April 15th, the feast of St. Patern! That's an original French name ! I don't know anyone who's name is Patern. Anyhow it is a famous breton saint who is connected to rain and springtime...
Paterne or Paterne (and not Pattern !) is the patron saint of a French city in Brittany Vannes, where he was the first bishop. He was revered during the Middle Ages, when Vannes was one of the stages of the pilgrimage, the Tro Breizh, which linked the 7 bishoprics of Small Britain (Dol, Quimper, Saint Brieuc, Saint Malo, Saint Pol de Leon, Treguier and Vannes). The pilgrims had to do it once in their life.

Patern is one of the 7 founding saints of Brittany, a native from Wales. He emigrated to Armorica during the 5th C. Like many Great Britons who had fled the big island to take refuge in the small peninsula.
This religious man was not really welcomed by the local people (he is a foreigner but a Breton yet!). Nonetheless he is the first bishop of Vannes (c. 465). Quickly forced to resign, he moved to a hermitage in the region and he died forgotten in April 15 in 475.

Unloved, he should have been abandonned when a century later, the city of Vannes suffered a severe drought. The parishioners thought they were punished for abusing their bishop and they began to pray. As the rain returned, they built a church in his name... The tomb of Patern is not in the cathedral of Vannes, but in this little church (2 Place Saint Catherine Vannes).
Here is the story of Patern, whose fame continues... His statue is in the Holy Valley of Carnoet (but I forgot to photograph it). Signed by Olivier Leveque, it stands with the other contemporary sculptures of the founding saints of Brittany. You don't like this male name of Patern. Go and read my others articles on Corentin, Tugdual, Malo... or check a guide on Celtic names and their original meanings ...

Read this article in French : Un prénom breton original : Patern le saint fondateur de l'évéché de Vannes

Visiting the Valley of the Saints... I have desires of hagiography (stories of holy names).... to understand the meaning and origins of the Breton first names...

I'll begin with Tugdual... a very famous saint here in Brittany... and an original male name...

This young man was not born in Brittany but in what is now called Wales. He, like many other Great Britons, crossed the Channel to Armorica to evangelize it.
So... he was Welsh, born in the late 5th century (about 490) and was educated in a monastery. Nothing very original for this time!
At 25, he emigrated with his family and other religious compatriots in Leon (Northern Brittany), where he founded a monastery and then a hermitage. Soon the two schools are very successful and lots of believers arrived.
He soon performed miracles, conversions increased... The Tréguier Monastery wanted him as a bishop in 532. Converted princes thanked him giving lands to found other religious establishments. In short, everything is fine.

Tugdual went to Rome in 548 and the legend says that Rome was burying the pope.
After the funeral, while the clergy gathered to elect the new pontiff, a white dove, symbol of the purity of the soul, rests on Tugdual head. And that's how his life switched : he was elected Pope Leo V.
The end of his pontificate is announced by a new sign two years later when a white horse fly him back to Tréguier.

The sculptor Francois Breton has carved him with a dove... It should be on the Valley of Saints in Central Brittany (France). (it is supposed to be there but it was not there during my visit, I have no photos to show you! Next time !)
He died in Tréguier November 30 with 73 years (if I counted right) in 563.
Celebrated this day, his name has many variants: Tual, Tudal, Tugal, Tudwal, Tuzval, Tutuarn, Pabu or Papu in Breton.

In summary, if Tugdual is the first name of your dreams for your boy, that's what you must remember: Saint Tugdual is one of the seven founding saints of Brittany. It was the first bishop of Tréguier. He is often associated with a dove... remember, Brittany had its first and only pope thanks to him and the dove.
Your son's Nobel Peace .... Not bad?

Read it in French : Saint Tugdual et sa colombe : évèque de Tréguier et unique pape breton

This is my last post before the holidays ... I make a large break in August. Meanwhile, I have found some nice ideas of original moments or unusual stays... I have not tried them... I'm waiting for your comments if you did... Feel free to share your point of view with us...

For those who love to eat French food... I heard of a restaurant ... like no other! ... In the south of Brittany, in the Morbihan departement a few miles north of Lorient, Guidel, to be precise, close to the church ....
The restaurant's name is Al pizza, but you do not eat usual and basic pizzas... No, you taste real entomologist cocktails .... You just need to book one week in advance (02 97 02 91 86) ... Just the time the chef needs to find its unusual proteins : fried crickets for appetizers (they have a good nutty flavor and are nicely crispy) pizza (with flour beetle) and as dessert chocolate stick insects or crickets! You became a gourmet... Like many foodies in Africa, South America or Asia ... Take your turn and the boss will tell you how he met the "ants" ... You'll leave happy, full with healthy food and a with a great experience! Bon appetit!



A different idea ... You are a fanatic player ... No, casinos do not thrill you, but the game tracks size ... The hostel l'auberge des voyajoueurs is a step of the game called search of dragon, a live treasure hunt (Residents and tourist offices will help you through).
You must, using a GPS and a travelguide seek the dragon. 88 steps in the Heritage of Brocéliande ... This country inland, in Brittany, borders the forest of the Knights of the Round Table, where the legends of King Arthur have happened! ...
If you want more... the hostel is a game paradise... This mythical place is full of players and games: first the hostel has a library of games : you can have fun with large wooden playground, games room or enjoy the outdoor playground. .. You can relax with balls, bet with playing cards, throwing dice, word games to try and pawn, test your skills with shuffleboard, bowling...
No, you prefer board games or the Wii ... No worry, they have everything ... for everyone, young and old, 7-77 years, gamers of today and yesterday, outdoor or indoor .... games for two people or much more ....
Happy holidays and remember to visit us again a little visit to tell us how it was.

Read this article in French : Idées pour une étape originale en Bretagne

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

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

Looking for an original and unusual getaway in Northern France ... Off season, of course, because you want it to be nice and quiet ... Try the Mont Saint Michel !
Like stones, hiking and local specialities ... Go to the Mont Saint Michel
You are a follower of marathons and want to do one in France... the Mont Saint Michel !
Or looking to retire in an outstanding place... The Mont Saint Michel!



That place is located between Brittany and Normandy ... Easy to reach from the UK... Take a Ryanair flight to Dinard and then rent a car or take the ferry to Saint Malo and drive…

Do you want to begin with the gourmet side of the place ? Or the walks in the bay or want to know everything about that marathon…

I’ll deal first with the French gastronomy… and the culinary specialties… Just to make you drool ... We can say that there are four good reasons to stop and eat in the corner.
The bay is famous for its mussel farm… and its seafood dishes…
If you scan the bay, you'll see lots of oak piles driven into the sand, covered with ropes where mussels cling. The posts are covered by the tides. Wild mussels also grow naturally on rocks. The bay provides nearly one quarter of the French production.

To stay in the molluscs'field, you can also make a stop in Cancale for its fresh oysters. This aquaculture practice is an old tradition as the oysters from Cancale were already known in Versailles, the Royal Palace during the 18th C.
You can taste and enjoy the shellfish at the port of Cancale (stands outdoor offer to try different types of oysters). You eat, seated on the front, facing the sea and smelling the spray… It’s really nice.

The lamb (agneau de pré-salé literally a lamb raised in a salted meadow) is a specialty of the bay. The young lamb tastes very special: it grazes in the field that are covered by the tides and where the vegetation is, therefore, salty... The meat has a very special flavor and is very sought because they are just to be found here in the bay ...

I can finish this gastronomical journey by a legend, that of Madame Poulard and her famous omelet ... A taste of the Mont ...
This lady was famous for her restaurant during the 19th C, with an original omelet cooked over a wood fire. Even then, the pilgrims liked to stop there and now the famous preparation is always a specialty of the rock Mont Saint Michel. Quite expensive too !

And walks

There are great walks to do in Mont Saint Michel... or rather in the bay of Mont Saint Michel ...
A nice way to discover both Normandy and Brittany as the bay homes the two regions... But be very careful and never, ever do it alone and by yourself…...

The bay of Mont Saint Michel is really dangerous and that for various reasons:
The tides have a very large amplitude. The bay is extremely flat, the sea comes in quickly on the sand and surprises the visitor. Especially since the sand is treacherous: it consists on a sediment of limestone, silt and clay (that was used as fertilizer before) ... that is solidified at low tide and which "becomes quicksand" when it is again waterlogged (my explanation is not very scientific but the danger is real). You can cross the bay at low tide but always well guided. It's really worth it. The experience is unforgettable.

Nearby, the grass meadows are also a wintering site for waders and are a classified site of national interest since 1982.

The legend says that the bay was long ago (2000 years), covered with a wood forest called Scissy ... I stopped there because it is a myth ... But I can add a bit of geophysics. The bay is over 500 m2 and there are two large rocks: Mont Saint Michel and Tombelaine. The first, granite, is a 900 meter diameter by 80 meters in height.
It houses the Marvel. Its bell tower, made by Fremiet in 1897 and renovated in 1987, represents St. Michael slaying the dragon and gave the Mount its 157 meters high.
The second, Tombelaine, was occupied and fortified by the British in the 15th C, and is today just a rock with no remains.

For those who like to run…the marathon du Mont Saint Michel is a good excuse and a great way to explore the region ... It is a tough race but that brings together thousands of joggers every year since 1997 during a weekend (May 8th). They say it is hard because you see the arrival for miles ...

Finally for those who want the rest and the contemplation, Mont Saint Michel organizes retreats in the abbey. A magnificent site to discover from the inside.

Read it in French : Gastronomie et randonnée dans la baie du Mont Saint Michel : un vrai marathon

Buckwheat is not what it’s name suggests : it’s not wheat neither a cereal or a grain. It is a Polygonaceae, a sister of rheum, docks or sorrels.

In French and even in Breton, its name is blé noir (black wheat, the flour is dark) and it is used to make the famous galettes de blé noir (sarrasin).

Archeologists found it in Brittany in prehistorical pollen. But it is a common plant in Britain since the 15 th C, probably because it was reintroduced at that time in the region. And soon it became the basis of the food of the breton farmers.

Because it was so easy to grow it in Brittany : first of all, buckwheat is a crop that loves acidic or low fertility soils, it needs lots of water too. And Brittany was the place… we have “bad” soils and lots of rain.



As it grows quickly, farmers used to cultivate it beetween the winter crop and the summer one. It was also used to cover the fields and then as fertilizer.
Farmers could use hand mills to obtain flour, they did not have to use the mill which one must pay for!!!
During the 19th C, Brittany was producing 50% of the French buckwheat.

At the end of the 19th C, buckwheat was abandoned for new cereals and potatoes. And its cultivation began to decrease. During the 80's, 90's, crêperies had to import the flour from Russia or China as it was no more cultivated in France. And with the green movement, hardy plants have a new life : farmers in Center Brittany began to produce it again. Now you find organic buckwheat produced here, in the region.

Today buckwheat has other nice advantages : gluten free, it is also a good provider of vitamins, proteins, minerals such as iron… it is nice for food allergy.

Beer is also done with buckwheat in Brittany.



And all over the world, buckwheat has its specialities. Specially in its original region South East Asia : in Japan, people eat it as pasta. Or the grains are used to make special pillows to relax…

Read it in French : Blé noir ou sarrasin en bretagne : une farine miracle

Wedding anniversary, 40’s birthday, your lover is 50 and you want it to be unforgettable... Birthdays are an occasion for giving an original present : a fly over Brittany just for yourself !!!. My friend did it in September, it is just great...




They (my friend and his lover) did it at Dinard Airport, but you can do it in many breton aerodromes. Pilots do it for nothing because they need to fly n hours to keep their licence to go on flying. They fly you around for your pleasure and for their licence. Dinard Airport has for exemple four pilots doing it.

At Dinard Airport, the pilot was waiting for them. They went into the plane




– you can be three plus the pilot – and they began their take off. Once in the air they had to choose to fly East or West, that is Cap Fréhel (east) or Mont Saint Michel (west).
My friends wanted to fly over the coast, they choosed west, they flew over the sea and Chausey island. The pilot explained to them the landscape while driving his plane as if it were a car .
They saw Cancale and its oysters beds.



Saint Malo



and they finished the trip with Rance estuary.



The weather was really nice, it was wonderful…

And what do you do if it rains !!! Don’t worry and be happy !!! It is known worldwide that Brittany like Great Britain has an humid climate. So, the pilots look at the weather forecast and call you when it is no good to fly…
You’re conquered ???? Well, the fly lasts half an hour and it costs 100 €.
Good trip.



Read it in French : la Bretagne vue d'avion : rendez vous à l'aéroport de Dinard

Milky oyster's lovers should hurry... They' ll soon be a testimony of the past... Why ? Ask the oyster's farmers of Cancale, your usual market or even your favorite fishmonger online what you're eating !
Triploid oysters (also called wiht the poetic name of 4 seasons oysters), are a new variety of this mollusc. An singular oyster, born in the French laboratories (IFREMER) at the end of the 20th century... and almost invisible as it is written nowhere that you're in front of it ...

Explanation

Oysters have been a traditional meal for millenniums... Already during prehistoric times, coastal men enjoyed them ... (They were wild at the time). Romans settled in Britain loved them...10 centuries later, French King Louis XIV was fond of it.
Soon the overconsumption became a real problem... Fear of the disappearance of natural beds of oysters ... Already in the 19th century, rules were allowing the harvesting only during defined periods of the year (September to April). Then the idea of breeding... Napoleon III asked Victor Coste to study the oyster farms in Italy. He created the modern oyster farming. Today wild oysters are very rare. And in addition, they're transformed ...

The original species and the modified ones

Oysters are flat or hollow ... and... fragile ... The Belon oyster in Brittany is known abroad. Even though it has been threatened by the Portuguese oyster, rejected by a ship in the Gironde. It will be bred until an epizootic (epidemic) almost decimated it. Since then, the Japanese oyster did replace the hollow ... until the next illness ...
That's in real life...
In the lab, since the late 20th century, there is a new variety... the four seasons oyster ... Be careful not to confuse everything ... They are not Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) (but a story of chromosome!). Researchers made them sterile...
These so-called triploid oysters have two advantages: as they are sterile, they do not spawn, need less energy and therefore grow faster. You need almost 3 years to get an adult oyster, those ones need one year to be sold...
The second advantage is as they are sterile and they're never milky (too bad for my mom who loves them like that!).
If, you know the months with the letter R and the months without the letter R (May-August when most oysters are not eaten).... Well, this period corresponds to the breeding season, summer ... and during this period less oysters are eaten. With those ones, you can taste them throughout the year.

Defenders of the four seasons oysters will say that the fear of a new epidemic was the reason of this new variety. Sûrement... That' right, the Portuguese oyster have been destroyed in the 70's. And if the Japanese Oyster has the same problem... What will happen ?

And the consumer ...

As usual, we forgot to ask his opinion! Too bad for him! But never mind, research has done the same thing for the mussels! Never change a winning team!
And worse, we do not know what we eat ! No mention tell the customer if they're triploid. 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes are produced every year, 10 to 15% of the production is triploid.... (as it is explained in an article of the French newspaper Libération ).

Next time you'll buy oysters, you'll ask ? Does anyone know if they are still aphrodisiac, these new oysters ?

Read this article in French : Huitres triploides : ogm ou pas

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

Noël en France ! Christmas in France, in Brittany!... Why not ... ? A short weekend break for Xmas ! Cold is not too fierce and tourists are not too many… It’s the best time to enjoy historical places and avoid the scuffle...
If you’re visiting the western part of France, have a look at the Christmas markets.

Even if this is not something traditionally Breton, Christmas markets are many across Britain today ...
It used to be a German tradition in the Middle Ages. One of the older one is known since the 14th C, dates in honor of San Nicolas ... the equivalent of Father Christmas.

And it is in the 90s that the idea is spreading and that those markets are becoming more common in Europe. And elsewhere ... Germans who have emigrated to the New World began to disseminate the idea in America.

Originally the market was celebrating the Christ child and began just some days before Christmas. Today it lasts several days to almost the entire month of December, according to the capacity of each municipality. By cons, it stops on Christmas Day and until December of next year.
These markets are on hold on the main square or on a few pedestrian streets and gather animations, stands of handycrafts, merchants, food ... and lots of entertainment and music.

Outdoor booths are everywhere. Have a break from Christmas shopping, enjoy vin chaud (mulled wine with cinnamon) found on all the Christmas markets or eat something very rich that will heat you up in the cold weather ... It is also the opportunity to buy another gift, but a more original, handmade by a local craftsman ... or discover specialties other French regions.

And then enjoy Christmas animations often for children. Or Santa Claus who is lost in the corner ...

In our region, Brittany, there are many Christmas markets: Rennes for example, has two, one on the Parliament Square where you can eat, you warm up with a good wine with cinnamon and Alsace specialties, another one that is not called Christmas market Place Hoche is a gathering of craftmen from here and abroad. We have a third market in Colombier.

Each department and most city hosts a market ... If you want to visit one and know its opening days and animations… try the links… The Regional Tourism Committee of Britain that centralizes the news.

For a more precise information try the website of Côtes d'Armor (North of Brittany).

The departmental committee d 'Ille et Vilaine, Brittany High will help you around Rennes.

The far West of Brittany, le Finistère…

South, the Morbihan, try it too.

Good luck. And Merry Christmas.

Read it in French : Marchés de Noel en Bretagne : Côtes d'Armor, Finistère, Ille et Vilaine, Morbihan et Loire Atlantique