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Belle-Ile-En-Mer & La Citadelle Vauban

January 13, 2001
Belle-Ile-En-Mer
We drove to a small port café in Quiberon, had coffee and bought tickets for the ferry to the Belle-Ile-En-Mer, which translates to "Beautiful Island Of the Sea." I wanted to get some shells while Phil moved the car so I walked to the beach while he did so. I walked along the beach looking for about ten minutes. I looked around and did not see Phil or Mike so I headed into the building that sold the tickets. I could not find them inside, so I walked to the ferry thinking they might have already gotten on. They were not on the boat and I went down to the entry ramp to look for them. Just then, they sounded the horn to cast off.
The sailors were about to take in the ramp when Mike and Phil came running down the dock and the crew waited for them. They got aboard and all was well.
It was gray and cloudy and there was a fog on the ocean. Soon we could no longer see the mainland.
We spent most of the boat ride out on the deck, just smoking and talking.
After about 45 minutes we arrived at the Belle-Ile-en-Mer, the largest of the islands in the Gulf of Morbihan. The fortress that dominates the island was very visible from several kilometers out to sea.
Due to its strategic position, supply of fresh drinking water and natural riches, the Belle-Ile has been invaded and pillaged time and time again.
During the 18th century, the island was attacked several times. Captured by the British in 1761, the island was returned to France by the treaty of Paris (1763) in exchange for Minorca. It has lived in relative peace ever since.
It was decommissioned in 1918 and listed as a historical monument on May 1,1933. From 1940 to 1945 the German army occupied the Citadel.
It was sold in 1960 to a private investor and fully restored. It is now one of the most popular sites for tourists and cultural activities in the Brittany Region.

We docked at Le Palais, a picturesque little fishing village with lots of small shops and a beautiful church. The fortified walls of the Citadel were visible from all over town.
It was still cold and cloudy so we stopped at a small bar along the canal where the local boats were moored to get coffee. The coffee was great and the Triscalion symbol was etched into the glass on the windows.

Inside the pub was a dog named Caramel. He was very friendly, walked with a limp, and was deaf. It was his sixteenth birthday. I took pictures for the site. We left, after finishing our coffee, to look around the town.

We decided to stop and get a treat for Caramel to wish him a Joyeux Anniverse. We went to the local marche and bought him a tin of dog food that was very nice. When we returned to the cafe to give it to him, the owners laughed and thought it was wonderful. They promised to look up the photos on my website. We shook hands and left.
La Citadelle Vauban
As our crew began the walk up the hill to La Citadelle Vauban, the clouds parted and the sun came out.
La Citadelle Vauban has been occupied since the 11th century, when it started out as a monastery.
In 1549 King Henry II ordered the construction of a fort and in 1572 Charles IX gave the island to Albert de Gondi, Baron of Retz, on the condition that he organize its defense.
In 1658 Henry de Gondi, having been ruined, ceded the island to Surintendant Foucquet, who immediately set out constructing the Citadel but was arrested in 1661 before he could finish it.
Louis XIV sent Vauban there in 1683 and, in just three short years, the engineer drew up comprehensive plans for the defense of the island and the town. Only the plans for the citadel were carried out.
We walked up inside the huge walls and marveled at the construction.
To think that they built this without modern tools is astounding. (Try to get union guys to do that and they would laugh and then make you disappear.) We got to the entrance to find out that it was closed for lunch. We toured the outside of the fortress and the Oceanside cliff that it was situated upon. What a spectacular view.
We finished up and to get back to the entrance in time for the re-opening. Due to the fact that we were running out of time, we did the shotgun tour of the and left. We raced back to the boat in the nick of time and sailed back to Quiberon.We retrieved the car and headed for Carnac, which was also on the Peninsula, about 35 kilometers from Quiberon. It didn't take long to get there.

Pre- Historic Megaliths At Carnac

Carnac Legend Among the Brittany Region's most distinctive attractions are its prehistoric monuments. Erected as early as 5000 B.C., the grandest displays lie in and around Carnac.
Carnac is home to some of the world's most important megalithic sites. Some 4,000 Menhirs (upright stone slabs, some up to 30 feet high) and Dolmens (tombs built of horizontal slabs set over upright stones) are scattered over the countryside. The megaliths stretch for 13 kilometers north and east of the town.
Little is known about the purpose or meaning of these megalithic constructions, but it is universally agreed that they mark or embellish a sacred place in the landscape. According to local legend, heathen soldiers chased Saint Cornely out of Rome.
He fled with two oxen carrying him and his luggage. One evening, he arrived at the village where he wanted to stop. There he heard a young girl insult her mother, so he went on his way. Soon after, he arrived in a village perched on a hill. He saw the sea in the distance and, behind him, coming closer and ready for battle, the soldiers who followed him.
Saint Cornely passed through the market place with his two oxen. He saw farmers sowing seeds and asked them what they were sowing. "Oats," they answered. The Saint told them that they would be reaping their oats the next day. And in fact, the next day, the oats were ripe, so they went back to cut it. While they were doing so, soldiers arrived and asked if they had seen a man with two oxen. They replied they saw him when they were sowing the oats. In that case, said the soldiers, there was no need to go any further. A few seconds later, they all changed to stone.
In remembrance of this miracle, inhabitants of the area erected a church on the very spot where he stood.

The stones are large and painstakingly arranged in long rows that stretch as far as the eye can see. Some give the impression of being carved, with several appearing to have faces on them. A few had fallen over from time and erosion.
There was a weird and wonderful feeling about this place. It was both awe inspiring and frightening at the same time. It was so mystifying.
We walked amongst the baffling stones for nearly an hour, taking many photos. I found one stone that had a few chunks broken off that were lying on the ground. One chunk looked like a smaller version of one of the Megaliths. I decided it would make a cool souvenir (I call it my mini-lith). I also picked up two smaller pieces for Andy and Michelle. They will love them.

We took our leave of the stones and headed out. As we drove, dozens of questions were flying through my brain. Primarily: "What were they thinking?" and "What are they for?" Scientists still don't know why the ancients did it.

My guess: It was probably just so ancient man could have an excuse get out of the cave and away from ancient woman. I can just see it:
Wife: "Oog, dear, we need talk."
Oog: "Oog would love talk dear, but can't be late for stand rocks in field! Must keep cave over heads!"

La Trinite-sur-Mer We stopped in a small town called La Trinite-sur-Mer to watch the sunset and I got some beautiful small shells and postcards. We went to a shop and got java and dessert. I ordered a piece of pastry called caramel sucre. It was like a very creamy, sweet cheesecake with caramel on top. It was sinfully delicious. I am sure that someone made a deal with the Devil for the recipe.
Next, we stopped at the gallery shop of the photographer Philip Plisson. He is well known for his photos of lighthouses and ships. An example of his work is above. Many of the breathtaking pictures were from around France, particularly the Brittany region, but many of the others were from Scotland, Iceland and Galicia. We marveled at his work for a half hour, signed his guest book, and continued on our journey.
We drove for about an hour and a half and stopped at a bar for more coffee. We watched part of a soccer game, checked out two of the most beautiful women I have ever seen in my entire life (Did I mention I love it here?), and then we were off again.
We arrived in Le Mans under the cover of darkness at about 11:30 pm.
Le Mans (pop. 148,465), on the Sarthe River in the Loire Valley, dates from pre-Roman times before Charlemagne was a Merovingian capital.
It is ringed by walls dating from the late Roman empire and its 22-acre restored Old Town is an official historic monument, full of half-timbered houses and Renaissance mansions, mixed with restaurants, boutiques, arts and craft galleries.
It was the birthplace of Henry II of England and John II of France, and has witnessed frequent sieges and battles throughout its history.
Today, Le Mans is famous for its annual international auto race: Le Mans Grand Prix d'Endurance. The event, which is run on local roads, began in 1923.
Le Mans is also an important manufacturing, commercial, educational, and communications center.
Le Mans is also home to the Cathedrale St. Julien du Mans (11th-13th cent.), which is famous for its superb medieval glass.

The Cathedral contains the Tomb of Berengaria, queen of Richard Coeur de Lion ("Richard the Lion Hearted" - Richard I of England). The architectural style is partly Romanesque, and its Gothic part has perhaps the most daring system of flying buttresses of any Gothic cathedral. When we arrived, it was all lit up and we walked around to look. On the way back to the car, all the lights went out and we mentioned that we were "supposed" to see this. It was stunning. Near the cathedral was a very cool statue dedicated to Wilbur Wright and the spirit of aviation. We looked at the statue and took pictures before driving around the city. We found a hotel (Ibis again), and showered, watched French porn movies and slept for a few hours. We were off to Chartres for mass in the morning.