momentary locals

September 19, 2019

Our first full day in Bretagne. Unfortunately Chris caught a cold and decided to stay home and rest for the day. The plan for the day: Saint Malo and Dinan. 

I have visited St Malo several times now, and while it is touristy, it’s a truly beautiful place. We first walked the ramparts, which took about an hour and offered stunning views. The tide was very high that day. On the beach, there is a seawater pool that gets exposed at low tide, allowing for a unique swimming experience; today, however, it was completely submerged, with only the diving platform visible, where kids were diving in. After building up an appetite from our walk, we headed to Breizh Cafe, a crêperie highly recommended by Lonely Planet, and it did not disappoint. It’s a slightly upscale crêperie that offers fusion dishes and modern twists on classic galettes and crêpes. I had the galette saissonaire, which featured bufola (fresh, creamy mozzarella), avocados, jambon cru, and arugula dressed in vinaigrette – it was delicious! For dessert, my dad and I shared a crêpe with caramel de beurre salé, their famous salted caramel. We then picked up a dégustation (sampler) of France’s renowned butter, Jean-Yves Bordier handmade butter, before strolling to check out the cathedral.

Our next stop was Dinan. I had never been and was not sure what to expect other than the description in Lonely Planet that called it a must-visit and noted that it was a medieval town. Oh my goodness, Dinan was incredible! I will definitely be returning (and bringing Chris with me next time) because the couple of hours we spent there was far too short to fully explore this stunning place! We parked our car at the bottom of the hill under the large bridge. We walked toward the waterway lined with restaurants and shops before heading down a charming cobblestone road. Every turn, every alley just got better and better; I don’t even know how that’s possible. The cobblestone streets, the timber-framed houses, and the overflowing flower gardens on every windowsill!

We spent our time wandering around aimlessly, without a town map, just walking and exploring without a real goal. I found a few gifts for friends back home. I wished we could stay longer, but we had to stop by the grocery store before heading home to prepare dinner.

For dinner, we started with the dégustation of butters that we had picked up in Saint Malo. It featured eight distinct varieties, each providing a unique experience. I particularly enjoyed the yuzu (Japanese citrus) and olive oil butter, while I found the seaweed butter less appealing due to its strong fishy flavor; however, others at the table hailed it as their favorite. Dinner itself was a melange (mix) of tortellini and ravioli with choice of tomato sauce or creamy pesto. Of course with baguettes and fresh grated Parmesan. After dinner we relaxed and watched Back to the Future while doing some laundry. 

Overall a great first day in Bretagne!