It’s 9:00 in the morning and we’re just rousing ourselves from sleep. Ugh! So EARLY, right? But we were determined to take a little road trip because we live in France. And it would be a crime not to see as much of our new home as possible. Walked Saxon. Showers. Clothes. And off we went. This day’s objective was the small seaside town of Cancale.
Just a few kilometers east of St. Malo, on a part of the north coast of Bretagne which juts out into La Manche (the English Channel), Cancale faces eastward. A hazy view of Mont-Saint-Michel on the horizon, the sea is dense, a solid blue-green slate upon which a few fishing boats skate back and forth. The town itself sits upon a high headland, tumbling down to a broad, hard-working port and a waterfront lined with a profusion of businesses trawling for the tourist trade.
Cancale is most well-known for its oysters: in particular, the Pied de Cheval, or, Horse’s Hoof oyster. Quite large, these oysters are native to the Baie de Mont-Saint-Michel and are a highly prized delicacy. Or so I’m told. Neither of us are partial to oysters (huîtres). Especially in the raw. So, I’m sorry that I won’t be able to report on the magical slurpiness of these treasured bivalves. But, judging by the high praises (bordering on cult-like mania) of every French person who ever lived, I’m guessing that you could do worse than slug down an oyster from Cancale. I mean, Louis XIV had them delivered fresh from here to Versailles every day. And that gentleman knew a thing or two about eating well.
Out of the door by 10:30, we fetched up to the center of Cancale a little before Noon. There is a lovely square with a tasteful park/parking lot surrounded by a church, a pharmacy, a grocery shop, florist, boulangerie, bar and bistros – all of the French essentials. This is the upper town. Much more geared toward local life and the needs of the people who actually live in town.
We had a fine meal (no oysters) for lunch in a bistro on the square and took a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood. There are many stylish and interesting homes from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries in the upper town and we enjoyed pointing out their various decorative features to one another. As we always do. We’re unrepentant architecture nerds.
Then it was down to the harbor-side where, despite it being the low season, was still thronging with tourists. Despite the tourism focus of this part of Cancale, it is a pleasant area. The shopping for Breton-inspired clothing, food, sweets and other assorted tchotchkes is good. But the real stars of the show are the views. The harbor and the bay are stunning. From the quai you can see the acres of oyster beds where tractors weave in and out of the rows at low tide. In the distance you can see Mont Dol (Holy Hills & High Streets: Mont Dol and Dol de Bretagne) and Mont-Saint-Michel (Blue Skies and Archangels) across the broad waters of the bay.
The waterfront bustles and there is a nice outdoor market by the lighthouse where one can buy freshly-harvest oysters and all the fixings. Not us, obviously. But many people pick up a plate of oysters and a glass of wine and sit on the edge of the promenade, slurping down their gelatinous treasures and tossing the empty shells onto the beach. Don’t worry, they aren’t carelessly littering. It’s traditional to discard the shells. And given the size of the pile, thousands of others have done the same thing. People power!
Although we didn’t have time to walk the entire 7 kilometer trail, but we did take a stroll along part of the cliffside path which stretches from Cancale to the Point de Grouin. The path affords dramatic views of hidden coves, smaller harbors and moorings, and beautiful old homes perched atop the bluffs. We even spotted a public seawater swimming pool cached demurely on a rocky beach. We have spotted several of these piscines de mer around the seaside towns of Bretagne. Cherie is intrigued by these public facilities and feels that it is a kindly service to provide for their citizens’ enjoyment and good health. I couldn’t agree more.
A few hours enjoying the charms of Cancale is time well spent. We had a lovely, relaxing visit. You could too. And if you are in the area, we would definitely recommend it. Our sojourn to Cancale is so typical of the good life in France. All one has to do is slow down a bit and open your eyes to the small things which make us truly happy and content. The French are particularly good at cultivating these things and we love them for it!
Finding Our France 