Have you ever been to Saint Malo, the fortified city ? I'm sure you did. But did you look on your left and attracted by the small fortified peninsula of Aleth, did you run there to enjoy a nice walk and a beautiful view on Dinard and the Rance estuary. Follow me, I’ll show you the place…



Saint Servan is the quarter of Saint Malo that begins the Rance estuary. It is less known, less visited but really nice.

Remind of its history : Aleth – that’s the old name of the place- was occupied long before the creation of Saint Malo. It became a bishopric during the VIth century when Malo, the future Saint, arrived from Great Britain to bring back some order in the religious life of the promontory and to convert it. Aleth suffered many attacks during that period and many times was burnt or destroyed. It was much later during the XIIth century that it was transfered to the actual Saint Malo.

If you come from Saint Malo for the walk, you’ll go along a long beach (plage des Sablons), that leads you to the sailing harbour (800 boats)



and soon you’ll see steps for the pathway around the peninsula.

On the path, a piece of walls, remains of the Roman period.



The Coriosolites, one of the tribes of Armorica, were already living there before the Roman occupation. Then Caesar conquered Armorica (56 AD). And they let some traces because they were building in stones…

Go on and you soon meet a fortress from the XVIII th century. Going up the stairs you are on the Memorial 39-45, going down you have a monument dedicated to Charcot (1867-1936). First name Jean Baptiste.



He is famous in France. Do you know why ? Guess and find the odd one out in the following quotes :

He is known because he is a medical doctor
He is famous because he is a polar scientist and the leader of the first polar expeditions
He divorced the granddaughter of Victor Hugo, a famous French writer
He was a rugby champion
The name of his ship was “Why not?”
He loved gulls
He died on a shipwreck as he was going back to Saint Malo




So, the winner is… Sorry, there is no odd ones.

He was a very famous polar explorer, he discovered new countries, drew new maps, studied tides, polar wildlife and flora. He has had 4 ships called Pourquoi pas ? (Why not) and the unique survivor of the wreck told that Charcot released the mascot of the ship, Rita the seagull before the wreck.

Let’s go back to the cliffpath, you’ll see 8 metal pillboxes,



that are 30 cm thick but quite destroyed by the war 39-45. They were joined by underground galleries.

You’re now walking along the Rance estuary, in front of you Dinard.



Behind you in the distance the cape Fréhel.

In the middle of the peninsula, a camping place. A dam, the tidal power plant cuts the Rance estuary on your left. Leaving the path, visit the village of Saint Servan, it is worth it.



Read it in French : Balade dans un quartier de Saint Malo : la cité d'Aleth à Saint Servan (Bretagne, France)

If you are visiting Saint Malo, you should stop at the shop producing and selling the breton speciality called “craquelin de Saint Malo”. Arriving from the highway, take Saint Malo centre and at the first round about, take a right, you’re on the factory (Z.A.C. de la moinerie, 35400 Saint-Malo, Tél : 02 99 81 92 89). You can no more visit it but you can still taste their different specialities.



What is a craquelin ?
Is it a brioche with sugar or a light craker eaten at breakfast time ? Well, craquelins are both ; they are european specialities. The first one is made in Belgium and the second is a breton product.



In Brittany, according to their website craquelins de Saint Malo, it is an old traditional product (almost 400 years). As in 1663 the Saint Malo hospital already mentions it.

Why do we find them in Saint Malo region ?
The first explanation is that Saint Malo has a long trade tradition and in particular with Flanders. And so ? The word craquelin is a Dutch word crakelinc, that means crispy biscuit.
The second one is that there use to be lots of forests on the Rance estuary. To bake the craquelins, you need lots of fagots…

Why is it so successful ?
A craker is dry and therefore easy to preserve and so easy to transport and sell. They were sold on the markets, and women used to carry them (2000 pieces) in big baskets on their backs and sell them on farms. At Dinard, the first seaside resort of the end of the XIXth century, British customers used to love them.

Why is it so special ?
It doesn’t come from its recipe, which is quite simple : flour, eggs, milk. It comes from the way it is baked. The dough is first quickly boiled, then cooled in cold water and then put in the oven. That makes it so special !!!

12 pieces bags are sold for 2,20 euros.



And if you buy 10, you get a discount as local customers do. Hotels are big buyers, and they make it known… Lots of tourists come to that shop to buy them before going home.

The traditional product has now other varieties : smaller ones for salty toasts, chocolate ones that taste like pyms but in much lighter… you can find them salt free.



If you never went to Saint Servan, go for a walk in that nice district of Saint Malo, it is worth it…

Read it in French : Les craquelins de Saint Malo, une spécialité bretonne de l'estuaire de la rance (France)

Saint Malo is really nice but it is so crowded !!! 2 millions visitors a year… Let’s go on on our discovery of the less touristic Saint Malo, I’m still talking about Saint Servan.

If you already walked along the coastal path, you arrived in front of church’s remains : the cathedral of Aleth,



the former cathedral of Saint Malo. Actually Saint Servan is the first human settlement of the coast, it was inhabited before the Roman’s colonisation as it is explained on the sign.



The first future bishop Malo arrived from Great Britain during the VIth century and wanted to convert the region. The religious building was destroyed many times by the Norsemen, the Frank (VIIIth), the Norsemen again (Xth century). And the bishopric was transferred during the XIIth century to the actual Saint Malo (where the Grave of the Saint was) because it was a place easier to secure. The importance of the remains (43m long)



shows the catholic fervour of the medieval times…

Saint Malo soon became an important trade center and Saint Servan lost its leadership.
In front of you, a tower (tour Solidor),



is also a witness of the different occupation periods of Saint Servan. The foundations are Gallo-Roman. When Saint Servan, under the leadership of Saint Malo, revolted against the taxes of Saint Malo during the XIIIth century, the castle that was there was destroyed and that tower rebuilt on it.



The medieval donjon is made up with 3 towers joined by curtains (that are the walls that connect the fortifications), it was rebuilt in 1382 to control the estuary.



When wars were over, it was transformed in jail and it is now a Museum. The Musée des Cap-Horniers tells the story of the seamen that crossed the Cape Horne (cape that is on the far South of South America). Saint Servan during the XIXth century lived from cod fishing. The small harbour,



on the right of the tower, used to be the departure for the ferries to Dinard (in front of you).

The dam on your left was built during the 60’s and houses the tidal power plant.



Keep walking in the village, you’ll discover nice old houses, nice gardens…




Read it in French : Balade dans Saint Servan (Saint Malo, Bretagne)

You like short names ... that are not nicknames for Facebook...
True, it is convenient ... for the curb of your last born … easy to be engraved on a gold medallion... Or easy to write with wooden block letters adorning the door of the children's bedroom ...

So... French short names... Those two are famous in Brittany : Malo from Saint Malo and Brieuc from Saint Brieuc. These two Saints have given their names to their cities.They're carved in Carnoët telling their stories: Malo with his boat and Brieuc with his wolf!

Let's go back to their legends...



Malo was born in what is now called Wales, like almost all the other holy founders of Brittany (except one Corentin). Celebrated on November 15, he was the first bishop of Aleth, (one of the peninsula of Saint Malo). Where says the legend, souls at that time needed to be purified ... Patrice Le Guen carved him with a ship because he needed 7 years to cross the Channel before reaching Cézembre (the island in front of St. Malo) ...



Brieuc was a monk. He became the first bishop of Saint Brieuc and the founder of the diocese. Born in 409, in Wales, he spent his life converting ... Once he was an old man, an angel asked him to evangelize Armorica. He crossed the sea with 168 followers and founded a monastery in Treguier that his nephew Tugdual would administer …
As the plague raged in his country of origin, he came back to quiet the epidemy and then returned to Armorica with new monks. He spent his whole life trying to convert sinners (which are symbolized by wolves who want to eat him but he tames them). The statue of Brieuc in Carnoët is shown with the animal at his feet … Later, Brieuc received land from a parent and founded the town of Saint Brieuc.
The legend continued after his death: as many miracles occured on his tomb, he became one of 7 founding saints. He died in 502 and he is celebrated on May 2. Brieuc in Breton is Brieg, Briec or Brioc.

Who are these Overseas Saints?

Originally, (about the 4th C), Christianity conquers Britain and becomes the dominant religion. The title of saint is honorary and given to the clergy. When these Saints cross the Channel to evangelize Armorica, those Great Bretons also import their way of seeing the world ... They manage people, and give their names to the places where they preached. And left their names in the breton toponymy.
Thus, according to the dictionary of Breton heritage, "There are about 800 Breton saints, many of whom are known only by lann or plous (lots of villages'names begin or end with lann or plou) which they have associated their names."

Lire cet article en français : Prénoms bretons courts : Malo et Brieuc

Brittany was a very important strategic place during the Second World War. German militaries defended the breton region with the building of fortifications, the Atlantik wall along the atlantik coast (from Danemark to France). Bunkers but also antitank obstacles, concrete pillboxes to house machine guns... were done.

They also transformed the ports of Saint Nazaire, Brest, Lorient et Saint Malo into fortresses.



That’s for the main context. Let’s go now to Saint Malo and one of its district Saint Servan. (Saint Servan is part of the municipality of Saint Malo since 1967). The fortifications of Saint Malo were designed by Vauban (1663-1707), Marshal of France and famous military engineer. He also wanted Saint Servan to be strengthened and specially the cité d’Aleth, the outposts to the Rance estuary.



But it was done much later when the peninsula suffered from a British assault. In 1758, the major Marlborough invaded the Aleth peninsula and was thinking of doing the same in Saint Malo when he was shelled. He left the peninsula but did burn all the ships around before leaving the place. It did not take long, in 1759, one year later, Mazin, a French engineer began to build an artillery fort



to protect the estuary.



Almost 200 years later, the fort was strengthened by the Germans : you can visit the Mémorial 39-45,



situated in the middle of the peninsula, in a large coutyard. The Museum is located in one of the bunkers of the fortifications, you’ll see a documentary and an exhibition about the WWII.

On the platform, about 30 bunkers






were erected joined by underground passages with pillboxes.





The whole region was fortified : Cézembre, the island in front of you, the pointe de la Varde (Varde’s cape at the end of the long beach of Saint Malo), a radar at Cap Fréhel… The fort of Saint Servan was the German headquarter with the commandor Von Aulock.

The Allies invaded Normandy in June and arrived at Saint Malo August 2d. But they were not many to conquer the place, most of them were fighting in Normandy. The Allies decided to shell Saint Malo and after 15 days of intense bombings,



the German surrendered (august 17th). More than 70% of Saint Malo was destroyed and it lasted 12 years to rebuild the city like it was (1948-1960).

The island of Cézembre held out untill September 2d (site de l’inventaire général du patrimoine culturel). 80 bunkers were built there to control the port of Saint Malo and it is the more bombed place on the French territory.



Napalm bombs were dropped on it. Unexploded shells are still on the island and have to be defused. It is still a no trespassing zone on most of the place.

From the courtyard, you have a really nice view : on your right of Saint Malo, in front of you Dinard




and on your left, the Rance estuary.

Read it in French : Visite du fort de la Cité d'Aleth à Saint Servan, quartier de saint Malo (Bretagne)

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

Destination: vacation, leisure and sports ...

Walking, cycling or horse tourism... Brittany is a nice place to tour... Tro Breizh (tour of Brittany in Breton language) is a beautiful tour of a few hundred miles ... you can do on foot, on bicycle and on horse-back ... in one go (and then some days are not enough, you need several weeks ...) or more stages (and then take the opportunity to visit some nice places), with your family or solo, in couple. .. stoping by a crêperie or a nice restaurant, a B&B or a pleasant cottage, a camping on the coast....

Since 1994, Les Chemins du Tro Breiz (The Paths of Tro Breizh) organizes walks around Small Britain. They invite you to tour for a week... every year. As there are around 700 kilometers, you'll achieve it in 7 years. It is our paths to Santiago !



Historically, the Tro Breizh connects the dioceses of the seven founding saints of Brittany. This medieval pilgrimage was a walk around Small Britain to pray the saints who evangelized the region.

The legend says that those Saints were septuplets and therefore brothers (they should have been killed at birth by their mother Domnonia ... because she believed twins were the children of sin). But fortunatly, the seven brothers (Seizh Breur) have been protected by God. For their safety, they were sent to Brittany. Once there, they evangelized Britain and created 7 bishoprics : Corentin in Quimper, Patern in Vannes, Saint Pol Aurélien at Saint Pol de Léon, Samson in Dol-de-Bretagne, Tugdual at Treguier, Brieuc and Malo in their respective cities Saint Brieuc and Saint Malo.
The pilgrims of the time did the pilgrimage in about a month (over 600 km).

All Breton Christians had to do it once ... or they had to do it once dead ... and then, even for a good Catholic, it was very long ... The legend recalls that the believer who had not performed it alive had to do it advancing a length of coffin a night ... It took quite a while.

Let's go back to our tour : Dol is one of the stages of the Tro Breizh. Saint Samson is the patron saint of the city and one of the founding saints of Brittany. He has its granite sculpture at Carnoët in the Holy Valley. Sculpted by Jacques Dumas, he is represented with a mermaid.



Jacques Dumas explains the legend of Saint Samson : his mother rescued once a mermaid who then gave to this women a son (she was too old to have one).

Samson was born in Wales (as you know now) and emigrated ...
He is a peacemaker between animals and with men too... He commands the birds that destroy crops, he hunts the serpent which occupies the cave where he wishes to move ... He also works in humans problems and rules the political conflicts between the Franks and the Britons. He created the diocese of Dol. He died in about 565 Dol. His feast day is July 28.



In West Britain, at the other end of the Tro Breizh, you'll meet Saint Pol Aurélien (David Puech is the artist). This saint is the source of many miracles in the area .... Thanks to him the island of Batz was released from the dragon ....He also comes from Wales, arrived at Ouessant and finally settled in Saint Pol de Leon, where he left his name.

Enjoy your tour... walking, cycling or riding horses...

Read this article in French : Tour de Bretagne à pied, à cheval ou à vélo : idée de vacances sportives en Bretagne

Menez-Bre, this is the breton name of one the highest mountains of Brittany... 302 meters high ! Yes, and I climbed it... the rise of Menez-Bre it's 18% ... of fatigue... or of great pleasure...



Menez-Bre means sacred mountain in breton language (z is sometimes pronounced sometimes not depending on the corner of Britain you live in). It is a beautiful hill where St. Hervé chapel is built.
It is located in the middle of Brittany, a bit North, and it is surrounded by three villages Louargat, Pédernec and Tréglamus.
It can be hiked up from all sides and down on the opposite. And then walk the road, that returns to your starting point.
At the top, the Chapel Saint Hervé dominates the landscape and you will guess, through an orientation table, the different points of the land ... Monts d'Arrée ? Pink granite coast ?

A legend says that Conomor, the breton Bluebeard, was judged here... And it is also there that Gwench'lan, a prophet and a bard of the 5th C, (who refused to convert to Catholicism and had therefore his eyes gouged out, who was an enemy of Christians but a lover of birds) has been buried here after the battle against St. Hervé.
Hence the chapel Saint Hervé, symbol of the winner ! Parts of the building date from the 16th, 17th and 18th C, it has often been rebuilt.



It used to be a place of an important pilgrimage - but it is now unfortunately closed most of the time.

Let me tell you ... the history of Saint Hervé and this French first name.... and its chapel.
He is one of the few saints from Brittany to be born here in Britain in the 6th C. Blind since birth, God would not let him see the deceptive appearances of the world, he became a hermit and was always moving with a wolf. He was also a very popular confessor all over Brittany. He is also a holy bard and exorcist.

A bard ... He is the patron saint of Breton musicians and singers. That is why the Breton bards gathered here all night to pray ... And exorcist …Demons... watch out ! In fact, the 18th C exorcism sessions were held here on the sacred mountain.

One episode is often reported : a priest, Guillermic climbed the hill barefoot reciting prayers... Before him, many exorcists came here to celebrate a Mass at midnight to scare away evil spirits.

Saint Hervé is used to cure anxiety, fears or even depression.
This patron has also sparked a source close to the Chapel (300 meters East) where sick children were plunged to heal.
Many believers suffering from eye diseases or scalp came also on pilgrimage ... to be cured.
Finally, he has composed a the famous breton song the Paradise (Ar Baradoz). Hervé is celebrated June 17.

The Menez-Bre is also, since the Middle Ages, renowned for its horse fairs that stopped in the 1960s.



Hike on the village Louargat... too.
First, because the stones village is nice. And because you will find other excuses to walk around : or rather the menhir Pergat a few kilometers away from downtown. It is one of the highest menhirs in Europe, 7 to 10 meters according to sources.
And another smaller is quite weard... Put your back against the great menhir (don't wear nylon), look at the small menhir, a field of lines of force is created. your hair will tend to stand on your head.

There is also a mound (not easy to find ... I have not found any info about him) is in the opposite direction.

There are also many churches and chapels (Saint Eloi, Our Lady of Snow, St. John, St. Fiacre, Saint Paul, Saint-Sylvestre ...) in this town.

Why not spend a weekend here...
You can choose between accommodation in a cottage very close to the chapel of St. Hervé, or you can pitch your tent in a campsite within the Park of the Manor of Cleuziou (15th – 18thC).
You can even decorate your dishes or salads with herbs gathered in their garden ... Fun, no !



Read this article in French : Week-end de randonnées dans les montagnes de Bretagne : escapade dans le Trégor

Book the last week end of November to go to the first Breton gastronomy fair in Brittany (salon breton du livre et du gourmet). We won’t talk about French cuisine but Breton cuisine…
Go to Saint Brieuc with an empty stomach !!! Because lots of breton chefs and wine waiters will be there, cooking or showing their cooking secrets !!! You will also taste fine local products, see professionnal tools, discover plenty of recipes and cooking tips. You will get the signature of famous breton chefs that will present their books.

And you’ll also enjoy the evening meals that are prepared by those local stars for the event in their restaurants (you have to book now !). Or you can taste chocolates that will be done on the fair. Or appreciate scallops specialities !!! (Saint Brieuc is on the Breton coast).

Love goes through the stomach, I think you say,then you’ll leave the fair with a love feeling!!!

It is the first time of the fair, it is free, don't miss it and enjoy it !!!

Read it in French : salon breton du livre et du gourmet à saint brieuc fin novembre

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

You want to know if the notions of sustainable development, organic food or ecological houses mean something in France. You should go to this fair.

It gathers biological farmers and organic wine producers, representatives of natural health products or cosmetics and bio fibres exhibitors …



Ecological houses, solar energy or water filters are also represented during this week end.

It takes place in the Parc expo (Parc des Expositions de Rennes Saint Jacques) from Februar 27th to March 1st. Open from 10 am to 7 pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it is open till 10 pm on Friday night. 4 euros (for those who are more than 12 years old).