{"id":1091,"date":"2016-09-25T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-25T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kergudon.com\/https-www-kergudon-com-sunday-25-september-research-trips\/"},"modified":"2020-05-12T15:54:51","modified_gmt":"2020-05-12T15:54:51","slug":"sunday-25-september-research-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kergudon.com\/fr\/sunday-25-september-research-trips\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday 25 September – Research Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

First, I should probably apologise for not posting a blog last week.\u00a0 We had been hosting David\u2019s uncle and aunt who had only visited\u00a0Brittany once many years before we moved here despite being big fans of seafood.\u00a0 Since we bought Kergudon they have fallen in love with the region and we are delighted that they have come to see us a few times a year (I think it is just because we are a convenient base for their seafood tours but I am certainly not complaining).<\/p>\n

While they are very easy to host, as they travel a lot during the day, I had a week where I didn\u2019t really progress many of our major projects very much so I couldn\u2019t post significant leaps forward with the garage trenches or repairing the side talus (dry stone wall).<\/p>\n

This week we have also been hosting, David\u2019s parents this time, and I still can\u2019t really say that I have made significant strides in the many projects we want to progress (although our garage trench is at least an \u2018L\u2019 shape rather than just the back wall) but we did manage to do some valuable research into some other places to visit and restaurants to eat at.<\/p>\n

In the past couple of weeks we have received a copy of the first article written by the fly fishing journalist who came to stay with us in June and fish with Philippe of Brittany Fly Fishing<\/a>.\u00a0 Sadly, because of size (and I suspect minor copyright laws) I can\u2019t attach a PDF of the magazine, but, if you\u2019re in your local newsagent and happen to ask for a copy of issue 488 (Sep 14 \u2013 Oct 11 2016) of \u2018Trout Fisherman\u2019 on page 44 is the article on the Lac du Drennec with our details given for the ideal accommodation written by Peter Gathercole (the Fly Dressers\u2019 Guild Chairman).\u00a0 If you are, or know, someone who enjoys fly fishing, please do forward them our details \u2013 Lac du Drennec is one of the gems of the fly fishing world and only a couple of kms from us.<\/p>\n

As well as hosting family members, we have continued to welcome some lovely, and truly international, guests to the g\u00eetes including an American couple who were on a cycling tour of Brittany.\u00a0 They had flown to Brest and cycled to us on their \u2018Bike Fridays\u2019 so called after Man Friday of the Robison Crusoe story.\u00a0 Bike Fridays originate, as our guests, from Oregon and appear to be the American equivalent of the Brompton bike which meant that they were very hungry when they came to us but, reading their TripAdvisor review<\/a>, they evidently enjoyed their stay and the meal David cooked for them.<\/p>\n


\n<\/a> \"three-course-supper\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(Our other international guests were visiting from Western Australia and also enjoyed Dave\u2019s catering \u2013 the first time we were asked for Moules Mariniere \u2013 hopefully another review next week \u2026)<\/p>\n

While David\u2019s family have been with us we have taken the opportunity to re-visit a couple of favourite places and restaurants as well as try some new ones.\u00a0 The favourites include Au Lac Bistro on the shores of the lake; Le Grand Caf\u00e9 De La Terrace<\/a> in Morlaix and the Hotel Les Arcades in Roscoff<\/a>. \u00a0New ones included the refurbished Cr\u00eaperie de L\u2019Argoat in Sizun which we have been meaning to visit since it reopened after a major revamp and change of ownership earlier in the year \u2013 it was definitely worth visiting and we will be back.<\/p>\n

Another new destination was a restaurant in Brest that was recommended to us many months ago but, as ever, it has taken us this long to visit.\u00a0 It is called Le Crabe Marteau<\/a> and, as its name suggests, principally serves crab, which you smash with a hammer!\u00a0 The food is good (if you like crab) and it is a fun venue.\u00a0 We enjoyed it so much we went both with Dave\u2019s uncle and aunt and then again with his parents.<\/p>\n

\"crabe-marteau\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We did however manage to get some culture in during their visit when David and his Mum went to the Chagall exhibition in the Leclerc Cultural Centre in Landerneau \u2013 another amazing location that we had not previously discovered but were told about by some guests who stayed with us a couple of weeks ago.\u00a0 Edouard Leclerc of the E. Leclerc hypermarket chain was a Breton and his first store was opened in Landerneau \u2013 the French equivalent of Lord Sainsbury.\u00a0 As he made his fortune he gifted the cultural centre to the town which, we have now learned(!), has a fabulous programme of exhibitions that we will make more use of!<\/p>\n

\"chagall-exhibition\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We also travelled to the wonderfully pretty town of Pont Aven<\/a> on the south coast of Finist\u00e8re.\u00a0 Home of the Pont Aven school of painters headed by Gauguin you can see why it is a destination for many active artists and painters \u2013 and there are some fabulous galleries to visit.<\/p>\n

\"pont-aven-toillette\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The dogs especially enjoyed their trip and the opportunity to swim in the Aven river.<\/p>\n