What are they doing, those mammoths, here in Brittany…

Well, they used to live there long long ago… when ice was everywhere and Britain and Brittany did belong to the same land...

They’re back. Because of the Parisians.Yes, the exhibition you can discover in Rennes was conceived for the National Museum of Natural History in Paris a few years ago and it is now adapted for a smaller place, l’Espace des Sciences at Rennes.

And if I do speak about it, it is because the whole expo is subtitled in English … or translated as you want…



The expo is called At the time of mammoths, it is nice ... I have just spent an hour and a half with my young nephew (6 years old).

The tour begins with all possible fantasies that existed when men discovered those huge bones. People attributed those pieces of skeleton to imaginary figures ... until a whole mammoth was found and one could imagine the disappeared animal.

The exhibition then explains the time of glaciation, the climate, and the BEAST.
You can touch things (I won’t tell you what, you’ll discover it by yourself) and it is nice to do.
Then we live the everyday life with our forebears who lived at that time…In short we become experts in the woolly mammoth.

The exhibition also shows the local history with a short film on Mont Dol (you know the mountain we have between Cancale, the oyster city and the Mont Saint Michel !) where the remains of mammoths have been found during the 19th century. It ends with a long movie whose hero is ... this big animal, which is a good resumé of everything we have learned visiting the expo.

I (we) really liked it but we were almost alone in the expo. But the problem with Champs Libres is often the same, rooms are small and sounds clink…

I needed to concentrate to hear the soundtrack for the documentary on Mount Dol, (which I found rather interesting), especially when my nephew was listening to the weather report next to me.

The children and the mammoths?

From 6 years old, indicates the brochure. My young acolyte found it nice to try the trunk or to see a baby mammoth… a real one named Dami and usually living in a Belgian Museum. He did like to touch elephant skin and to compare it to the missing pachyderm.
My young friend was really interested in the life of mammoths. So he loved the exhibition. But sometimes it is nice to help the child through : lots to read… less in English though !!
The film at the end of the exhibition sums up the entire expo and it is so real, you feel like being back some thousands years ago…

In short, the adult (I) was not bored (not at all) and my nephew either. We did enjoy it. Not in front of the same things or stands, but whatever.
At the exit, a "true woolly mammoth" is watching you...

4 € for adults and 3 for 8 years old and older.
From Tuesday to Sunday (12h - 19h on weekdays and 14-19 on weekends), 21h night until Tuesday. Until March 7, 2010.

Read it in French : Les mammouths arrivent et reviennent à Rennes, une exposition à l'Espace des Sciences aux Champs Libres

Normandy has its American Film Festival in Deauville at the end of summer .... Britain too!!! An international film festival ... the British Film Festival.


And where can it be ??? A place for the Franco-British friendship… Dinard.

Why Dinard ? Because in the mid 19 th century this small city used to be crowded with British people enjoying the sea. And the success was so impressive that nowadays Dinard has more than 400 villas listed.

In short, the British Film Festival could not find a better ally : and it goes on with the ferry that connects Saint Malo (just in front of Dinard) with United Kingdom.

Back to cinema. The festival takes place in early autumn for a few days. And the last ones were successfull…

Shallow Grave Friends (1994), The Full Monty (1997) Billy Elliot (2000), Bloody Sunday (2002) or The Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003). What a great reward and a great opportunity to discover original works.

Not bad for a young festival ! Here is the program for the 20th edition.

The festival has many awards but the ultimate prize is the Golden Hitchcock .... Some sessions are free, screenings are held in the prison of Saint Malo.

In september, enjoy the very pleasant open-air screening .. .

The festival is really nice, far from the summer crowds, you discover the charms of Dinard and its cinemas... And improve your French .... by reading the subtitles...

Read it in French : Festival du film britannique à Dinard

Blackberries, you know ... that’s the nicest fruit to pick on hedges and other deserted places…But it is quite nice to savour then…



Blackberry jam is easy... The most annoying is the harvesting… Don’t forget your gloves because the best ones are always difficult to reach.

Recipe and ingredients

Blackberries
Sugar (half of the fruits)

Burst the blackberries in little water (10 minutes on low heat). Then 2 possibilities :
1 –Use the food mill to collect the pulp.
2 – Or put the fruits in a cheese cloth (cloth linen), hang the "bag" and let drain in a saucepan. Finish to squash with hands.You ‘ll get more pulp, but it's longer and more messy ...

Weight the pulp. Add half of sugar : for 600g of flesh use 300g of sugar. Cook on low heat 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.

Put in hot pot, close the jar and let cool and store upside down.

Read it in French : Recette maison de la confiture de mures

The zoo, a predictable success with children! Follow me ...

Located on the expressway Rennes - Saint Malo (Brittany, France), the zoological park of La Bourbansais is, as you guess, full of wild and exotic animals, … monkeys, wallabies, flamingos ...



lions, tigers and other zebras…In short, the classics are here.

Zoos today often are not only park animals but are also a place to save endangered species. That’s one of the goal of the zoo La Bourbansais.

The park is beautiful, you can stroll around and look at this wild world.

Animal shows are to be seen : flight of raptors, pelicans meals or giraffes care…



Wildlife is on…

Hunting dogs like to run around : a choreography of the French tricolor (name of the dogs), used for hounds.



You can also take a guided tour (fee) of the castle



which is listed since 1959. and admire the French gardens of the park.

At the end of the trail, a playground with inflatables (slides ...)… a delight for children.

A little walk on a corn maze and that ‘s the end of a busy day.

No surprise but no disappointment either. Around € 15 for adults and 12 for children.
Open all year.



Shows and events are only held during the summer. You can picnic there.

Read it in French : Visite avec des enfants du zoo et du parc du chateau de La Bourbansais (Ille et Vilaine, Bretagne)

Apple cider vinegar (organic!) is quite nice to use for small pains… It is a “remède de grand mère” as we say in French, a home remedy... I know I had a great grandmother…

Hematomas and bruises : heat 5 tablespoons of vinegar with a teaspoon of salt. Soak a cotton ball and dab the bruise.

Sunburns : gently dab the burn with vinegar. You can also dilute a dose of water to vinegar and spray on your skin.

Insect Bite : dab the bite with vinegar. To make them fly : dilute the same amount of vinegar and water and coat the body. Hmm, what a perfume ...

Lumbago : soak a linen cloth with an equal portion of cider vinegar and water. Dab on the painful place and tighten it with a woolen cloth. Replace often.
You can also have a hot bath (add a cup of vinegar).

Migraines : dip a paper bag in vinegar. Place the bag over the head and tighten with a tissue. Keep on your head 15 minutes.

Nosebleeds : soak a cotton ball with vinegar and put in the nostril.

Cough : drink a full glass of water in which you have diluted 2 teaspoons vinegar.

Feet (horns): wash horns with vinegar and leave on it for 15 minutes.

Foot (fungus) : treatment of minimum 6 weeks. Several times a day, dab the fungus with vinegar or with an equal mixture of vinegar and garlic juice (it smells so good!).

Verruca : Bath 15 minutes in water. When the verruca is soft, dab with vinegar and let soak.

Read it in French : Santé au naturel : les bienfaits du vinaigre de cidre