The weather was calm at the moment, but high winds were forecast in a few days time, rather than get held up in Treguier it was time to move to Roscoff, and with sunshine and force 1-3 wind forecast we knew it would involve a fair amount of motoring but at least it was only 40 nm. During the journey Shades of Blue developed an electrical charging problem, so the next morning Erik got out the trusty voltmeter and diagnosed that it must be the alternator. Whilst this was happening to rub salt into the wound the unthinkable happened, Chas had missed the Wednesday market in Roscoff.
Just before we left Tregiuer a new diode splitter had been ordered for Lily to be delivered to Roscoff, so Chas ordered a new alternator which all appeared to coincide well with the winds forecast and the extra time we would have to spend sheltering. After 3 nights of high wind, Lily’s new diode had arrived and was fitted, and within an hour of having to leave to make it in time for the lock in Morlaix, Shades of Blue’s alternator had arrived, only to find that when fitted she still wasn’t charging. 10 mins later and some serious head scratching by Erik the fault was found to be the diode, which looked identical to the one removed from Lily the day before. A temporary fix was made to shades and we all slipped our lines for the gentle motor down the rivierer de Morlaix.
A short wait for the lock and sometime for photos.
Morlaix
We needed to fill in time whilst awaiting yet another boat part to be delivered to Roscoff, this time for Shades of Blue , another boys job in the offing !
A gentle sail from Roscoff across the bay and up the pretty river of the same name brings you to the town of Morlaix, where you lock into a cosy friendly marina in what remains of the once famous port. It was one of the busiest biggest ports on the Channel . From here ships went from Spain with fine linen cloth and to Holland with Salt from Guerande, leather and wine from Bordeaux. However, its secure location several miles up the river did not fully protect it from English corsairs!
Most of the port basin is now filled in and covered by 2 squares, these remain lined by arcades rich merchants houses and half timbered buildings leading up to the old squares in the centre of town. Here there are numerous restaurants and bars and it is a pleasant place to while away some time sampling some fine Breton beer or cider .Special mention of pub Ty Coz on a elevation above the Allande square. Every Saturday the 2 main squares are covered by a huge market .Fruit, veg meat and fish in the elegant Place Salvador Allande and jewellery, clothes bric a brac and kitchen utensils in Place Emile Souvestre.
The town view is dominated by the viaduct built in 1861 which carries the Paris Brest railway across Morlaix . Like Rome and Paris Morlaix was built on 7 hills, so the exercise box can be easily ticked. There are 2 guided walks that really give you a flavour of the town and its history .The first takes you round 3 of the hills taking in a walk across the lower part of the viaduct, the Carmelite convent and its famous fountain, and along the old ramparts of the walled town down into its heart , Place Allande with its historical houses and museums. The second walk takes you round the port with its fashionable houses but also the numerous lavoirs ,around natural springs, where the poor people gathered to gossip and do their washing .These seem to be a feature of many Breton towns One , fontaine de Anglais near the marina marking the spot where a bloody battle took place against marauding English attacked and tried to pillage the town which was nobly defended by the Morlaise. High on a hill by the viaduct is a moving memorial to a nun and32 children killed when a bomb intended for the viaduct fell on a school in 1943.
As a reward for all this exercise one has to go past the Patisserie Stephane Taon in Place Cornice. We have all unanimously agreed this place makes the best pastries and baguettes that we have tasted in France to date (for us that includes Paris so praise indeed .)
Roscoff
After the trip to Morlaix, we returned to Roscoff, my first thoughts of Roscoff were that being a ferry port it would be very commercial and unfriendly. How wrong can you be. Roscoff is renowned for its picturesque architecture, labeled “petite cité de caractère de Bretagne” (small town of character) with it old stone house is now a very popular tourist destination.
With its old church Our Lady of Croaz Batz (Notre Dame de Croaz Batz)
Being close to Plymouth has always had it problems, the town was attacked by Cornish raiders many times.
On the 13th August 1538 the town witnessed a remarkable event, when four galleons anchored, a boat was rowed ashore and the 5 1/2 year old Mary Queen of Scots walked up the steps on her way to be married to the heir apparent to the French crown the future Francois II.
In later years the town has been known for it onion Jonnies, ( nothing to do with French family planning). Roscoff onions are famous, they are a rose colour and very sought after. The roads to Paris were very poor so the farmers look elsewhere to sell their produce. England was a good place, so many small boats would travel across the channel. They preferred to go to Wales at first because of the similarity with the language, then by bicycle would go as far as they had to to sell the onions.
You can still see onions grown in the fields around Roscoff , as well as Artichokes and courgettes.
The views around Roscoff are very beautiful, sailing the area is very special, even if you have to motor.
Next we move to L’Aber Wrach as the wind turns in our favour.
Cruising to Brittany 