River Odet

After a lot of walking, turning into limping, yesterday, we decided on a boat trip today from the beautiful chic resort of Benodet. Now Benodet is what  a seaside town should be; tree lined, huge, empty sandy beach, some nice restaurants and oodles of boats. And no fish and chip shops or amusement arcades, just a casino. So we decided on a 3 hour boat rip up the Odet river to Quimper and around the bay. We also decided on a picnic, but the first sandwich shop we stopped at, and the only one by the beach, at half- past eleven was, of course, shut. This being France. But also being France the next one we went to sold us half a baguette full of lovely fresh produce and was delicious. A million miles from those little cellophane  packed jobs we get in England.

And while grey for the first half an hour of the trip, it quickly developed into glorious sunshine. And the boat was largely empty allowing one to switch sides at will to look at the chateaux that line the forested river, little partings in the trees allowing the owners a clear view of the water and probably their yacht. All very picturesque. One could watch the gulls and egrets fishing. Only downside was the overzealous guide on the commentary and her comic English. My favourite was pointing out a lighthouse which she described as the "building with the red head". Home for gingers one assumes.

Then on to Quimper, the main city in the region. Very attracive river crossed with footbridges which in previous years had been lined with flowers but this time was bare (French budget cuts?), medieval shops and a very fine light gothic cathedral, with an unusual twist. Literally: the nave has a bend.

Then the main museum for a quick whizz around an exhibition one is unlikely to come across elsewhere - Art Deco in Brittany. A series of rooms decked out in various local styles of Art Deco.

So now all we have to do is find a restaurant tonight to eat at. Have failed on first 5, 4 because its a Tuesday and they close Tuesdays (as well as Sundays and Mondays) and one because its holding a jazz night. This does explain why when crossing Brittany yesterday evening every town was deserted. There is nowhere to go after curfew.