A quiet night for all but John and Diana who ended up having the largest room that also accommodated a huge spider and a bat that flew in through the window. The rest of us . . . slept like babies. After breakfast we bid Sonia and Mike a goodbye, boarded our motor coach and headed towards Dinan, a medieval town we would explore on the way to our next overnight town, Saint Malo.

emJay’s leg starting to ‘turn color’ after her meeting the ditch because of her handlebar failure!

 

Today we would also pass from Normandy into Brittany. The terrain became more rolling the color of the stone much darker and where are over 200,000 Brittany residents who still speak their native language.

Dinan is one of only three cities in France that still has the remnants of a walled city. Very interesting.

Our guide, Brenarda, was full of information and spoke perfect English.

One of two churches in the old walled city . . .

The original ‘hurdy gurdy’ man Donovan sang about. He turns a handle on the right of the hurdy gurdy that creates the wind necessary to power his music.

Many of the original homes in the walled city still exists with their timber framed structured.

Shopkeepers lived in the back of their shops and would have shutters on the front of their building that would open to display their wares. Customers came to the windows to buy and trade.

Very steep and curvy streets in the old city. Would be quite a ride on a bike!

I would have liked to take this old rig for a spin.

A 2014 version. An electric bike the FRA post office uses to get around in the city. Nice!

The French take their cats and dogs EVEYWHERE and they are well trained. Here a cat waits for the local bus to take it home OR is it waiting for a few crumbs to fall from the woman’s lunch. In typical cat fashion it’s hard to read their intentions!

After the tour we walked to the local market and had lunch. The plan was to bike away from Dinan at 1:30pm to Saint Malo. The bikes and van were on the edge of the city because they could not get into the city center with the trailer. It was 12:30pm, we had had lunch and many of us decided to walk to the van early, get set up, and sit at a nice sidewalk café for a little latte and sweet. Ended up the trailer was in a parking lot with no cozy cafe nearby BUT the seaside port of San Malo was only .9 of a mile away. So . . . we biked for 3 minutes, stopped and settled in for a nice cup of coffee and sweets!!!!

Heading down the hill to the port of Saint Malo.

A Kodak moment.

A great place for a well deserved break after riding less than a mile!

Why is this woman so happy . . .

. . . here’s why!

Two happy and full riders . . . now where is that sag wagon!!!

Those living in Normandy and Brittany have a wide assortment of cuisine options and love their chocolates . . .

. . . some more than others. We are resolved: No more stops every mile for goodies!

From there it was through the rolling countryside of Brittany and onto Saint Malo . . .

. . . but not before stopping at and ancient Druid ruin known as the ‘giants tooth’. Only one of them here but evidently there is another location in FRA where there are hundreds up them all line up in a straight row, constructed 30,000 year BC.

Time for a quick visit into a local church along the way.

Now lets see  . . . do in fact all roads lead to Saint Malo?

Typical Brittany use of color.

A circuitous route through Saint Malo brought us to Le Grand Hotel des Thermes, a 175 room spa hotel located right on the ocean. A five star hotel, we felt a little out of place as we walked into the reception area in our biking kit. But we soon discovered many patrons walking around and wearing in the hotel supplied robes to visit the spa. Funny . . . especially at breakfast!!

An urban bike trail with nice plantings along the way.

Nice digs at the Grand Hotel . . .

Best shower we have had so far. . .

Bath was equipped with everything one needs!!!

Some walked down to the ocean, some went to the spa and swam in the ocean but soon we were all prepared for dinner and taxied down to the old part of town for a lovely diner where the vino flowed freely.

Salad course . . .

Soup course . .

Poached salmon with French lentils

The flan with sea-salt infusion caramel went too fast to even get a photo of it!!!!

The family out for an evening walk . . . al least, some were walking!

Back to the Grand Hotel and a good nights sleep.

. . .zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz