Event
Report
2018 Tour of Brittany 12 ~ 14 June
Report by Martin Vinson
Martin Vinson kindly prepared this report on the recent run to France.
The photographs were taken by various members of the party. In order to
make sure that everyone completed the run and did not take any shortcuts
we asked the crews to take pictures of various places on the route, most
crews have sent me their photographs and a selection are reproduced in
the report. We were joined on the run by Dee and Stuart who are good
friends who live local to us just outside Chateauneuf de Faou. Stuart
has appeared in the Newsletter before with his Ford Escort MK2. Just
before the event he realised that the Escort had no MOT so he came in
his Mini Cooper. It is interesting to note that in France the MOT is
every two years but with older cars it is every five years. Enough of me
rambling on, over to Martin.
We all arrived at Chateauneuf de Faou by our various routes on the
afternoon of Tuesday 12 June. Neil, Heather, Jackie and I had travelled
overnight from Portsmouth to St. Malo, while the others, Ian, Julie,
Dave and Kate, had all travelled earlier and had been in France for a
few days already. Jim, Janet, Kevin and Billy Jo were staying chez John
and Angela, and we all met up for a noisy dinner in the hotel that
evening. There was a wide choice on the menu, and this seemed to cause
some little confusion, but we got there in the end, even if Jim and
Kevin did have to eat four desserts between them!
Wednesday dawned misty, but the sun soon broke through and we set off on
a scenic drive of about 85 miles. As usual the roads in France were
good, and there was little traffic, at least by UK standards. After
about ten miles we all stopped at Pleyben, for coffee, as you do. There
was a large town square, and an interesting church there together with
an edifice with some amazing statues. By this time, it was a warm day,
with blue sky and sunshine, so we lingered for some time before setting
off again.
A couple of days later there was a wedding at the same church, note the
wedding car.
We stopped for some splendid views over river valleys, shortly followed
by a bridge with some spectacular engineering. There did not seem to be
anywhere to stop for a photo, but I think Julie persuaded Ian to turn
round and find somewhere to stop. Neil, Heather, Ian, Julie, Jackie and
I all stopped in Chateaulin for a late lunch. It was a very picturesque
town, with fine buildings, and bridges over the River Aulne. After that
it was not far to John and Angela’s house where a barbeque had been
arranged. Some went back to the hotel first, but we all arrived in good
time to discuss the day’s drive, the points of interest and where we
went wrong! Actually there was only one problem turn, which most of us
saw as we went sailing by, and John did warn us about it the evening
before. There were some fairly vicious speed humps in some of the
villages though.
Chateaulin
The food and drink was plentiful, and we were most grateful to John and
Angela for all their hard work. They did not stop while the rest of us
were just sitting about stuffing our faces, although I think that they
did get something to eat at the end, when we had all finished – perfect
hosts!
This is the only picture I have of the BBQ everyone must have been too
busy talking to take anymore.
Thursday dawned dull and wet. It had been decided that the Chateauneuf
de Faou party should “have a day at leisure”, and meet up for dinner at
a local hostelry in the evening. Some of us went to Concarneau, which is
an attractive seaside town, with plenty of cafés, and a walled fort, now
full of shops, mostly selling the same touristy merchandise! There was
plenty of parking, and it was free. Quimper, Pont Aven, and Pointe de
Trévignon, were also popular places to visit.
Port Launay
The eight of us met up again at the hotel for a short drive, or steep
walk, down to the restaurant on the banks of the River Aulne, where it
was a perfect evening with swallows swooping over the water, and we
enjoyed an excellent dinner. This was our last evening together, and as
some of us would be leaving early the next day to catch the 1030 ferry
at St Malo, farewells were said. Ian, Julie, Jackie and I were bound for
St Malo on Friday morning, while Neil and Heather were going to spend a
couple of days on the north coast. Kate and Dave, however, were bound
for Italy, and an extended holiday.
Kate and Dave did make it to the top of the Stelvio Pass on their way to
Italy.
All in all, a very pleasant break, and our grateful thanks to John and
Angela for all their hard work and organisation.
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