Our albums of photos can be viewed by clicking on the links below.

June 2018

July 2018

August 2018

le lundi 27 août 2018 – Monday August 27, 2018

Pretty quiet this morning when Sandy took our garbage and recycling to the center. She was 6th in line at the boulangerie today and several tables on the terrace and the interior were occupied. Tourist season is not over yet.

We took a walk in the morning towards the mole/breakwater. The temperature was so cool that even Phil wore a jacket. We reached the end of the Intra-Muros to look at the Plage du Mole ( breakwater beach ) and the wind was very strong. Sandy took her hat off so it didn’t blow away and we decided it was too windy to walk to the end of the pier. Instead we walked along the basin towards the esplanade Saint-Vincent, looked at the ocean then walked inside the walls to return.

We enjoyed an espresso at Charly’s bar and watched people, dogs, birds, gulls, and waiters going to and fro. It was cloudy all morning.

In the afternoon we watched a boules game for a while on our way to the Cathedral. They were providing tours of their bell tower as a way to encourage donations for the renovations of some of their bells. We were at the meeting point but the guide said there were too many people. We elected to leave giving tourist in town for the day a chance to visit. We’ll return on Wednesday at 5pm or Thursday morning.

le mardi 28 août 2018 – Tuesday August 28, 2018

Sandy frequently sees unusual sites on her way to and from the boulangerie. Today on her return trip she spotted a lady walking down the street wrapped in a towel, heading towards the beach. There were no apparent swimming suit shoulder straps visible. This doesn’t mean much, except the temperature was 12C, 53F, and it was chilly. The beaches here are top optional, but not nude beaches. Maybe she was on her way to shower at a friend’s house.

At the marché Sandy was buying fresh fruit. Another customer from the UK was speaking to the assistant in English. Sandy heard him say that in Greece, an entire watermelon costs 1 euro. The assistant did not understand and was trying to ask him questions. Sandy helped and translated into French for the assistant. The assistant understood, then explained the whole conversation, including Sandy’s translating to Monsieur Alex.

At 12h00, Sandy agreed to meet Christine, our tutor at her house. She had invited Sandy to go to Rennes with her for the afternoon.They were going in Christine’s car which was not air-conditioned. It was a practical size for France, so fairly small but easy to park and drive on narrow streets. It was 22C in Saint-Malo, 27C and sunny in Rennes and hot in the car.

Rennes is a large city and the capital of Brittany. First they visited the Couvent Des Jacobins which had been turned into an exhibition hall. It was a beautiful, light and airy building with an interior cloister. The exhibit contained some of the artwork collected by a world-renowned collector named Francois Pinault. He has assembled over 3000 artworks of the 20 and 21st century. The collection was interesting and bizarre. Then they walked (Donna and Caron – you would be glad you weren’t with us) more than 7 kilometers in the center of the town.

Rennes reminded Sandy of Strasbourg. There were many pedestrianized small cobble stoned streets with bars, restaurants, and boutiques lining both sides of the streets. They were curvy, narrow, and fun to look at. Many houses were similar in style to the city of Dinard, France which has many half timbered houses that tilt one way or another. They also toured the grand Parc du Thabor, 25 acres in size, which is a very large park in the center of the city. It is considered an elegant and romantic French and British style garden. There was an aviary in the center and an Orangerie. They didn’t take time to visit the Orangerie or winter interior garden.

They stopped in the Cathedral which was a beautiful building built around 1845. They looked in several boutiques and arrived home close to 19h00. Sandy was very tired and her feet were sore. She enjoyed her outing, learned a lot about Rennes and practiced speaking French. Thank you Christine.

le mercredi 29 août 2018 – Wednesday August 29, 2018

Sandy was still tired this morning and chose to purchase our breakfast croissant at Maison du Pain, a very short walk from home. However, the sign on the door said, on vacation until September 5th. Sandy then walked to her usual boulangerie La Fournee Malouine but had extra steps since she didn’t intend to shop here.

She spent two hours tutoring with Christine. Christine is leaving for a vacation in Spain tomorrow and won’t return until 11th of September. Sandy will take a plant for Christine to “plant sit” and a check to Christine later on that day.

le jeudi 30 août 2018 – Thursday August 30, 2018

Again it was cool, 13C and quiet in the morning. We noticed shutters in neighboring apartments staying closed yesterday. Back to school time. School starts Monday in France so time for the tourists with children to depart.

We took the bus to the Carrefour at the Madeleine Center to look for white dryer sheets. No luck! They must have discontinued them. Alain had given us a plant when we first arrived in Saint-Malo. We saw the same plant while shopping and took a photo to remember the name. It is called a Bromeliacea plant.

We did see “The General” a local character on our bus.

We watched Alain play boules for a while in the afternoon.

le vendredi 31 août 2018 – Friday August 31, 2018

Very quiet this morning. After breakfast we walked to Saint-Servan to buy meat from the butcher. We told him good-bye, he wished us a good winter. His assistant thanked Sandy for helping her practice English and wished us a Happy New Year and a good 2019. Sandy thanked her for her help in practicing French.

We have a lot of tasty meals lined up until we leave! We saw several cars being packed for departure. It was a sunny day with a high temperature of 20C, 70F.

le samedi 1 septembre 2018 – Saturday September 1, 2018

Quiet again and Sandy spotted more people leaving with luggage, shopping bags etc this morning.

This weekend is the braderie at the Hippodrome or race track. In the past, an euro entry included a complimentary soft drink. This is the 50th anniversary of the event, so there was no charge, but also no free beverage. We walked around, looked at everything but didn’t buy anything. We spotted two pewter ducks, similar to our own, and a larger duck. We have never seen any of the pewter chickens that we have in Saint-Malo. Everything, the Gare, streets, stores are less crowded.

The temperature climbed to 26C, perfect beach weather. We walked in the ocean admiring the sail boats, the horizon, and enjoyed the cold water. We made a guess that there were only 10% of the number of people here today compared to the last time we were in the water. It seemed like paradise.

le dimanche 2 septembre 2018 – Sunday September 2, 2018

There must have been a ferry leaving soon on it’s way to the UK when Sandy walked to the recycling center and boulangerie. About 8 British people were in front of her at the boulangerie. They all had backpacks, hand luggage, and larger luggage on wheels. They ordered something like 16 different vienoiseries (pain au chocolat, croissant, pain aux raisons, croissant almond) and each picked out their own order. It took quite awhile to get all of them purchased and departing before it was Sandy’s turn.

After breakfast and close to high tide, we spent awhile at the harbor. We watched a few boats travel in and out of the locks, Corsair and Condor ferries arrive and depart before heading home for lunch.

In the afternoon the temperature was 25C so we headed for a walk in the ocean. It was windier than yesterday but still lovely to enjoy the sun, fresh air, and sea water.