Away

This is where “away” was:

 (I forgot to take a picture before closing the shutters when we left!)

And this is the view we enjoy – we had wonderful weather for 90% of the 3 weeks!Enjoyed from here:That’s cidre, the local kind… and the book is symbolic, too, because I got through quite a few of them! Occasionally, a wrap is good against sea breezes, but I don’t mind a bit of wind if it keeps the heat off.   Not far from our place is this little gem – less appealing in winter storms, I guess, but still very pretty!

La Roche Jagu sits high over an estuary, quite a way inland from the coast, with a commanding view over the countryside  If only that was our boat! Perhaps in another life 🙂

Over the last 10 years or so, the gardens here have been getting better and better and been extended year by year. It’s a pleasure to wander the extensive grounds and this year’s special garden is a scented one to accompany this summer’s exhibition on perfume: In the centre is a fountain that sprays a very fine mist to waft through the plants and enhance the scent.  Believe it or not, that’s the toilet block!

There’s a little tea-room and crêperie, too, so you really could spend all day here. Basketwork features strongly, surrounding flower beds, trees and supporting different levels of the gardens very attractively. This year, I loved these in particular:  Like basket snowmen!

This was the backdrop for the local fest noz, the annual summer party that each village in the area holds: not all of them quite so well framed as at Port Le Goff!  A whole string of musicians and singers of all ages performed traditional and modern music, all Celtic-based, some in French but much in Breton, while natives and tourists alike danced the typical line dances of the region, with little fingers linked; it’s just one of those things where everyone joins in. And the sun goes down… (Level 42!)

On quiet days
But it was still hard to come back. Or maybe not.