Weekend Break in Morlaix Brittany France
February can seem a strange time of year to take a weekend break, however, Pete’s birthday is the beginning of February and we enjoy getting away at this time. We love the coast and Morlaix attracted us for the location on the north coast of Brittany in the Finisterre department and offers a combination of exploring the Coast plus city break.
Travelling to Morlaix Road or Rail
From our home in Rohan, Central Brittany the drive is 1hr 46mins, a gentle drive on Saturday morning was easy, the roads in Brittany are good, actually I will go as far as saying they are excellent!! Long stretches with very little traffic on extremely well maintained roads, Pot Holes just do not feature here in Brittany.
We arrived into Morlaix and easily found parking in the large car parking area towards the Port and under the famous Double story Viaduct bridge which accommodates the TVG trains that link Paris to Brest and the rest of France. Parking is payable until 12noon on Saturday 2.40€ and Free on Sundays.
Day One In Morlaix
Making the most of Morlaix Brittany France
Our first stop was the office de tourism indicated with bright orange signage and flag. One of the reasons we were attracted to coming to Morlaix was the Street Art, I have been a fan of street art for many years and fully appreciate the talent and skill of these enormous vertical Works of art. We collected the map for the Art Tour and set off on foot following the map and integrating seeing the Street Art with the historical elements of the city to see.
Saturday is market day in Morlaix which of course means that wonderful vibrant mix of people and aromas surrounding the market. We wander through soaking up this atmosphere. There are a plethora of stalls the usual fresh produce however, some caught our eye more than others, one being a small glass cabinet full of little cloth bags of herbs and spices some of which I hadn’t seen so readily available at markets before, I bought some fragrant edible rose petals that had been dried and the colour still so strong, just beautiful. Then on to a Vegan stall, what a treat, Being vegetarian with a dairy allergy here in France is sometimes difficult to navigate, but here on this one stall I was thrilled to see the choices. The young lady ‘ manning’ the stall was the artisan who had created these delicious vegan treats, I was in awe that she had made her own Tofu. Her enthusiasm for her produce without a hard sell encouraged us to buy items for our picnic lunch the following day when we knew we would be out on the costal path.
There are two locations for the Saturday market the main being at the old quarter market square which is surrounded by beautiful medieval buildings, bars and cafes spilling onto the pavements. Even with the light whispy drizzle in the air people were not discouraged to take a seat and enjoy a coffee or as you will see a lot in France a morning Rosé wine, something that still amazes me that taking an alcoholic beverage so early in the day is the norm here and often can be seen being served in supermarket cafes as early as 9 am. We sat and enjoyed a coffee and watched the world go by. The aromas of the market drew us for a freshly cooked crêpe they are really so simple and yet so delicious.
We carried on walking and seeking out more of the street art.
We wound our way through the tall buildings of the city centre and headed the short walk to the area with the museum, to get here there is a river to cross via flat bridges, one of which is home to the ‘Bains Douche’ Now home to a restaurant the building is a mixture of modern and history, the façade is typical from the Belle Epoque era, a large glass roof dons the top of the building. ‘Bains Douche’ baths and showers were municipal washing facilities and most large cities had them and during the early 19th Century their popularity soared as people began to think washing their body was a good idea.
Unfortunately, the restaurant was closed for renovations, we walked on to Le Musée de Morlaix which again was closed for renovations. Making our way down the old cobbled streets towards the magnificent bridge we found the large Church ‘Eglise Saint-Melaine’ I was in awe of its size and its beautiful tower reaching high from what can be considered a rather snug location amongst the streets of Morlaix, with the Bridge as its backdrop. Inside the church is the most wonderful blue ceiling. The location of the church shows how the city was built around it since it was built in the 15th and 16th century.
We are now at the location of the Bridge and continue to walk towards the Port and the estuary beyond, the Port is the end location from the estuary and stretch right up until the beginning of the city where it abruptly stops. I do love these water ways and acknowledge the reason of their creation in the bygone era to bring goods into the city and also to allow for the industry created in the city to leave. Namely the trade of tobacco which I do have to say I found a surprise that here on the banks of the water way was handled and processed into cigarettes and cigars up until the factory closure in 2004. The imposing Factory is build around a courtyard and the sheer size of it highlights its importance. Built between 1736-1740. By the 19th century the factory employed 1750 women who worked 10 hours a day 6 days a week. The factory did bring wealth to Morlaix. Click HERE to read more about he history of the factory. Now a museum which is undergoing a renovation too. there is a fabulous Street Art painting on the steps as you look through the main entrance,
This lady is wearing the traditional lace head wear worn by ladies in Bretagne – Bretagne being the Breton word for Brittany.
The viaduct Morlaix in Finistère
Walking back from the port to explore the viaduct bridge is a must see, the bridge is a dominating structure, it is incredible to think it was built in just 2 years from 1861 – 1863 the sheer magnitude of it leaves me in awe of the construction workers. The top level as previously mentioned is still in use today for the SNCF TVG train route. The lower section is accessed to walk across via steps on the right hand side when approaching from the port. the steps are steep but there is a handrail to assist you. once on the bridge the symmetry of the arches is in its own right an art form. The views across the city rooftops are great even during a dull February day. as you leave the bridge there are some more steps up and then turn right and follow the old steps down, to the church of Saint-Melaine. Note the drainage cut outs in the steps are a very clever way for the rain to pass. During the evening the Bridge comes alive with multi coloured changing lights it is rather impressive and brings and element of new to the old bridge and for me it marked the consistent movement of time.
Hotel in Morlaix Brittany France
Following our day walking where we had completed 15000 steps we headed to our hotel. I had booked a hotel break on Groupon at the L’Albatros hotel spa hotel
Situated by the small airport and home to the aviation school the reports of the hotel online were a mixture of good and not so good. When booking hotels I like to read the reviews on trip advisor and then make my own judgement. I will concur that some elements of the hotel are a little dated, that said our room was very clean and roomy with an adequate shower room, TV and supplied with a bottle of Champagne. Note there is no kettle or hot drink making facilities in the room, as we were travelling by car and I had done my research we brought our own kettle and cups.
The spa area consists of a good size pool and hot tub / jacuzzi and a separate area with a sauna and shower. We enjoyed our time using these facilities.
Breakfast is served from 7am – 10am. the breakfast is a self serve continental buffet style with food aplenty, cereal, pastries, breads, yogurt, fruit and hot choices too, the freshly squeezed orange juice was delicious.
Day Two In Morlaix
After a goodnights sleep and a hearty breakfast Pete and I made a 2o minute car journey north to the costal hamlet of Saint Samson, there is good parking here and toilet facilities. Pete and I enjoy walking in a variety or places but the coast is one of our favourites. the sound and smell of the sea is refreshing and bracing in equal measure.
We headed off along the coastal path the GR34 to reach the headland view point of Les Rochers de la Pointe du Dibe the map states a 45 minute walk but beware this is a coastal footpath and whilst the terrain is good and easy in places there are elements that require stamina to climb the natural rocky steps and man made ones too. We didn’t take our walking poles on this occasion but I certainly wished I had. The weather was in our favour being dry with just a slight breeze, from the path you can see over the bay of Morlaix and the many small islands and islets that are home to many different species of birds including Courlis / Limicoles and Chevalier Gambetter, we kept an eager eye out for the famed Puffins that can be seen in the area, sadly we didn’t have the pleasure on this day.
The walk takes you high on top of the cliffs and then down low on to rocky beaches and through a charming small hamlet. The structure of the rocks are fascinating I found myself wondering how did they evolve and the movement of the tide has worn some amazing structures.
On our return to the car we indulged in our delicious vegan picnic bought the day before in the market at Morlaix and then we headed to the opposite side of the estuary to visit the seaside town of Carentec, we are told that this is a popular place for local people to visit for a day at the beach and also for tourists coming further afield to holiday. the beaches are good soft sand and shallow waters good for swimming and frolicking in the water, unlike the area of the costal walk we had just completed across the bay. Being a February Sunday there was not a lot of places open and just a few stalwart walker about, but I can see that this place will be beautiful on a summers day.
One of the islands is home to Château du Taureau firstly built as an off shore defence in the 1500’s to defend Morlaix as it was a well known port of importance and Morlaix was known for its wealth, following many attacks from English looters, during one such attack the town of Morlaix was set alight by English looters and it took the city 10 years to recover. Château du Taureau was cleverly situated to be able to attack incoming boats, the following years has seen the building used for different purposes including an off shore prison, a holiday home and a sailing school before falling into disrepair in the 1980’s. It has now been rescued and is a visitor centre and a museum. Access is tide dependent and booking in advance in necessary. To book your visit click HERE
Dining Out in Morlaix France
We chose to dine out in Morlaix on both evenings, First evening we chose to go to the Tajmahal Indian Restaurant which is found near the centre of Morlaix. I called to reserve a table at 6.30pm for 7.30pm. We arrived on time and was pleasantly surprised at the authenticity of the restaurant décor and the enticing aromas. Our order arrived hot and full of flavour, the restaurant is used to English clients and ask you if you would like additional spice / heat to your curry as French pallets are not as accustom to the hotter spicier taste. We had starters of bhajis, Samosa, veggie patties with popadom and chutneys a main course each and Pete had a naan bread and with one alcoholic drink each and the whole bill was 45.00€ a real good value meal.
The second evening was Pete’s birthday and he choose to go to a Le Resto d’à côte Italian / Mexican restaurant the choices here were very good and plentiful, taco’s and salads, nachos, enchiladas and desert each with wine too, the bill here was larger at 71.00€ but it was well worth it for a celebration 3 course meal.