Day 3

From: Paimpol To: Ile de Brehat

I had decided to spend Sunday around Paimpol; not just because it was a lively, bustling village but because my experience of the previous day at the tourist office made me realise that it was a weekend and accommodation might be difficult to find. I also had two side trips that I wanted to take - both of which centered around Paimpol. So it seemed reasonable to spend another night with the flamboyant Mme. St. James.

After a haphazard breakfast, I loaded the bike...not with the full kit, but with the trimmed down version (the handlebar bag and rear carrier bag). And as a result, instead of using the 6 elastic straps to secure the rear bags, I now used just two. I set off shortly after 9am for Pointe de l'Arcouest, from where I could catch a ferry to Ile de Brehat. I stopped at a supermarket in Paimpol to get something for lunch, and water to refill the water bottles. Pointe de l'Arouest was only 6k and without the panniers the bike was handling very well. The road (D789) was busy for a Sunday morning as others also headed for the ferry. As I came to the top of a short climb, I heard an unfamiliar noise from the back of the bike. As I tried to figure out what it was, I heard something fall to the ground. Pulling over, I looked over my shoulder to see a bus swerve to avoid my camera which was now in the middle of the road. The guy in the white Renault behind the bus had seen what had happened and stopped in front of the camera to allow me time to retrieve it. I dumped the bike on the side of the road and ran back to get it. As the Renault passed me I tied the camera bag back on the bike. But I was disgusted with myself...you don't dump a camera like that on the ground and expect it to keep working. I continued to the ferry and, when it was pulling away from the mainland, checked to see what damage was done.

Ferry to Ile de Brehat		Looking back at the mainland..

I was relieved to find that the camera had survived the fall, and took the two photos above in a jubilant mood. I felt that I had been taught a lesson but wasn't being punished for it. I wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Coming into port...		Lighthouse at Phare du Paon, north end of Ile de Brehat

The ferry docked in Port Clos on the island. The roads through the small port town were narrow and cobblestoned, and the place was quite busy already. I pushed the bike through the busy streets and headed for the north end of the island. The island is actually two smaller islands, joined by a small bridge.

Rural...but a bit touristy..		Looking east @ St. Michel

Church at St. Michel, Ile de Brehat		View from Church @ St. Michel

From the north end, I took a side road for St. Michel, which has a white church on top of a hill (probably the highest point of the island).

St. Michel		This is where the boat docked this morning..

From St. Michel I generally headed back toward the main port, following the coastline. It rained for about 30 minutes and, being unprepared (all of my raingear was back in Paimpol) took shelter with others under a set of trees. I found the island to be pleasant but very busy and commercial, and had seen all that I wanted to by lunchtime. I took the 2.00pm ferry back to the mainland and was astonished (again) at the tidal range. The place where the boat had docked earlier (at full tide) was now 1-1.5k from where the afternoon ferry was to leave.

Trying to show the tidal extremes..		Road into Sillon de Talbert (note the wet road..)

It rained again while on the ferry and continued this pattern of rain showers for the rest of the day. I went back to Paimpol to pick up some raingear, then headed out again to Sillon de Talbert. This area is a 7k sandbar northwest of Paimpol, jutting out into the ocean, which is a popular local tourist location.

Sandy flat at Sillon de Talbert

I don't think that I gave Sillon de Talbert the attention that it warranted; it turned out to be a very wet afternoon, and, while the sandbar was probably a very unique place to walk, this was not the best afternoon. I took the obligatory pictures and then headed back to Paimpol. The ride back was wetter than the ride out, and I had both front and rear lights on to decrease the chance of getting nailed by the local traffic. I learned that, when cycling in wet weather, the idea is not to stay dry...but to stay warm. The long cycling tights that I was wearing were not waterproof, but they did trap water close to the skin and reduce the amount of heat loss.

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