosses on the roads.



The entrance of the church begins with a question : the door is inside (of course, inside of us).



The interior is also full of symbols. Helped by two German prisoners, a carpenter made the vault and bars, the other, a painter drew some illustrations of this chapel.

You'll see Morgane Le Fay (who lives nearby in the Valley of No Return in the Brcéliande forest) immortalized with the Knights of the Round Table...



or the Last Supper (the Last Supper of Christ Revisited) ...



The church, also known as the Chapel of the Holy Grail, is dedicated to St. Onenne, the patron saint of Tréhorenteuc. She is the 22d child of King Judicaël (one of the kingdoms of Armorica), born near here. She does not want a life of princess and became a servant in a farm. She is represented on the windows with geese. Very pious, it did not work miracles but its qualities (piety and goodness) gave her the rank of saint.

If you want to better understand the building and all its secrets, visit the tourist office in front of the church, which offers brochures and guided tours to apprehend this original universe.



Read this article in French : Tourisme dans la forêt de Broceliande : l'église de Trehorenteuc

Sainte-Anne d'Auray is not only one of the biggest French catholic pilgrimage, it is also the place for a famous memorial to victims of the first World War.

10 millions people died between 1914 and 1918... about 20 million became disabled and France suffered more than one million deaths. In Brittany, about 110 to 130 000. It is the region that gave the more compared to its population.
The Great War began the modern world: new military equipment was used, the weapons changed, tanks, artillery pieces, powerful cannons (Big Bertha shot more than 9000 meters) chemical weapons with the gas in the trenches ... And the soldiers. A war that has drained France of his men. And above all Brittany.



Expalnations : for some, it is a deliberate sacrifice of the Bretons, because they were second-class citizens (in France the regional divisions were: the Bretons, the Normans ...).
Testimonies tells us about those Breton soldier, not being abble to speak French, unable to understand orders of the military elite and who were shot by mistake. Or this other Breton considered a deserter when he returns to seek treatment and could not explain what he was doing... Some of these soldiers have been rehabilitated. For others, the contribution of Britain is linked to its rural character and its extremely dynamic demography. Truth must be between the two.



This memorial in Sainte Anne d'Auray was originally dedicated to all victims of Brittany. Located next to the basilica it is a huge square surrounded with slabs engraved and at its center, an imposing altar.
Built in 1923, the site bears the list of engraved names of some 8000 soldiers, entire families (father and son!). But, not all the deads are honored here, no. Only the dead of the families who had enough money to engrave their names. Wealthy families or Catholics have subscribed. At least 100,000 names are missing!!!



The purpose of the monument has changed : it is now dedicated to the missing people of all wars and during the feast of St. Anne (July 25-26), the office is celebrated from the altar. A peace memorial ...

Sainte Anne d'Auray has also an important cemetery of victims of war (made up of Belgian soldiers and the wounded died in hospitals in the West).

Read this article in French : Le mémorial de Sainte Anne d'Auray : le monument aux morts des Bretons

If you're on your pilgrim's way... stop at Sainte Anne d'Auray...
It was a crowdy place before and even now... For several centuries Sainte Anne has been and still is a great place of Christian pilgrimage. A bit like Lourdes.

The basilica was built in the 19C, when pilgrims were too numerous to fit in the small chapel of Yves Nicolazic. Around 800,000 visitors travel here every year (it is the third place of pilgrimage in France after Lourdes and Lisieux).
You'll be amazed by the number of hotels in this small town of 2,000 inhabitants. Sainte Anne d'Auray will be the best accomodation when nearby on the Morbihan coast all the B&B are sold out (the weekends of spring when the cottages and other accommodations are full ... I survived in Sainte Anne d'Auray).



Let's go back to the place of worship. It began in 1622 when, in the hamlet of Ker Anna, a farmer, Yves Nicolazic had "visions" ... Only a year later, in the night of July 25 to 26... Sainte Anne, the grandmother of Jesus will introduce herself ... And later still, when the mother of Mary led the farmer with some other believers to the statue of St. Anne … hidden in the place where once stood a chapel. Anne asked them to rebuild it... 924 years later.
This is the beginning of the legend ... Sainte Anne (St. Anne), mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus choosed Yves Nicolazic.The miracles continued and popular enthusiasm began: the farmer married for many years but with no children, will soon get 4. Pierre Keriolet, a contemporary of Nicolazic, native son, highwayman, rogue of the worst kind and libertine will convert too ... The catholic pilgrimage began...
If the place was venerated already during the 5th C, at the beginning of the evangelization of Britain, the chapel was ruined for many centuries. And the building to replace it soon became too small for pilgrims. A chapel, a cloister, a Scala Sancta and a miraculous fountain were added.



The chapel of the 17th C will be replaced in 1865 by the present church. It still hosts thousands of pilgrims during the feast of Anne (25 and 26 July).
You can see the Scala Sancta in some movies where the pilgrims were climbing. Breton women in knee cap in reciting prayers roamed the stairs ... Another world ...



Near the basilica, a place dedicated to John Paul II, only pope to have come to Britain. More than 150,000 people came to see him in 1996.

You can also visit the house of Yves Nicolazic, which is located near the Basilica (free admission). And every year, at Saint Anne d'Auray, and for those who have not obtained the favors of Saint Guirec, the singles can meet, during a weekend held in May and find true love!



Read this article in French : Pélerinage à Sainte Anne d Auray : le pardon de juillet

Cherry season ... goes by so quickly. The white flowers become beautiful red berries. ... And if you're lucky enough eat lots of cherries ... please keep the stones ! They 'll be useful soon...

These small seeds are not only used to grow cherry trees, they are used for many other things ... Such as...hot-water bottles.

Let me explain, one of my friends gave me a pretty hot-water bottle in cherry pits, homemade ... And it can be used warm or cold, it is useful when your body is aching !
Just put in the oven a few minutes and it is ready to be used on your painfull neck ! !
Or cold to relieve tooth pain.
Or the bumps and bruises of your children.



To realize one hot-water bottle, you just need :

Just get your cherry pits (all species of cherry trees are accepted: wild cherries, sour cherries, red cherries, yellow cherries, cherries macerated even for years in brandy). Scald a few minutes (it cleans and kills insects if necessary). Dry in the sun.
Buy a cloth that resists the oven (all good stores specialized in sewing and textiles will tell you what material to choose). Mine is in cotton.
Then think of the framework for your water bottle : you can do what ever you want ...
Cut your framework, sew it in reverse, let just a small hole to fill the seeds (you need 400 grams of stones). Finish sewing. Your water bottle is ready. A cotton one, no plastic or rubber!

Uses

Hot possibility : 10 minutes in the oven around 100 degrees. The hot-water bottle retains heat very long and it fits perfectly on your tummy ache, your sprain, your pain stiff neck or any place that makes you suffer ...

Cold version: a few minutes in your freezer and extractions of molars and wisdom teeth are forgotten.



Read this article in French : Faire sa bouillotte en noyaux de cerises

Do you like cherries ? You want to plant a cherry tree in your garden !
First thing: Make sure you have well-intentioned neighbors and that tey already have a cherry tree at home ... Yes, because to harvest fruits, you need two (cherry trees) ... The tree needs friends to make cherries ...

Obviously, you know that the cherry pits are the beginning of small cherry trees... But you must be lucky .... If you just send its nucleus in the air, you have a chance among x that it will get in a place nice enough to grow. If you notice a little tiny plant, you only have won half the battle. You will still not have good cherries. Because to get soft and sweet fruits, the tree has to be grafted.



Otherwise, more simple, just go buy a cherry tree at a nursery and plant it in the right season (from November to February) ... Don't forget to think about the place it will take when adult (a cherry tree occupies a very important place... 15-20 meters high, do not plant it too close from your other trees !).

Cherry tree is native from Persia. Romans popularized it in our lands. When Japanese appreciate the cherry blossoms for their white flowers, we love it here mainly for its fruit.



Tips around cherry trees
At night, do not walk under the cherry trees... Elves are found of these trees, they like to dance under it by moonlight ... Be careful... People who danced with them never came back... If you want to join them, it will be your last dance.
Japanese have lots of symbols connected with cherry trees and eroticism... cherry blossom is compared to the short life of the samurai. They tattoo it to represent female chastity ... The cherry is very erotic ... : fruits are compared to the lips of a lover ... The juice when you bit it looks like a bleeding ...

Other properties
The cherry wood is used for making musical instruments. Traditionally, the leaves were harvested and added to infusions for people suffering from diarrhea. Or dipped in wine to relieve cough or gout. Cherry tails are known for their diuretic power. ... And pits for water bottles .... Everything is good in the cherry tree!!

Read this article in French : Conseils pour planter un cerisier dans un jardin : planter en deux pour récolter des cerises

You love flowers, you love trees, parks and gardens. Le Parc Floral de Haute Bretagne, I visited in springtime will please you. Even if its name is not very poetic, the place is nicer.



Located about ten miles from Fougères, the park created in the late nineteenth century welcomes you from March to November (Parc Floral de Haute Bretagne, La Foletiere - The Châtellier 35133 Tel: 02 99 95 48 32).

What I like in this tour is that the landscape changes all the time. Depending on the season you'll visit a garden with different colors, a different garden ..

- Spring corresponds to the blooming of camellias, daffodils... End of May, rhododendron's lovers will enjoy the 800 feet planted in the garden.
In summer, roses, hydrangeas, lilies and lotus color the park.
In the fall, asters and cyclamen and liquidambars finish the season.
Gardeners, choose your month!. Or take a subscription to come when you want.

Of course, many other varieties of plants, flowers and trees (whose name I don't know) grow in this garden and delight visitors.



In an hour and a half, you'll cross 25 acres of green paradise ... I went through bamboo forests (all colors), avenues of pink or rubbed magnolias ...
20 gardens are to discover and each has its specialty: gentian or camellias ... And everyone will find his pleasure.



Children (3 ½ years and 4) are a bit small to enjoy the flowers... They liked getting lost in the maze. Or loved to test the balance of the suspension bridge. It was too early in the season to feed the carnivorous plants ... Too bad.

A greenhouse offers to buy seedlings of plants that you have seen ...
The park also rent places for business or for weddings ... ... Or rooms in the Manor of Foletiere ... 5 nice rooms named... Renoir, Degas, Monet ...



... Everything is on their website ... And if you book early, it's cheaper ...



Read this article in French : visiter un jardin en Bretagne : le parc floral et ses chambres d'hôtes

Welcome to a short walk of discovery: prehistory, chapel, windmill, caves ... The ascent of Mont Dol is a great adventure.
First of all : This site provides a practical course of history of relief: tens of thousands of years ago, when it was really cold, the sea was closer ... And the Mont Dol was an island.



From the summit, one can guess the terrain of the ice ages and the limit where the ocean stopped! Today the sea has receded, it was even more distant during the prehistoric times ... In short, sea is going back and forth!

Mont Dol welcomed men, prehistoric men, in caves, north of the hill. Neanderthals, lovers of big elephants, have left the remains of their feasts. At that time, people were watching the mammoths'arrival from the summit and were driving them into the swamps ... where the animals got stuck ... The hunters just had to finish their work : cut in small pieces the beast ... to preserve and enjoy it during the following months ...

You can learn more by visiting the church at the foot of Mount Dol : an exhibit explains the history of the place ... you can also admire beautiful restaured murals... polychrome ... It's unusual in churches in Brittany, the walls were whitewashed ... to disinfect after epidemics !

Today, at the top of the site, there is a tiny religious building, a monumental statue set on a tower, ancient trees, a mill ...



The site has seen many religious occupations. There is this little chapel with a stained glass window dedicated to the war 14-18. And the tower of Notre Dame de l'Espérance (1857) which dominates the landscape.



Weather permitting, you have the best panoramic view of the coast, the Mont Saint Michel, Cancale and the bay. And in very clear weather, you can even notice the Channel Islands, Jersey and Guernsey. It is not that far away...

There is also the legend ... the devil has worked here!

Once completing his Wonder of Mont-Saint-Michel, he challenged St. Michael asking him to make another perfect masterpiece ...
The Saint chose the second hill of the bay of Mont Saint Michel and in just one night, he realized a huge and beautiful crystal palace.
The devil furious wanted to destroy it, but the Archangel Michael offered to exchange monuments. The Devil agreed. Once in front of the palace of Mont Dol, he realized the mistake... The palace was not crystal but ice... And it was a nice warm day!
Really upset, the devil tried to kill the Saint. Mickael managed to send him in a crack he had opened with his sword. And he jumped back to the Mont Saint-Michel ... And he left his impression in a granit rock on the Mont Dol. Look for traces of claws among the rocks!

The mill dates from 1843 and ran until the 50s. It is open in the summer and can be visited on weekends (from Easter to September).



There is a crêperie at the top of the site open during the warm seasons. To continue the walk you can go down the other side and go around the mountain before to reach the parking lot. Choose the right side to see the caves!



Read it in French : Rando en Bretagne : les dénivelés du Mont Dol

Once upon a time, there were forests... and trees... now there are climbing courses for adventurers who like to be acrobats.

From April to November, you can in the afternoon climb trees in a park in Rennes (when it is not school holidays, it is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday). Depending of the weather, of course ... Heavy rain and - du vent à décorner les boeufs - (wind that will dehorn cattle, as we say in French !) are usually day-offs!



Children can try with 2 (my girl was 3 ½ years and a friend 5 years ... they did the course for 2-4 years). Very quickly, kids are independent and climb alone. They can't fall as they are secured by a rope and an equipment including harness and carabiners ... They learn easily and do not get dizzy, those young climbers.

Several other outdoor courses are possible: for 5-8 years, one for 9-13 and then for over 14 years. The rates are on their website ...

Forêt adrénaline is a specialist... they're not only professionnals of tree-climbing, they are also designers of park adventure: they have already opened several parks in the area: one in Carnac in the 2000s ... one at Betton, 10 kms from Rennes.



Don't panic if you are "stuck" on your monkey bridge or if you're frightened by the zip line above the lake. Supervisors, professionals, will help you through.



Adrenalin Forest also offers corporate seminars, "unusual acrobatic exercices" (to test what you're able to do, you and your boss!). Or you can also check thanks to those flights between the trunks'crowns the team spirit of your company. ... You can also celebrate original birthday parties ... or whatever you like ...



In short, they are professionnals in recreational entertainment.

The park entrance is near the campsite Gayeulles... You can't miss it :there are lots of things hanging in the woods ...

One more thing ... Forests'lovers don't have to worry, those professionals are tree/true friends: they do everything to avoid damaging them (don't forget trees are their way of earning a living), or to hamper their growth (the trunks you climb on!). They try to limit their impact on nature and environment. That 's what they say!

Read this article in French : Grimper aux arbres à Rennes : le parcours aventure de Forêt adrénaline

Looking for a place to stay in Rennes... a place to camp : the camping des Gayeulles : a 3-star open all year (Rue Maurice Audin, 35700 Rennes Tel: 00 33 (0)2 99 36 91 22) and located in a really nice park... north-east of Rennes is done for you. You can enjoy the capital of Brittany and tour around... You're not far from the coast...

The camping place is located in Rennes largest park (100 hectares), you may even think you're in the forest but the place is a creation. Back in 1967, the city of Rennes decided to create a park that will open ten years later when the trees have grown a little.
If you're travelling with kids or teenagers, they'll love this place... Leisure facilities for everyone are available...Sometimes you feel like being in the countryside...



... And at times, you enjoy the leisure of the town ...




Soccer fields, tennis courts (02 99 36 59 71) and squash are provided for you... Golfers can try with the kids the mini-golf ... or all lovers of blue water can will have fun in pool area.

Kids will also use swings or slides. You have no excuse to avoid your traditional jogging in nature ...

If you love animals... you can visit the educational farm, located on the park, where children do things "like farmers" ! Rabbits, ponies, goats, chickens and ducks welcome you... Kids participate in daily activities: they feed the animals or press the apple juice to make cider .... You can go for a free visit: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Ferme pédagogique des basses Gayeulles, rue du professeur Maurice Audin, dans le parc des Gayeulles, Tel : 02 99 36 71 73).



Read this article in French : Ferme pédagogique, mini-golf ou balançoires : les loisirs de plein air au parc des Gayeulles à Rennes (Bretagne)

In Brittany, south, you have a nice little sea called le golfe du Morbihan (Gulf of Morbihan) where it is really nice to cruise.
And if you like old stones and megaliths, you'll be amazed by the island of Gavrinis and its cairns.
Back a few centuries ago, when the cairn was erected, the landscape was quite different : the gulf and its 42 islands did not exist. No cruise in the sun... no 10 minutes boattrip from Larmor-Baden ... to reach the island of Gavrinis … Land replaced the sea. There was just a beautiful hill.

The island is today divided into two : one part is a private property (Council of Morbihan would have liked to purchased it but they had no money) ... Stars from Paris bought it : the farm and the dozen hectares of the island became the property of a ... Parisian .... The other tiny part is the cairn !



Back to the huge cairn ...
... It was probably part of a more important megalithic site ... Leaving the island, you will notice that the island in front of the cairn has standing stones (discovered when low tide). They are still standing! Even after billions of tides ! The builders of the Neolithic time were working really well !!!



The monument was built around 3500 BC: it is composed of a dolmen (stone table) covered by a mound of dry stone ... ie a long corridor with stone slabs that leads to a room ... it seems that the corridor is the longest in Brittany and the room is the smallest ...
And as always, my answers/questions are assumptions : no paper trail, no skeletons (Breton soil is too acidic), only ideas and imagination to understand those prehistoric people. We still can not explain these singularities ...
By cons, it seems that the corridor has been intentionally filled with stones at a time ... (the spirits did not want curious minds to destroy the place, they wanted to wait until humanity will be mature enough and concerned to "discover" this awesome vestige) ...

How did those heavy stones get there?
The assumptions are : a river had to pass near the hill Gavrinis ... stones weighing several tons have been brought by reverse flotation (the guide will explain) near the site and then rolled on logs. One of the stones of the dolmen, which is the "roof" ... corresponds to one of the broken menhir in Locmariaquer ...a huge stone over twenty meters broken into three parts ... (do not miss it !)



How do we know that our ancestors did use it as it is recovered ?
As the slab is turned towards the sky, we would never have known it... but fortunatly the cairn has been damaged... a crater at the summit was showing a part of this carved menhir … Therefore no seek of the missing piece of the table des marchants!

Another interesting detail : each stone is decorated with geometric patterns or designs ... A true team of professionnal sculptors and engravers have worked for hours to get this result: perfect lines, without corrections, with regular spaces between curves, precision work on a very hard stone (try to carve granite, you'll see!).
Presumably, the community that built the monument had artists among them !

In short, the history of the monument is exciting ... The site guides will reveal more secrets about the cairn.
You need to pay for the visit and it is only possible from April to November. Book before you go, it is often full... (same thing for accommodation, we had to drive far inland to find a place to sleep !).
For once, if crowds are passionate, there is nothing to complain about!



Read this article in French : Croisière dans le golfe et les îles : Gavrinis