“Summertime, and the livin’ is” … busy?, stressful?, abnormally hot? The classic Gershwin lullaby suggests that life in the summer is “easy”. Though, it often doesn’t seem very relaxing, does it? Instead, life can feel pretty crazy and frenetic during the summer months. Even vacations – which are supposed to be a time to decompress, to set aside the stresses of daily life – are quite often filled with pressure to finish all of those home projects you’ve been putting off, or the annoyances of traffic jams, air travel, or the overcrowded, overpriced holiday destinations you’re so hurriedly trying to get to (and away from). Yeah, summertime is crazy!
But you would be forgiven for finding yourself absently humming that wonderful old song as you soak in the easygoing, relaxed atmosphere that permeates the village of Saint-Suliac. We recently visited this venerable Breton fishing village on a late July weekday afternoon and we were quickly lulled into its easygoing vibe. And just as the lyrics claim, the fish are, literally, jumpin’ there. Though I don’t think you are likely to see cotton of any height growing in the area. One thing’s for sure: the livin’ is easy in this sublime little waterside community. At least for lucky visitors.
Saint-Suliac is quite old. Founded by a monk in the 6th century, this village had always made its living by fishing. Tourism and leisure is pretty heavy on the agenda nowadays. Solid stone cottages tumble down the slope to the sandy shoreline of the wide estuary of the Rance river as it ebbs and flows back and forth between Dinan to the south and St. Malo in the north. Although the village is on a river, it feels more connected to the sea. The scent of salt is pleasingly heavy in the air and signs of dramatic tides are everywhere evident on the shoreline. In fact, La Manche (or, as some like to call it: The English Channel) is only a few kilometers downriver where the Rance merges with the Baie du Mont Saint-Michel.
We arrived by car around lunchtime and found that parking is a challenge. Surprisingly for such a popular tourist destination, the village government doesn’t appear particularly interested in accommodating the many vehicles which must flood its narrow streets during the holidays. A couple of moderate-sized car parks can be found on the outskirts of the village. They’re little more than small, grassy lots but they do the job. And they are free, so who’s to complain?
We parked in a blue zone (which means there is usually a time limit), feeling quite clever to have found an open spot. It wasn’t until we returned to the car to leave when we spotted the sign indicating that the row of spaces we were in are restricted to those who possess a special badge of some sort. Probably for local residents only. Whoops! We seem to have gotten away with our mistake without an amende (parking ticket). At least so far. Sometimes the authorities simply send a notice of a fine to be paid in the mail. We will be keeping our fingers crossed for the next few weeks.
Blissfully ignorant of our parking faux pas, we enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the pretty streets and alleys of Saint- Suliac. One thing we noticed right away was the presence of thatched roofs on a few buildings, a feature we rarely see in this part of France. The thatching is beautifully, very neatly done. The roof ridges are flat and appear to be planted with irises. I imagine they are even prettier when the roof tops are in bloom. Fishing nets still hang out to dry, suspended on hooks on the walls of a few cottages, and boats rest in enclosed courtyards. Just a taste of what this village must have looked like during its past as an active fishing community.
The shoreline at Saint-Suliac is broad and expansive – particularly at low tide. Boats, small and large, dot the bay, tethered to moorings. Some of their fellows lay comfortably beached on the sand, silently awaiting the rising waters. The views along the shoreline and across the waters are sublime.
There are a couple of indoor restaurants and several outdoor cafés offering a range of foods lining the wide street which follows the beach. And they looked pretty good. But, instead, we opted to pick up some excellent prepared salads, along with some fruit and a bit to drink from the small village grocer. With this local, fresh bounty, we filled one of the many benches set along the edge of the shoreline and enjoyed a picnic. We enjoyed our lunch as the waters of the estuary gently rolled in; small seabirds stilt-walked along the shore, dipping into the encroaching tide as locals and holiday-makers slowly, unsteadily guided their paddle boards about, dodging in and out of the moorings. It was lovely.
Apart from wandering the quaint streets of this Plus Beau Village de France, admiring the views across the Rance, enjoying a lunch en plein aire, swimming, sunbathing, or perhaps renting a paddle board, row boat or sailing dingy for some time out on the water, there are not many things to do in Saint-Suliac. Hmnnn … that actually seems like quite a bit to do, doesn’t it? What more could you want? If you can, go there. Allow your mind and body to wander, to unwind and indulge in the pleasure of doing very little at all. You will thank yourself. For our part, we thoroughly enjoyed Saint-Suliac and it is a place we will return to time and again.
Finding Our France 