Friday, August 04, 2017

A Substitute Haven

Wandering Around Cottage - August 2017 Edition


As I had done last summer, I decided to take a week away from Cottage this year. I didn't go far for all kinds of reasons: I went to an adorable seaside town located an hour and half to the west of Cottage. It was still Brittany, but not the same "département" (a sub-division of French regions) anymore. The "département"'s name is Finistère, which means "Land's end" as it's the "Westernest" part of France. Shadow and I stayed for a week in a town called Roscoff, known, among many things, for its onions (more on that later).

Roscoff in the morning mist

Comme l'année dernière, je me suis offert cet été une petite semaine de vacances loin de Cottage. Enfin, quand je dis "loin", en fait, ce n'était, pour des tonnes de raisons, pas trop loin cette fois-ci. Shadow et moi sommes partis pour le Finistère, le département à l'ouest de Cottage, dans la charmante ville de Roscoff, connue entre mille autres choses pour ses oignons, comme on pourra le voir un peu plus tard.


I had rented a little holiday cottage located in a farm. That kind of holiday rental began after WWII, I think, as a way for farmers to earn a little more money. They could rent a room (a little like a B&B) or a self-catering cottage located on their property. We call that a "gite" and I often use that for my holidays as their website is well-designed for me - they indicate clearly if pets are allowed or not.


J'avais loué un gite dans une ferme. J'aime bien passer par gite de France car, partant seule, j'apprécie le fait que le gite soit la plupart du temps peu éloigné des propriétaires et leur  site Internet est idéal pour moi puisqu'on peut sélectionner dès le début les locations qui acceptent les animaux.

 
You can see above, nestled in the onion fields, the farm where our little substitute was. As you can see, I don't choose my holiday rentals for their luxury. I don't need a swimming-pool or a hot tub. But I do need a little outdoor space for Shadow to stretch his four legs, I do need windows for Shadow to look outside while I'm gone and a little bit of a kitchen for me.


Voici notre petit gite, niché au milieu des champs d'oignons. Comme vous pouvez le voir, je ne choisis pas mes locations pour leur luxe. Je n'ai pas besoin d'une piscine ou d'un jacuzzi. Par contre, j'ai besoin d'un espace extérieur pour que Shadow puisse se dégourdir les jambes, de fenêtres pour qu'il puisse regarder dehors quand je pars en balade et d'un minimum de cuisine.


The cottage wasn't perfect by decoration magazine's standards, but it was perfect for us. Also, one of the things I love every time I take a vacation away is falling asleep at night imagining how I would redo the whole place. You don't think I should talk to the doctor about that, do you? 


La location n'était pas parfaite, mais elle était tout à fait correcte. Et puis, un de mes plaisirs en vacances, c'est de m'endormir en imaginant comment je referais à mon goût les lieux. Vous ne pensez pas qu'il faut que je consulte un docteur à ce sujet, dites-moi ?


Shadow made himself at home. He even found a way to drink fresh water as he never ever drinks from his water bowl. It was a little more complicated than in our bathtub, but we managed. He also made friends with one of the three dogs of the farm. He curious little dog who had his ears cut square. Shadow didn't fight for once because he knew he wasn't really home, he didn't have to fight for his territory...


Shadow s'est vite adapté. Il a même trouvé une façon de boire de l'eau fraiche, car il ne boit jamais dans son bol d'eau. C'était moins facile que dans la baignoire à la maison et j'ai eu quelques crampes, mais on s'en est sorti ! Il a aussi fait ami-ami avec l'un des trois chiens de la ferme, un curieux petit toutou aux oreilles coupées au carré ! Pour une fois, il ne s'est pas battu car il savait qu'il n'était pas vraiment chez lui et il n'avait donc pas de territoire à défendre.


I'm telling you all this, but really, what I want to talk about is the small bedroom. Not the fact that I had only brought one pillow so Shadow and I had to share. Not the fact that it was all purple and grey and that despite the fact that it was very chic, it was really not me. No, let's talk about that small UPVC  (huh) window rather...


Bon, je vous raconte tout ça, mais en fait, on s'en moque. Ce dont je veux vraiment vous parler, c'est de la petite chambre. Pas du fait que je n'avais emmené qu'un seul oreiller que Shadow et moi avons donc dû partager. Pas du fait qu'elle était toute violette et grise, ce qui est très chic, mais pas "moi" du tout. Non, ce dont je veux vous parler, c'est de la petite fenêtre en PVC (beurk).


This was the view from the window... I know, UPVC doesn't seem so important now, does it? I had a really nice view on the field, the loch of Laber and the land you can see in the distance is the island of Batz. The star on the following map shows you aproximately where the farm was and how the "loch"  looks from above.


La petite fenêtre avait une superbe vue sur les champs, l'anse du Laber et l'île de Batz. Tout à coup, le fait qu'elle soit en PVC n'avait plus tant d'importance. Ci-dessus, vous pouvez voir à quoi ressemble l'anse du Laber et l'étoile représente à peu près l'endroit où était située la ferme.


I understood thanks to reading your posts from all over the world that the  tide isn't the same all over the ocean. In Brittany, the sea moves a lot and it gives a completely different view depending on the time of the day. Above you can see that at low tide the Laber loch  is completely empty.  So the view from the window changed all the time and I didn't have enough of one week to admire it.


En Bretagne, les marées modifient complètement les paysages de la côte et à marée basse, l'anse du Laber se vide complètement. La vue de la fenêtre n'était donc jamais la même et en une semaine, je n'ai pas eu le temps de me lasser... C'était beau même sous la pluie du dernier jour...

View under the rain, the last day.

There were many things to see in the area. Wonderful walks in the nature, magical castles to visit and breathtaking churches to discover. I've taken many pictures and some will make it to a post on their own in the future. I'm sure you'll enjoy those places as much as I have. I even think I'll need to go back there as I didn't have time to do everything I wanted!


La région regorge d'activités. Des balades magnifiques dans la nature, de merveilleux châteaux à visiter et des églises époustouflantes à découvrir. J'ai pris beaucoup de photos et des articles sont à venir sur mes lieux préférés. Je pense même qu'il faudra que j'y retourne car une semaine n'a pas suffi à épuiser toutes les richesses de la région.


See you soon,

A la prochaine fois,

Hasta la proxima,





PS1: You can see on the pictures that Shadow's fur is growing on his back, but you can still see where they had to shave him for surgery. You can also see that one of his eye is often closed, but that is also improving. Of course yesterday when I began typing this post, he suddenly arrived running and collapsed on the floor. He had been in a fight, he had fur going away from everywere, he was full of the other cat saliva on his neck, his ear was bleeding and he had hurt one of his leg... It's a good thing that I'm a teacher/cottage renovator/cat nurse!!!

PS 1 : Sur les photos, vous pouvez voir que la fourrure de Shadow repousse sur son dos, mais on voit encore bien l'endroit où il a dû être rasé pour son opération. On voit aussi qu'il garde l'oeil qui a été blessé fermé le plus souvent, mais là aussi, cela s'améliore... Enfin, il faut le dire vite car hier alors que je commençais à écrire cet article, il est revenu en courant à la maison et s'est écroulé sur le sol. Il s'était encore bagarré. Il saignait de l'oreille et avait mal à une patte. C'est une bonne chose que je sois professeur/décoratrice/infirmière féline !!!

PS2: I really enjoyed my week away, but when I came back to Cottage, I found him more dashing than before - there's so much more light coming in Cottage than in the rental!

PS 2 : J'ai vraiment apprécié ma semaine de vacances, mais quand je suis rentrée, j'ai trouvé Cottage encore plus séduisant qu'avant. Il est tellement plus lumineux que la location !

PS3: I'm linking with the following parties:

  
 

25 comments:

  1. Thank you fr taking me on this lovely tour. I had hoped that I would one day get to France, but I am afraid that it will be through someone else's eyes.

    Saw the movie Dunkirk Saturday and it was very good.

    Have a wonderful weekend. Hope kitty is fine.

    Mary

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  2. I love Roscoff. The first time we landed there I was so amazed that it didnt feel like a big port, but just a little French town. Over the years we have stayed there, visited places locally and like you, loved the changing views of the sea.

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  3. Roscoff et sa région ont l'air bien agréable. Il va falloir que nous nous décidions à visiter ce coin là !

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  4. So THAT'S what it looks like around Roscoff; wonderful! I've always enjoyed self-catering holidays - much more flexible - though, like any form of accommodation, you can get some real shockers. That said, I've stayed in plenty of hotels where the management appear to be in denial about the awful visitor experience... Great photos, Magali. Glad Shadow is on the mend - he probably wouldn't get involved in a scuffle if he wasn't feeling up to it?

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  5. Shadow is quite the handful! He definitely has nine lives!

    I too try to imagine how I would redo houses, particularly when viewing from the outside driving by. Doesn't everybody do that? ;)

    I love France, have been twice, but primarily the touristy spots (Paris and Monaco). I would love to visit the off the beaten path places someday. So much to see and do. Life really needs to be a few decades longer, don't you think?

    xxx

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  6. I would love to visit France one day - in the meantime I will see it through other's eyes thanks for the tour

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  7. Good morning, Magali! I'm glad Shadow is recovering nicely and that both of you got to get away. I'm like you in that I don't need a luxury hotel for my vacations. I spend all of my time outdoors touring and meeting people and the hotel room is merely for taking a shower and resting. What a beautiful and almost "wild" location with no light pollution or even noise pollution. The changing tide seems to be a hypnotic way to unwind from the stresses of life, a way to appreciate nature's mysteries.

    ENJOY the rest of your holiday!

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  8. Oh, perfect story until I read Shadow has been in a fight. I do hope he didn't have a huge setback. I enjoyed your trip and photos so much. You found such a sweet little town to visit and explore. We love visiting these small villages with we travel. I always find it interesting how tides come in and out and when. I think your rental cottage was very nice and no you don't need a doctor, if you do so do I, I do the exact same thing. It's fun to think of how we would put our own touch on a place. Glad Shadow's eye is getting better and his fur growing back. I've always said the best part of a trip is coming home. I enjoyed your tour Magali. Happy weekend......

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  9. I'm glad Shadow is recovering. My cats won't drink out of their water dish either, they prefer the dog's dish. Cats!!! I envy your ability to visit all over France. Sigh. Some day!

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  10. Hi....i do love when i get to be an armchair traveler with you..you pick such nice places to take us..and..it's totally understandable that you fell asleep decorating..i'll be looking forward to the other photos you took as well..and that shadow..i hope he learns his lesson sooner then later..sometimes it's ok to let a meany walk in your yard..hope you have a Fabulous weekend..an you don't have to put on your nurses cap once..for a long time.!

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  11. Thanks for sharing your vacation. I'd love to visit France and probably will never get to do it in person, so I look forward to seeing more of your lovely photos. I hope your poor kitty feels better soon!

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  12. This little cottage is enchanting...I enjoyed the views with you. :)

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  13. What a beautiful place for rest and relaxation! I love the gite and would be quite happy there. As always, I'm surprised when I find someplace half-way around the world looks so much like where I live--the Oregon Coast, USA. Naughty Shadow, he just can't stay out of it, can he! Thank you for the "arm chair traveling."

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    1. The gite was indeed nice enough that I'll chose the same should I go back for a week in the area. More "arm chair traveling" next month!

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  14. What a lovely place to stay - the views are wonderful! It looks so peaceful and relaxing. Oh, I am sorry that Shadow is hurt once more. Tom cats do love to fight! xx Karen

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    1. Shadow can't seem to learn his lesson! But at least he didn't fight with the farm cats and dogs when we stayed in the little holiday rental!

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  15. The sound of the sea, looking at a different view, meandering around and Shadow meeting a nice dog sounds like a wonderful respite from your stressful job.
    Take care, Kathleen in Az

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  16. Hello dear Magali,
    Thank you for taking me along.. Such beautiful photos..
    Shadow is such a dear, I am glad he is recovering.
    Blessings,
    Penny

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  17. This is exactly the kind of lodging I'd enjoy: a farm gite with views of the water. What could be more perfect? I think Shadow is smiling. At any rate I can here him purring from here. But really, he absolutely must stop getting into fights. Such a scrappy fellow! xo

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  18. Un gîte à la ferme c'est toujours un dépaysement... et quelle vue dans celui-ci ! A bientôt pour l'histoire de Roscoff et des Johnnies. Monique59

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  19. So sweet that you and Shadow got to get away for a little bit. It looks like it was a well-deserved, relaxing vacation.

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  20. Looks like a wonderful place to vacation! I always love when you show us new places in your beautiful country. Thanks for sharing this post at Best of the Weekend!

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  21. Love the view from your window. Thanks for all the details. Jo @ Let's Face the Music

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